Could we get a dog?

[DogNovice]

Apologies for posting a topic that gets asked a lot, but everyone's situations are different and I would really appreciate some advice from knowledgeable and experienced dog people.

DP and I have recently moved into a new house in a very rural setting, and we are lucky enough to have an acre of garden and are a fair distance from the nearest road. The previous owners had a dog at one point and so there is strong wire fence on all boundaries as well as thick hedgerow.

DP is a dog person and would really love to get one. I am definitely more of a cat person but having done borrow-my-dog for the past few years when we lived in the city they have grown on me.

However, we are not at home every day. We both work - I tend to do 3-4 days in the office which means I am out from 7am until 7:30pm, with DP usually out for similar hours. So any dog is likely to be by themselves for 12 hours for 3 days a week out of 7.

In my mind, that means we can't have a dog. Everything I have heard says that is too long for them to be on their own. DP says that we could let them have access to the garden while we're out - with an adequate shelter - and that would be fine for the right kind of dog.

I'd really appreciate some more views on this; could that setup ever work? I know there are dog-walking and doggy daycare options but I can't imagine they're cheap, plus we're so out of the way I don't know if we'd find anyone to come to us to do that.

If it could work, what sort of dog would be happiest? We don't have any kids, but have been trying for the last couple of years and hope to have some success with further IVF next year, so that would need to be factored in.

Any advice, suggestions, warnings etc. welcome!

Unless you can set up some sort of day care/walking I wouldn't consider getting any dog. RSPCA guidelines are four hours maximum.

We run a pet care business. For a one hour walk it would be £10 plus mileage. For daycare it would £15 plus mileage if we come to collect or bring back.

That is a very long time to leave a dog. You would need to research and budget for care options on those days I think. Some retired greyhounds are pretty happy to just sleep all day but 12 hours is still too much to ask of them I think.

Think in your situation I’d stick with cats. Some of the breeds can be very affectionate and people orientated ( some moggies as well too.)

Breed wise, all the families who started with a Labrador and then acquired the children seem perfectly happy.

I think it is too long for most domestic breeds. May be OK if you have a working breed...lab, border collie etc. but it is still an excessive amount of time for a dog to be alone. I feel guilty if I leave my 5 year old lab for over 3 hours! What about feeding etc? It is a very long time for a dog to wait for food. Plus a dog will usually just sit about if they are left alone so you would still need someone to walk the dog and keep it company imho. Personally, in your situation, I wouldn't get a dog - or any pet until your hours and work commitments are less full on. It would be lonely and potentially very destructive in your absence.

I am in the office around 3 days a week but use day care. The issue is you won't know how well your dog copes until he/she doesn't. I do know people who leave there dogs all day and they cope but I know mine would not.

Yes day care is pricey and at the moment mine has gone up to around £20 per day but I will say it's money well spent knowing he has company and is being walked and socialised with other dogs.

You'd need to use some sort of day care/dog walker. You can't leave a dog for 12 hours 3 days a week, week in week out. Get a cat!

As others have said, 12 hours is far too long to leave a dog - even a mature one that doesn't mind being left. The run of the garden isn't a substitute, even a large garden. It's company and mental stimulation that the dogs miss - and this will be limited in a garden he knows well without anyone there. Also, no decent breeder would hand over a puppy into that situation and no puppy could cope with it but no shelter would rehome an adult dog with you unless you could show you have alternative plans for those days: in 12 hours that will mean either day care (best option) or a walk to walk him/her twice in the day, every four hours (ish).

However, hoping for child next year adds another complication. Babies are hard work and whilst that will mean you are home, the dog will still need attention and walking which might mean keeping the dog walker on is best - only you know if you could either manage both or afford a walker (plus a child and time off work). You also have a risk that the dog will not be trustworthy around the baby, even supervised. Obviously, many dogs are and people have babies and dogs happily in the same house but it is something to consider. Again, that might rule out a puppy unless you have plenty of chances to socialise it with babies beforehand.

In all honesty, it sounds like a tough gig. Depending on how much time off with a baby you are planning it might be better to hand the child and then think about whether or not a dog could fit into your family after that? Either way, you would have to get VERY lucky to find a dog that would be ok for 12 hours alone.

Thanks everyone, you've all reinforced my reservations. I had a quick search for daycare nearby and for 3 full days a week it is almost £400 a month. A huge commitment each month and that's without even considering whether the dog would enjoy it.

I've had a chat with DP about it, and used a lot of the info given here (thank you!), and he's agreed the daycare is too much, plus - more importantly - concedes our circumstances aren't right.

We have decided instead to re-look at Borrow My Dog in our area and see if we can find one which we can develop a long-term relationship with. Having one for weekends and holidays and then being able to give it back would be absolutely ideal.

This also leaves the path clear for us to get cats which makes me very happy

Think you’ll need to get two cats to make sure they have company