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The doghouse

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Original poster

Is there any way to have a dog when you work full time?

59 replies

LittleLionHeart · 16/10/2015 20:48

I know this has been done to death, and working full time is why we don't have a dog (DP and I both lawyers). So I'm looking for some bright ideas more than a flaming. We are both out of the house from 8-6 or 8-8 in bad patches. One of us is usually okay to be home by 6.30 even if the other is working late.

We could both work a day at home per week I think, so four days a week in total including weekends. Could the rest ever be done by a dog walker without being cruel on the dog?

I don't see a time when we both won't work full time and I have wanted a dog for 8 years Sad

OP posts:
Greyhorses · 16/10/2015 20:57

It is possible but I expect it would be expensive! I think the only feasible option would be something like a dog day care for during the day so it isn't left alone.

The majority of dogs love being with family and it's unfair for them to be left alone for more than 3-4 hours at a time in my opinion. Most will show some signs of distress if left longer than this on a regular basis.

A dog walk would be okay for some dogs but not for others, and I think 8-6 even with a walk is too long.

Would taking it to work be an option? I am lucky and take mine with me, they are crated in the staff room and get attention all day from everyone who sits in there plus walks at break times Smile

Could a family member or friend dog sit for a few hours a day?

Or you could volunteer at a rescue, there are loads of dogs that could do with some time out of kennels at weekends.

Original poster
LittleLionHeart · 16/10/2015 21:04

How much is dog day care? My family are about half an hour to an hour away and are all pretty busy. Work not an option - both work in very corporate, formal offices...

OP posts:
BetaTest · 16/10/2015 21:05

I honestly cannot see the point and cruel to the dog.

I grew up with dogs on a farm and they were always around us and we around them. They were working animals as well as pets. Intelligent and social animals.

You really will not be being kind. Please don't.

Wotsitsareafterme · 16/10/2015 21:10

An ex had some whippets and he worked fill time. He had a daily dog walker I think which cost him a fortune though. I think £700 a month but he was a dental professor.
I work 3 days a week but mainly from home - unhelpful I know. My dog will tolerate half a day at a time on his own max

BossWitch · 16/10/2015 21:15

Everyone will hate me for this but yes you can, if you get a chilled out sleepy breed. We have a golden retriever, we are out of the house from 7.30 - 5.30, she curls up on our bed and sleeps. I know that she is fine because:

  1. I've set up a camera and videoed her
  1. She does the same when I'm at home in the school holidays.

Totally happy, settled, well trained, well behaved dog. No emotional issues - no barking, no crying, no chewing, no accidents.

She gets three walks a day - before work, after work, before bed. The after work one is a long walk, half hour ish with off the lead running around on the local green and splashing through the beck.

She is perfectly happy - there is no change in her behaviour when she is staying at my in law's house, where there is always someone on the house and at least two other dogs.

So yes, doable. .

scratchandsniff · 16/10/2015 21:29

Sorry BossWitch but I totally disagree with you. Your poor dog has become conditioned to it's life, and you have convinced yourself it's fine. In my opinion it is not fine to leave a dog alone for that long. Your dog curls up on your bed and sleeps because it has fuck all else to do. I'd curl up and sleep if I was all on my own for 10 hours a day. And as someone who has lived with two golden retrievers I can say that they are not 'sleepy', chilled out yes, but not sleepy for 10 bloody hours a day.

I just don't think it's fair. I appreciate everyone has to leave their dogs at times but for 3 days a week most weeks is too much IMO, even with a dog walker.

Hoppinggreen · 16/10/2015 21:38

I'm glad it seems to work for you boss but having had Golden Retrievers they are a very sociable breed and I wouldn't even consider leaving one alone for so long.
Sorry OP but I think that getting a dog in your circumstances would be pretty selfish and unfair on the dog

BeachysFlipFlops · 16/10/2015 21:45

On the days you aren't there, you have a dog sitter/walker/cleaner who is there 10 to 4pm.... 6 hours a day, the three days a week that one of you isn't there, so about £180 a week, depending on where you live....

