Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Do people own dogs who work full time?

47 replies

RonBurgundyspanpipe · 09/05/2020 12:30

We have to adults in the house who work full time and two dc 13 and 10. The dc have been asking for a dog for a while but we have always said we can't as we work and it's not fair on the dog.

So, is this the case? We would be out of the house from 8am till the kids get in at 3:30 after school. Is this fair? I know lots of working families who have dogs and don't know how they do it.

OP posts:
Yourownpersonaljesus · 09/05/2020 12:34

I work full time and have a dog. She goes to daycare which costs a fortune. I just have to go without other things myself - there’s no way she could be left alone all day.

redberrytree · 09/05/2020 12:37

I had a dog and hated leaving her during the day, looking back I don't think it was fair and I wouldn't get another dog unless I had the adequate free time for it or the money for 'doggy daycare'

BiteyShark · 09/05/2020 12:39

I have a dog and work full time. As PP I spend a fortune on daycare Grin.

Wolfiefan · 09/05/2020 12:43

They are asking for a dog?
Do you want one? If the adults in the house don’t desperately want one then don’t even consider it.
Dogs are expensive and time consuming and puppies are bloody hard work. And it won’t be the kids getting up in the night or cleaning up accidents.

GoatsBroccoli · 09/05/2020 12:46

I am single parent, have a dog and work full time. Dog goes to daycare,
... It's expensive (because iv also got insurance, about £50pm,plus food too) and I go without a lot because of it but my dog is amazing so the money doesn't bother me because he brings me so much happiness

RaspberryBubblegum · 09/05/2020 12:47

Get 2 dogs? Problem solved?

MJane3 · 09/05/2020 12:49

We have a dog and both work full time. She's a lazy lab that sleeps all day and I come home at my lunch break and quick let her outside. She gets a walk most evenings. She worth it and not hard work at all. She probably costs under £10 a week to feed. Well worth the joy, companionship and our kids love playing with her. Only get one if they'd be part of the family though x

tabulahrasa · 09/05/2020 12:50

I work opposite hours more or less to my DP... I mean not hugely helpful unless you’re looking to change jobs, lol.

But if I didn’t, I’d either pay for care or not have dogs - some cope with being left, but it’s not right.

Original poster
RonBurgundyspanpipe · 09/05/2020 12:51

2 dogs!!! Is that serious or sarcastic?

DH and I love dogs, he has always had them growing up and we had two dogs before dc. I think we like the idea of a dog and would do our homework before getting one but have never got past the fact it would be home alone all day.

How much is doggy daycare? I'm still paying for breakfast clubs for the youngest dc.

OP posts:
Babyshine2020 · 09/05/2020 12:52

We have a dog, has a three mile walk before work, had 30 minutes on the field during my lunch hour and another 3 mile walk after work.

If you can come home on your lunch it's a lot easier, if not, a dog walker is cheaper than daycare and that way they're only left a few hours on their own either side of the afternoon.

But regardless, they have unconditional love, such amazing personalities and worth every penny.

GameofPhones · 09/05/2020 12:52

My dog doesn't work at all Grin

JacobReesMogadishu · 09/05/2020 12:53

I do. But work is fairly flexible and I'm normally home mid afternoon. I have a dog walker come every day. dd was an older teen when we got the dog so home from school and now is home even more as only works p/t.

EnglishRain · 09/05/2020 12:53

We work full time and have three dogs. Ordinarily they are 'left' for three days per week. DH comes home to see them at lunch on those days, so they are not left completely. Mine are perfectly content and happy with this arrangement, but our lives are very dog focused. We don't go for days out at the weekend, and if we visit family 45 mins away we will only stay a couple of hours so as to be back for the dogs. It suits us fine, but I think leaving a dog Monday to Friday 9-5 or even 9-5 with a pee break isn't a great life for them.

BiteyShark · 09/05/2020 12:55

My daycare is £20 per day. Most around me are similar prices with the least being £18 and the highest £28 a day.

