How do you manage work and dogs?

[catsharingmychair]

We have two lovely black labs - one older (12) and one much younger (8 months). I work P/T (two days) outside the home, so hubby works from home for these 2 days, solely to be there for the dogs. However this may need to change- he may be pulled back to the office full time.

I want to change my job desperately (as I'm unhappy in it and have been for a long while). However doing so may mean a full career change and potentially working FT outside the home. Before Covid, when we had just the older dog, he had a dog walker twice a day to walk and give him lots of love/attention. However this arrangement would not be fair to the young dog, so is not an option. He is a very busy, energetic dog. Family members can't help as they are out all day.

So I'm potentially going to be restricted to work from home only jobs - until the young dog is more mature? Is this what you would do? Doggie Daycare is £32 per dog in our area, so doesn't really feel like an option (when coupled with paying another £24 for the older dog's x2 dog walking each day). Or should I just suck this up - and try and make sure the new job's salary will cover the expense? I also have the issue of someone needing to pick up a DD from the bus stop at very odd times (1pm, 3pm)- another reason why its difficult to work outside the home for me. Wondering who I can outsource this to??!! :)

I do appreciate we should have not got the 2nd dog without working all this out in advance. And yes I'm kicking myself big time (whilst loving the pupster). x

I work night shift and DH works a 9-5.
Pre covid he was in the office and came home at lunch to walk our (then) elderly black lab. We lost her Jan 2020 and then welcomed crazy pup just before lockdown.
He will now be doing hybrid working and she goes to daycare in the morning if he's in the office and I'm sleeping.

The rest of the time she lazes alongside me or him. (whoever happens to be in)
Daycare may well be your option. Ours does half days and daft dog comes home knackered and sleeps the rest of the day. DH sometimes picks her up at lunchtime or the staff will drop her off as they do dog walking too.

Would half a day dog care be more affordable? Could 8 month old go to doggy day care for half day with a home drop back at lunch then go out with the walker in the afternoon? I'm also looking at moving jobs and have a 8 month old puppy. I'm factoring in the cost of doggy day care into that job move, in the same way I factor in childcare costs into job moves.

We don't use the crate though, more give the dog the run of the kitchen. Could you shut off some rooms to give the dogs space to move about?

I set the dogs weekly and monthly tasks, generally speaking I let them get on with it, I don't like to micromanage. We have a weekly meeting just to discuss any problems and to ensure they are properly supported. Seems to work fine.

@SpaceDetective

I'm quite amused by the idea that you could get a cleaner to come in and 'look after' an 8 month old lab whilst they clean.

There are actually quite a few companies out there that combine cleaning with dog-walking and sitting :)

You pay them for say, four hours and they'll spend two hours cleaning and the other two walking the dog, feeding them, maybe playing with them in the garden etc.

@DillonPanthersTexas

I set the dogs weekly and monthly tasks, generally speaking I let them get on with it, I don't like to micromanage. We have a weekly meeting just to discuss any problems and to ensure they are properly supported. Seems to work fine.

🤣🤣

Do even dogs work from home these days.

@SpaceDetective

I'm quite amused by the idea that you could get a cleaner to come in and 'look after' an 8 month old lab whilst they clean.

I’ve seen that advertised - though if I remember right it was a housekeeper they were looking for that would also walk dogs.

Doggy daycare seems fairest to the dog.

I wouldn’t get him neutered at 1, id personally wait until he is fully mature approx 18-2. I also wouldn’t use doggy day care. I’d work my job around my dog

I think doggy daycare for young dogs everyday is too much. They get overstimulated, the exercise can be hard on their limbs. That aren’t getting trained to settle. In a year your dog will be much more able to be left home alone for a few hours.

I manage work and dogs by using daycare (dog walker who also takes in a few dogs for the day in their home).

@JustJam4Tea

I think doggy daycare for young dogs everyday is too much. They get overstimulated, the exercise can be hard on their limbs. That aren’t getting trained to settle. In a year your dog will be much more able to be left home alone for a few hours.

A good daycare won't be letting dogs run about all day.

They will have separate areas for young dogs, have quiet spaces/beds/crates for them to sleep and rest and will actively work on training and commands.

Mine went to a home-based daycare as a puppy and spent most of his time snoring on the sofa

Do you know what job you want to move to? If you're open to anything, I would suggest looking at pet-tech or pet-focused startups, as they usually have a good dogs in the office policy. Some other non-pet related startups also allow dogs (that's what I was doing with mine before I moved to wfh fulltime).

Thanks so much for all the ideas.

I'm not sure my nerves will stand a longer wait on the neutering- he's manifesting his teenagedom, by jumping up at people out walking and he's so strong on the lead I find it hard to hold him. This may or may not help by balls being found (currently un-descended) and removed but I'm willing to try at 12 months - in combination with a doggie behaviourist. It's the strength and the energy - caused by the rampant testosterone??

The idea of a cleaner/dog sitter/ walker combo is interesting - round here I'm not sure it exists yet- but I imagine it might not come cheap. (And I'd have to tidy my house first which would take all day!).

Pet tech sounds amazing - will take a look - I guess with all these new dog owners there's bound to be loads of companies springing up to service them.

So having reviewed all your lovely answers I'm thinking Doggy Daycare for the youngster (a calm place) and the dog walker for the old boy and I'll get hubby to contribute 50% of the costs so it doesn't feel all on my salary - psychologically I think this will make a difference (to me).

Thank-you! xx

‘ 'm not sure my nerves will stand a longer wait on the neutering- he's manifesting his teenagedom, by jumping up at people out walking and he's so strong on the lead I find it hard to hold him. This may or may not help by balls being found (currently un-descended) and removed but I'm willing to try at 12 months - in combination with a doggie behaviourist. It's the strength and the energy - caused by the rampant testosterone??’

Sorry to say but that whole paragraph is nonsense, you just need to train your dog, removing his testicles will absolutely not stop his pulling. Please don’t do it for that reason, poor dog

Re the neutering... I'm doubtful that will be the answer as my female dog engages in exactly the behaviour you've described and I think it is probably a training rather than a hormone issue!

I'm not sure my nerves will stand a longer wait on the neutering- he's manifesting his teenagedom, by jumping up at people out walking and he's so strong on the lead I find it hard to hold him. This may or may not help by balls being found (currently un-descended) and removed but I'm willing to try at 12 months - in combination with a doggie behaviourist. It's the strength and the energy - caused by the rampant testosterone??

That's nothing to do with being entire and everything to do with a lack of training, I'm afraid.

I'd really recommend a Happy at Heel harness until you get the training sorted. It gently but effectively pulls them round in a circle when they lunge so they can't pull you off your feet, and because they don't get where they want to go it discourages further lunging.

Your's is a tricky arrangement anyway, two dogs with very different requirements.