Work 3 days a week - would it be cruel/bad idea to get a dog that will be left alone during these days?

[bluestardressinggown]

I have become increasingly broody for a dog. I had dogs growing up, and as my DD is approaching her 6th birthday I think she is old enough to behave appropriately around a dog. We have also had a very difficult and traumatic year and I think a dog would provide both of us with a lot of therapy. We already enjoy walking in the local park everyday, and often take our 'imaginary' dog for a walk and I have done research into costs, and I can afford one.

However, I work part time, 3 days a week. On those days I would need to leave home at 8am to take my DD to school. My mum picks DD up from school at 3:15 and takes DD back home, so around 4pm ish. Would it be cruel to leave a dog at home alone during these periods? I would ideally love to get a puppy, but am worried that when it is very young it may get distressed at being left alone and am not sure if doggy day care would look after a puppy.

Does anyone have any thoughts/experience of this?

You can't leave any dog for 8 hours. Toilet? An adult may be able to cope after a settling in period with a dog walker or even better doggy daycare.
A puppy? No bloody way. D dog is 9 months. I wouldn't leave her for longer than four hours in total each day. A tiny puppy needs to be watched constantly to toilet train. They need socialisation and training.

I'm in your position but I'm not going to get a dog for the reason you've mentioned. It's too long to leave them it's not fair.

Unless you can find a dog sitter to take the dog on those days or a dog walker it's not right that you get a dog.

Have you thought of The Cinamon Trust that needs people to walk/foster dogs for people with illnesses that mean they're struggling to keep their pets? It may give you a chance to share someone's dog..

I am in the office three days a week and got a puppy last year. I was at home for 1 month when we first got him to settle him in and also get him used to being left alone for short periods (gradually increasing the time). When I went back to work he was left alone for a few hours before going to daycare for the rest of the day. I know he would be destructive and distressed to be left all day. Some dog walkers will also do day care but they usually have a limited number of dogs they take so you might find their books are full. Specialised daycare centres around here will only take puppies from 4 months of age so again you need to factor that in.

So yes you can have a puppy and work but you need to have a plan for the days you are not at home. Cost is not an issue for us but if you are tight on money you also need to weigh up the cost of dog walkers and day care. I spend around £200 per month just for a half day of day care over three days a week.

I have two adult dogs. My work pattern means they are left for 3 hours one day, 6 hours for two days and 8 hours for one day. The 8 hour day I get a dog walker in for a couple of hours. Is it ideal they're left for 6 hours? No. But I need to work so I can pay for food and vaccines and gravy bones. Every 6 weeks they're not alone at all because of the school holidays.

No you can't get a dog - it just wouldn't be fair. Unless you can finance a dog walker or doggy daycare, you shouldn't take on a dog when it will be isolated for long periods, even if it isn't every day. A dog should be left for 3-4 hours max.

I did the same as Bitey and then at 4 months old, puppy went to day care once a week on one of my 3 work days. The other 2 work days I pop home in my lunch break for a quick play and let him out for a wee. He's walked for 30 mins in the morning and when I get home. I find that as long as he gets longer walks on all the other days, he's fine with this. He's 3 now and he's a lovely well behaved spaniel. Crate training him until he was 9 months helped and also lots of obedience training. It can be done as long as you put in the time and effort needed. Some people can be home all day and not bother with exercising their dog!

Have you got a friend you could regularly swap with so you take her dog on the days you work and vice versa- dog gets socialisation with a friendly adult dog as well? It worked really well for me when my dog was little. I get her picked up during the day now. She's not on her own for more than a 4-5 hr stretch at most.
Lots of dogs do get left for a whole working day, of course, it doesn't make it right. And then people wonder why they have problems toilet training/ with destructive behaviour and separation anxiety.

If you can afford and get full daycare for a puppy (until they are at least 1, older for some high energy breeds), a dog walker from then on to take them out for an hour, and your mum will be happy to have your dd and a puppy - plus you can be absolutely sure that you will have the time and energy for a puppy it is fine.

But you need to think about the breed and its energy levels, your commitments, how much time you and dd have to give them, who will look after puppy when you want to go out for the day (even a shopping trip can be too long for a young dog to be left), and how you will deal with the inevitable bad behaviour of a young dog.

A good start is to see whether for a month, you and dd will go for a 30 minute walk before and after school, every day (and an hours walk on the weekend) - no matter the weather, how you feel, what else is on. And everytime you leave the house think 'what would we do with the puppy' - you might think you can take them down the shops with you, but you can't take them in, you can't tie them up outside, so that doesn't work. If your dd has a swimming lesson, then you pop to your mums for tea, you'll be out a few hours so that needs watching - and so on

This is my first post on here, hello :)

I just wondered if anyone had considered using BorrowMyDoggy or similar website to leave their dogs during the day? We're getting a puppy soon and thinking about using that one day per week with someone local who works from home so the dog will have someone about during the day. We've been 'borrowers' on there for about 3 years now so I'm reasonably confident that we could find someone trustworthy!

ButFirstTea what kind of checks do they do for the borrower and is there any insurance? I pay for day care and dog walking and part of that is that as a business they have insurance etc. Personally I would be hesitant to let effectively a stranger borrow my dog without some reassurance.

No way would I let a stranger take my dog. Think they would have a job to drag my clingy mummy's girl out the house. She's nearly 50kg!

They're insured and they have a 24 hour vet number for any emergencies. You also have to pay to be a borrower and to upload some ID to verify who you are. We've met up with everyone we've ever borrowed from a few times first to get to know them a bit, then just taking their dog got a quick walk to see how we got on etc.

I understand it's not for everyone but has worked really well for us so far! Just thought I'd suggest in case it's useful to you

I registered for Borrow my Doggy but never dared let anyone take my dogs, but I know lots of people at work who walk people's dogs through the site. They're cabin crew, so can't have their own dogs. They're all lovely people and hold criminal record chec