What do those of you who work FT do with the dog?

[Dreamonastar]

Have a dog walker coming once a day but am worried it doesn't seem to be enough for her and I'm exhausted and it's soaking outside!

She never stops though.

How long are you out for and what time does the walker come in?

Am out from about 745 until about 4. The dog walker comes at 12 at present.

Have you got a couple of Kongs? I walk my dogs at 6.45am and then when I leave for work I give them a frozen Kong each to keep them busy but you could give your dog one when you get home to keep her occupied and to mentally tire her out. I'm just doing my dogs' ones now for tomorrow, scrambled egg and peanut butter and then they go in the freezer till I leave home in the morning. I'm only at work for 4/5 hrs though so I'm home after lunchtime and walk them again in the afternoon but the Kongs help them associate me leaving, with them getting a treat. Some days I don't think they can wait for me to go!

Hehe :)

She's never been too fussed about food - she eats but bribing her with treats has always been tricky. But I'll try a couple of kongs!

I walk ddog before work (just half an hour), in my lunch break (again just a half hour wander but I am home longer) and after work. I think some dogs are never OK with being in a household where you're out all day, I video mine on a regular basis to check what he does. He does what he'd do if I were in or working from home like I do 3 days a week and just sleeps. He is a lazy lump and has no separation anxiety (the opposite, he is liable to stay in a different room to us just because he's comfortable).

Is yours bouncing off the walls when you get in?

Now my dog is older she just goes with the walker in winter but when she was younger I took her out for a quick walk in the mornings and evenings too because she was just bursting with energy.

Yes, she just hurls herself at us - makes me feel bad

She's going to be excited to see you, she loves you .

Maybe try a little bit of training in the morning if you don't fancy a walk in the dark and rain to tire her brain out

This is what my younger dog is like when I get home too. If I didn't take them out again in the afternoon he would be unbearable by the evening. Mine play a lot indoors together too which expends a lot of energy luckily. Your dog does sound like she could do with some mental stimulation. I know you say she's not very food oriented but what about small cubes of cheese or something else she might like hidden in places around the house or in a puzzle toy?

Will try that thanks :) I wondered if she might prefer a doggy crèche as she loves
Playing with other dogs and it might tire her out a bit!

We have always worked full time and had our dog. We were advised not to come home at lunch (which my dh offered to do) as they get the disappointment of you leaving twice. So she gets a walk at some point each day, and a couple stretching her legs round the garden, then longer walks at the weekend. She has toys to play with at home. I work from home some days so she has more company on those days.

Take him with us! But more helpfully, he loves it (even now he's ancient) when other dogs come to work, I'm sure when younger he'd have been much happier in doggie creche than at home with drop ins.

I'd love to take her with me but don't think it would go down very well!

I walk mine in the morning then she goes to doggy day care - she has a wonderful time playing with other dogs - she sleeps soundly at night. In spring and summer I take her out in the evening as well

It helps that (a) we run the business, and that (b) a lot of the time it involves working in a field

But doggy company is definitely a big plus for ddog even if it's just a bit of sniffing and wandering around (he's 16 now). I suspect it depends on their personality - my childhood dogs were much more into people & had no desire for other dogs to play with.

On the days I am working the whole day, I walk her before I go to work, at lunchtime and after dinner. DS walks her as well as soon as he comes back from school.

On other days I aim to give her a good run for an hour or so in the morning, then DS walks her as usual in the afternoon and I take her out again at night.

She is full of beans so I leave her with something to chew while I'm out.

My dog had his first 3 days at doggy day care last week and is going 3 days a week every week now. It's good for him as he can socialise with other dogs, receive training throughout the day plus it's not much dearer than having a dog walker but they have your dog for the entire day.