Single and work full time - how to manage the puppy stage?

[wannabedogmama]

Hi all

I've been desperate for a dog for years and finally in as good a position as I think I'm ever going to be to get one

I am looking at small low exercise breeds, I will be able to walk them in the morning and evening and have budgeted for a daily dog walker or doggy day care during the day once they are 6 months old.

My problem now is the puppy months, how do people manage this if they work full time? I can book the first couple of weeks off and also come home at lunch time but at what age can puppies be left for 4 or so hours at a time? The dog walker I have looked into also offers 30 minute puppy visits so would that work?

I'm looking at Shih Tzus, King Charles' & Pugs - does anyone think any of those would be more or less suitable for me than the others?

Before everyone says I shouldn't be getting a puppy, i've looked into rescues for older dogs but all of the local ones have policies against homing to people working full time. I have a lot of time to give it evenings and weekends.

At best, you could consider an old dog who's happy to sleep all day. A pp suggested a retired greyhound, fab idea. You can't get a puppy and leave it all week 8-5, it's incredibly cruel, it won't even be house trained by the time you admit defeat and re-home in a few months' time. They can't look after themselves. Neglect leads to all sorts of problems for the dog and for you.

Before everyone says I shouldn't be getting a puppy, i've looked into rescues for older dogs but all of the local ones have policies against homing to people working full time.

There's a reason they have that policy.

It seems as though you have flounced anyway....

Sorry this is going to be unpopular with those who have suggested a retired greyhound, yes they do sleep quite a bit, but that doesn’t mean they can be left home alone all day. They are sensitive dogs who are generally used to being kennelled with another grey and are used to hustle and bustle around them as they sleep. They still need interaction, cuddles, stimulation otherwise the dog would be very lonely. I have a Greyhound and would leave him for no longer than three hours if I had to, most of the time there is somebody around. As pp have suggested, maybe Borrow my Doggy or volunteer at a rescue, ft work and dog ownership isn’t fair.

Dog sitter for when you’re at work. We have a 14 week old puppy and have waited for 23 yrs (I kid you not!) for various reasons.....work, financial, young kids. He goes to a dog sitter when I’m at work as we couldn’t see how keeping him in a crate with ‘letouts’ every few hours would work with a puppy. Not sure as an adult we’d do it either to be honest. It’s lovely knowing that he’s had walks and fun with other dogs when I pick him up and I can then just sort dinner/kids/ironing etc! The dog sitter is very reasonable but we factored in the cost to the planning.

I have a CKC & she would hate to be home alone & she's a 'good' dog. Ie she doesn't bark & she's 7 1/2 now.

Those dogs you've mentioned are all companion dogs, which means they want companionship. Not to be stuck at home waiting for you.

Don't get a dog, get a cat.

For people saying get a cat, don’t get a kitten or a young cat they can’t be left alone for the long hours you work. Local shelters won’t give you a young cat for the same reasons they won’t give you a puppy. It’s not fair on them being left alone all day and only getting your attention briefly before and after work

Def don’t get a puppy or a kitten, get an older rescue cat that just wants to sleep somewhere warm.

I've also got an ex puppy farm dog from Many Tears. I got lucky to get one because they are so strict with their rejoining - and with very good reason.

Our dog from there is a cute looking mongrel (we had her DNA tested) & she's the sweetest thing, full of joy when she sees us the the morning. Unfortunately she appears to be afraid of the dark, so we can't leave her in the evenings because she cries. We have another dog but it's humans she needs. Both dogs spend pretty much the day asleep in DH's office whilst I'm at work. It's hard when he's away though, as she is then left for 5 hrs 3 x a week. Most dogs left alone have high stress levels, so never assume it's ok to leave them.

@blueskypink yep! Got a camera so we could check in on him.

And no he doesn't bark as we always chsck with our neighbours who are home all day.

Oh and we got him from a kennel club assured breeder, not off gumtree etc, and they had no issue with us working full time.

KC assured doesn't mean a whole lot I'm afraid.

Please don’t get any of those breeds. King Charles Spaniels’ skulls don’t house their brains. I heard a radio 4 interview once with a load of breeders and owners and all agreed the breed should be allowed to die out. It’s been buggered about with too much.

Pugs’ faces can’t house the tubes required to breathe. Shih Tzus are the same.

Terrible breed choices.

If you’re dead set on getting a dog, lie to the rescue about your working hours and get a steady older one used to being alone for 4 hours. You’ll have so many problems with a puppy. Honestly. They need your company, input and guidance when little, not just wee breaks.

I’m not sure you’re reading this thread anymore but I thought I would join in on strongly discouraging you, mainly out of experience. When I was very young (18) and had just left home I got a puppy and worked full time, it was awful I mean a dreadful, dreadful decision it was like having a child. I ended up re-homing her privately after just over a year and it broke my heart. I’ll actually never forgive myself for making that decision (to buy a puppy). she loved me so much and I let her down HUGE. I waited 12 years and then when I was able to work from home and provide the lengthy 3 walks a day and constant love and attention I got my dog, Oscar. Sometimes you have to wait and do the right thing.

I always feel really sad on posts like this when everyone jumps in and suggests a greyhound.

Why is it okay to leave a greyhound bored and lonely all day but not any other type of dog

No it isn’t Greyhorses. Our dog is the most chilled our lab you will ever meet, she would be fine left all day in an emergency.

We never leave her all day, someone always works from home at least half a day, every day because she is our friend and we know what makes her happy - being with us.