Worth every penny to me but it is one of our highest bills per month.

Ylvamoon · 09/05/2020 12:56

I have 3 dogs and we work FT. But DH works nights, so there is always someone about. DH gives them a good walk in the morning & I walk them in the evening after work. They have access to the garden during the day.

They are all adult dogs but when we got them, I wasn't working... but things have changed.

I also have to add that one of my dogs didn't cope well, when I went to work FT (PT was fine), and we had to make the sad decision to re home her. They are all the same breed, so sometimes it's down to their personalities... so overall, it's not a good idea to get a dog when you work FT.

ginsparkles · 09/05/2020 12:59

We do, we have always worked full time. She goes out before we leave for work and then spends the day sleeping. Most days my mum collects our daughter from school and comes back to our house so she's alone from 8-3. But sometimes it's longer. She then gets a walk in the evening. She's very happy and content, she likes to have a hobby so she has her toys with her and the radio playing in the background.

vanillandhoney · 09/05/2020 13:10

We do but my dog comes to work with me or goes to my in-laws during the day.

There's no way on earth he could be left all day.

vanillandhoney · 09/05/2020 13:10

Daycare is normally around £25 a day.

ilovemydogandmrobama2 · 09/05/2020 13:14

I would love to have a dog, but don't think it's fair as we both work full time, or at least did before lock down.

My previous job, I was able to take dog to work which was brilliant.

Original poster
RonBurgundyspanpipe · 09/05/2020 13:21

Now if we could get a breed who could work full time hours , I now realise my literacy error.

@ginsparkles what breed do you have out of interest?

We'd be looking for a smaller breed, child friendly and preferably non-shedding that could cope being alone. Does such a breed exist?

Doggy day care costs more than wraparound child minder!!

OP posts:
vanillandhoney · 09/05/2020 13:25

It's not fair imo to get a dog if you intend to leave it home alone all day.

Dogs are sociable animals and need company, especially when they're young. They also need regular toilet breaks and someone to stop them destroying the house while you're away.

If you can't afford daycare and plan to be out of the house all day long then you shouldn't get a dog.

Mapril · 09/05/2020 13:29

Mine goes to a family member, or did before lockdown started. Personally I wouldn't have one if they were going to be left alone regularly, my dog needs company not just feeding, watering and walking. I know some dogs get left more as they get older and are happier to snooze alone, but that's a gradual thing ime.

Be careful of the two dog thing, my friends did exactly that and ended up with two dogs who don't like each other, can't eat together (one has digestive issues), have different exercise needs (one has no recall, the other needs a lot of activity) and so ended up with twice the work, twice the expense and twice the stress.

BiteyShark · 09/05/2020 13:35

You will never know whether a dog can cope for long hours alone until they are with you.

In that sense you need a backup plan, whether that's daycare or something else even if you 'plan' to leave them all day or with just one visit from a dog walker. If they can't cope they can be vocal and destructive or exhibit behavioural issues when you are around.

If I didn't use daycare I would have a dog walker twice as day which would cost as much as daycare because otherwise mine would be left alone for 8 hours. My dog is 4 this year and he can cope alone around 3 hours, 4 at the most but I still prefer to send him to daycare.

One of the things to consider when you work full time is the amount of time outside of your working hours that you need to walk, care and or train your dog. I am tired at the end of the day and by using daycare my dog has two walks a day without me so I have all my spare time to spend with him at home to enjoy the best bits rather than get home and feel I have to drag myself out again in all weathers. It doesn't mean I never walk or train him in the week but it does mean I don't 'have' to fit another 2 hours of dog walking on top of my hours every single week day.

JemimaPuddleCat · 09/05/2020 13:37

There's probably a Doggy Union that stipulates how much work dogs are allowed to do. I'm not 100% sure, but 40 hours a weeks seems a little much. Wink

Original poster
RonBurgundyspanpipe · 09/05/2020 13:45

Isn't working dogs a category on Crufts? Grin

OP posts:
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.