Lovelydiscusfish · 16/10/2015 21:52

Ok, so I'm going to say I would do it, but on,y using something like doggy day-care. My friend, who is a policeman with fairly random, unpredictable hours, uses this for his dog when necessary, and believes his dog loves it.

Mind you, have been bollocked on here previously for recommending doggy daycare, as some posters believe it is horrifically stressful for dogs. I don't really agree (but, not being a dog, it's hard to really ever know exactly what they feel about stuff), but thought I should say this in the interests of full disclosure.

I do have numerous colleagues who leave their dogs at home all day every day, and I don't suppose that's the best thing in the world. A dog walker popping in during the day would certainly break the day up for your dog, I'm sure.

I'm lucky (or my dog is!) because dh works from home, and is obsessed with going on massive walks. In honesty, we didn't get a dog till dh worked from home, and nor would we have. But I believe other options can be workable, if you're willing and able to put the effort and money in.

HarrietSchulenberg · 16/10/2015 21:56

What is it that you want to achieve by having a dog? If you are looking for a hairy companion for weekend walks why not speak with a local dog rescue about weekend exercising? Some rescues have dogs that they cannot rehome (ones that may have bitten a human, for example). If you agree to be trained by the staff in how to handle these dogs, and spend time gaining the dogs' trust, you could be their regular walkers and insured to take them out for the day, which would be hugely beneficial to a dog consigned to a life in kennels.
Much better than having a dog that is cooped up alone for 10-12 hours a day.

janethegirl2 · 16/10/2015 21:59

I think it's not sensible unless the dog is happy at home, and you can walk it at lunchtime and you are back by 5pm to walk it again.
I will never have a dog until I have stopped work and can look after it appropriately.

WeAllHaveWings · 16/10/2015 22:04

Our lab is alone 4 days a week from 10:00 until 14:30 and that's more than I'd like. He has a short roughly 45 mins walk in the morning mostly off lead and an hour off lead in the evenings. If we are in he follows us about the house and brings toys to play with.

Sorry Boss but agree with scratch a golden retriever is a high energy intelligent breed, if your dog had the choice it would be out and active more of the day. He may not be disruptive but he will be bored stiff and unfulfilled sleeping 10 hours during the day while you are at work as well as night-time sleep. He repeats the pattern of sleeping when you are there because he conditioned to it and because you cant be interacting with him when he is there.

OP, unless you use a suitable doggy day-care being out of the home 8-8 is really not compatible with having a dog.

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 16/10/2015 22:16

Depends on the dog and on the dog-walking arrangement. We've tried a couple. The first walked the dog for 40 mins (and once when I was at home ill and he didn't know I was there he only took him out for 20 mins!). The second took a whole group of dogs in a van and they raced around together. This was brilliant - dog was picked up at around 11 am at the beginning of her rounds and was invariably gone for at least 2.5 hours. Often she would go for longer walks just because she enjoyed it and it wasn't unusual for dog to be gone all afternoon. Both charged around a tenner per walk - vastly better deal with the second one!

Another option is to get a dog-walker to come twice a day - my mum does this for her dogs.

I don't know if a rescue centre or a good breeder will let you have a dog if you both work full time. The rescue centre would only let us have ours when DH undertook to take him to work with him. This was even though at the time I worked 9-5 with a 5 min commute and DH worked shifts in a pub so never started before 11, so we were only proposing to leave him for a max of 10.30 to 5.05, 4 days a week (DH did a lot of weekends so was often at home 2 days mid-week). The rescue said that wasn't good enough and so DDog became a pub dog. The business folded a year later and DH became 9-5 also, and that was when we had to start using dog-walkers.

austenozzy · 16/10/2015 23:12

Don't do it. Utterly pointless from your perspective, utterly isolating and cruel for the dog. Bosswitch et al are just kidding themselves, that's no life at all for a dog, especially a breed like a retriever that should be bouncy and full of zest. I pity that poor dog.

I work from home and live right by the coastal path in Cornwall. My lab is lucky, as am I, that we have that on our doorstep. I never had a dog growing up in London as both my parents worked near full time and I was obviously at school, thus not in a position to properly care for a dog. Simple.