I think the OP has gone, but the other big problem with working and having a dog is that you will largely lose your social life. No going to the cinema with friends, or spending a saturday shopping, because, you will have already left your dog for hours and hours a day/ week, so how can you leave it even more? What about travelling time to/from work? What about your work asking for extra hours? What about the works christmas do? That will be out too. In fact, anything social, unless it also involves taking your dog with you, would be out of the question. You can never do anything spontaneous in your social life with a dog (unless the animal is also invited) because you have to put the dogs needs first. Dogs are lovely, but they are as much of a tie as children, and a puppy is as much hard work as a baby for several months (well, mine was!).
Having time at weekends and in the evening is just not enough. If you want a cuddly pet, a cat would be a much better option.

What everyone else has said. Please don't.

@Lucisky none of those things have happened to us since getting a dog. You just have to plan your time. If we want to go out for the evening and dog has been on his own quite a bit, we drop him round to friends or family to look after while we are out. He loves going to my mums especially.

I’ve been reading through this post as DH and I also want to get a puppy. For those who have said don’t, would your position change if the dog were with a dog sitter all day when we are at work?

Obviously I want to make an informed decision and I previously thought about having a dog walker come in during the day for an hour or two, but it’s just as much money and perhaps makes more sense to have my pup with someone all day. What are your thoughts?

In terms of breeds, we have been thinking of a cocker spaniel (I had one as a child), a beagle or a Shiba Inu. Would be keen to get any thoughts from dog owners?

I would happily send my dogs to a dog walker for the day Apple. I would also consider a half day out and a few hours at home.

What I wouldn’t do is leave them all day with no interaction and only a 30min toilet break as I think that’s cruel.

Mine come to work, they sleep all day so would probably do the same at home however I don’t see the point in having dogs to spend a hour out of 24 with them.

AppleTree0915 I work in the office three days a week and two at home. On my office days my cocker spaniel goes to daycare and it's great. He gets to play with other dogs and is throughly exercised as well as having company in the day. I would totally recommend it over just a dog walker and as you say often it isn't much more expensive than two walks a day.

This also means you can devote time to training or just being with the dog when you get home as they don't need to be walked on those days. If you get a puppy do look to see if they will continue training for consistency and also if there is a minimum age to start. I would still recommend as many weeks off work as possible at the beginning to get them used to your home and to get a head start with training etc

Those saying get a retired greyhound or that it's ok to leave their dog all day because they know it doesn't bark are rather missing point, surely.

My dog sleeps a lot of the day because that's what a great many dogs do. But there's a big difference between a dog lazying around, staring out the window or just gazing at nothing when it knows someone else is around, someone who will have a little play with him/her from time to time, give the dog a stroke as they pass, and just be another presence in the house even if they're busy and leaving a bored lonely dog in the house all day with no interaction from anyone, except maybe a dog walking in the middle of the day for an hour.

Dog's don't ask for much, but being left alone all day when you're a social creature, knowing there's no one to turn to if you need company or even to be able get outside and wee when you need to must be pretty miserable.

The relations of one of my in laws used to leave their dog all day and, knowing the dog was ill and coming to the end of it's life - it was booked in to be pts the next day - went off to work as usual only to come home to find that the poor old thing had died alone at some time during the day.

I know sometimes you can't help bad timing but if you leave a dog all day that's the sort of risk you're taking. It was a few years ago but it still makes me sad to think of the poor dog dying all alone like that, and I never even met the animal.

@wannabedogmama me and my partner both love dogs and would love to have one of our own one day. We joined Borrow my Dog this last year and it's been the best thing we could have done. We walk 3 different dogs most weekends. We get all the dog time we want when we are around to enjoy it. We also regularly look after our neighbours' dog when they are out and away. Borrow my Dog is ideal for people who have lots of dog time at weekends but not during the week and is a great way to learn about dogs and different breeds.

Why does everyone suggest retired greyhounds for people whose circs would be ‘cruel’ for other dogs?
I’ve had greys all my dog owning life and they are very prone to SA, love lots of off lead excercise, stimulation and things like scent work, agility etc.
They might not know how to tell you they’d like more than ‘two 20 min lead walks a day because they come from a kennel environment so are not socialised ask humans for things like pet dogs. Most of them love long walks.
They are only around 4yrs when retired and although they’re very gentle calm dogs, they’re still bloody dogs!

Why does everyone suggest retired greyhounds for people whose circs would be ‘cruel’ for other dogs?

Compared to any other dogs I’ve had, our greyhound is by most the calmest, sleeps more/doesn’t run about the house in general, and isn’t destructive or noisey when left to suggest he’s agitated when alone

He was 8 when we rescued him and he point blank refuses to walk longer/further than 30mins max in one go, he’ll literally stop/lie down and he’s a big lad, there’s no carrying him, so we know full well he doesn’t need more exercise - so he gets x2 20mins a day and that’s perfect

We work (DH sometimes from home) and when we’re both out our neighbour pops in on him during the day - I’ve seen behaviours in other dogs when they’re not happy being left & he displays no signs of being unhappy

I grew up with boarder collies, and my parents have since had a Labrador and a spaniel/collie cross - I know exactly how full on each of these breeds are and not one would be suitable for us, our greyhound is and that’s why personally it’s a breed I’d often mention to people as I find as a rule they can be overlooked or just not even considered

P.s. he used to like a run off lead without a long walk beforehand (if he’d done his 20mins already he wasn’t interested) but he doesn’t bother now, he’s too old :)

Get a cat. I have an oriental. A most dog like cat, lots of fun, very affectionate and will happily sleep most of the day. Bit pissed off at being left alone for too long, so a breeder would recommend you get a companion cat. So now you have 2 cats and can get a dog when you have more time at home.