SweetLathyrus · 17/10/2015 08:56

I wouldn't contemplate a dog with those hours, in fact I didn't, I wanted a dog for years, and felt really sorry for my DS that he didn't have one when he was younger, though the were lots of other peoples' dogs in his life. What changed for us was moving closer to work, so not spending hours commuting, and the ability to pop home, but mostly a dogs at work policy, made it possible. Ddog, is with me in my office most days.

I would also recommend the charity dog walking route. I have a colleague who walks a dog for the Cinnamon trust, she has built up a relationship with the dog and the elderly owner, so it benefits everyone.

Wolfiefan · 17/10/2015 08:59

How about volunteering with the Cinnamon Trust?
You can choose how often to walk. By walking the dog of an elderly or very ill person you can allow them to keep their best friend or constant companion.

Twasthecatthatdidit · 17/10/2015 09:07

Does it make a difference if you get two dogs - and have a fairly big garden? That way they have company? I know someone with this setup. Personally, I work full time in a demanding job and have a small child, and a dog would be too much for me at this stage in my life - I've enough responsibility already!

FrancesNiadova · 17/10/2015 09:52

Oh Lionheart I feel your pain! I've spent the morning googling pictures of wire-haired dachshunds, (Heidi), & Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, (Nellie). I've even named her!
A small dog would allow me to walk her, (I have a mobility problem), & we could take her to our caravan in France for her holidays.
It's not going to happen though.
DH & I both work full time. The kids & I would love a dog, but it wouldn't be fair on the animal.
We have chickens and a very gorgeous cat, lovely, but not a dog so I'll just keep looking at the cute pictures & relish the Times with our cat when she's not ignoring me Grin

marriednotdead · 17/10/2015 10:00

Have you considered Borrow my Doggy? A colleague does it as she cannot keep a dog where she lives, but is too far from her family home to see 'her' dog regularly.
She's built up a fantastic relationship with a family and their hound who she sees on her days off.

NoahVale · 17/10/2015 10:03

people do this, and they dont all come on mumsnet for a flaming.
assuming you will be getting some sort of day care then i am sure that is ok, if that is what you want
two dogs are good company for each other perhaps but i read two puppies are not good, as they teach each other bad behaviour and dont learn good behaviour.

Lucidlady · 17/10/2015 10:09

We both work FT and have a dog. I agree that leaving the dog on its own for long periods isn't fair - ours goes to doggy day care. We get a reduced rate because it's run by a friend. My boss also uses doggy day care and it costs him around £30 a day in central london - not much less than the cost of childcare!

If you do decide to get a dog and you're prepared to pay for the care then go for it. Even after the crappiest day at work, my dog can lift my mood within seconds as he's so delighted I'm home Smile

Salene · 17/10/2015 10:16

Oh for god sake you don't need to be home with a dog 24/7

Yes you can have a dog and work as long as someone lets it out to pee

If you are really worried then get two dogs so they keep each other company when you are at work.

TooOldForGlitter · 17/10/2015 14:49

Nobody mentioned 24 hours a day did they? It's cruel to get a dog and leave it alone all day. People can convince themselves otherwise but it is what it is. Cruel.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 17/10/2015 14:53

Salene I hope you don't have a dog if that's what you think. Having a dog is not making sure it can pee once a day Confused

Don't do it OP, unless you can use doggy day care.

Agree TooOldForGlitter, it is unfair on a dog to leave it all day, week in week out.

SteveBrucesNose · 17/10/2015 17:35

We both work those hours and have two Dalmatians. However, we have full time househelp - a lovely lady who works 7am to 6pm and does our cleaning, laundry, and 4 walks per day (about 3.5 hours of her day is walking the dogs, and then we do another at night too). They're alone for max 2 hours a day and that's if I'm really late leaving.

We did it at first with one dog walker at lunchtime ish and they weren't happy. They had a big house to explore and were together, but still not happy. When we adopted the original two, I finished at 3pm and was home for half past. My job changed dramatically.

A killer for us was the morning walk - working 12 hour days is one thing, but suddenly you'll be up 2 hours earlier to get a decent length walk in and then get ready, and no lie ins at weekends. It's tough.