To get a dog if we work FT

DogLover20 · 2023-03-26T11:20:06+00:00

DH and I work full time. I work from home 2 days a week, DH almost always works in the office. Is it cruel to get a dog if he’d be on his own during the day 3 days a week? We’d be out from 8ish in the morning to 5-6pm. It’s be a small dog that could use a cat flap to go in the garden. I want DD to grow up with a pet and I am a dog lover. Don’t think I could have a cat as am terrified they’d bring mice in and cannot deal with that. Wouls it be selfish to get a dog?

JorisBonson · 26/03/2023 12:20

You can't leave a dog alone for that amount of time. Have you doggy daycare near you?

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 26/03/2023 12:21

Are you being serious?

Of course you can't do this 🙄

CreationNat1on · 26/03/2023 12:22

100 times yes.

Seriously, I cannot enphasize enough how much work a dog is.

It is a second child essentially.

3 days on its own, plus any other time that you want to leave the house and have a family day out or weekend away.

Knowivedonewrong · 26/03/2023 12:23

Absolutely not.

PritiPatelsMaker · 26/03/2023 12:23

If DD wants a pet, I'd start with Guinea Pigs.

Twizbe · 26/03/2023 12:24

Get a budgie. Interactive and fun to play with but can be left alone during the day.

TakeMyStrongHand · 26/03/2023 12:31

You say three days a week but what about the weekend? Will you be out then too enjoying things that you can't take a dog too?

Mumsnet is notoriously soft when it comes to dogs being left over 10 mins. Before covid, we had many dogs that were left alone and they were perfectly fine with it because they were raised this way and they were independent breeds. Not shitadoodles that have anxiety.

My Akita was honestly pissed off when we started working from home and were in his way. But don't get an Akita.

twitterexile · 26/03/2023 12:34

If you had a dog walker or daycare then maybe? But it's not ideal and I wouldn't do it.

MissLucyLiu · 26/03/2023 12:35

So here are a few things to consider:

Puppy stage - the dog need to be let out every 2/3 hours to empty bladder. If you are using puppy pad there are pros and cons about this method of toilet training. They need to under a lot of supervision I would say the first 3month or so. Some dogs takes even longer... so you really have to keep that in mind. Can you and your DH manage that? ... Don't underestimate the training as it requires a lot of commitment and time to make sure your puppy is well trained and well socialised with other dogs/people/situation/environments. Or else you raise an reactive dog, dog that is timid, or even worse reactive violent dog that can cause a lot of issues. Of course some dogs are easier to train and even within the same breeds some dogs gets it straight away. One of my best friends puppy (cavapoo) took 6mth to be fully toilet trained.... just keep that in mind. Just like with kids, you have no idea what you will be getting.
Consider daycare on the days you are not working from home. Eventually when they are older you might be able to just get a dog walker that takes him out for a fun run in the morning for a few hours instead. For example my dog (9months) currently goes to day care Tues and Thurs from 8am to pretty much 5pm he's out the field having the best time of his life playing with friends. Monday/Wed/Friday either my partner or I work from home.
Holidays/get aways - a lot of people forget this part. When you go on holiday for a few weeks where do you put the dog? Family members okay with looking after this dog for a few weeks? Have you considered the cost of having a dog boarding whilst you are on holiday? Or are you always going on holiday you can take the dog with you?
Expense - Dog Insurance, dog food, vaccination topup checkups, neutering when come of age (or else they cannot attend daycare past a certain age). Don't underestimate the cost, if anything overestimate it. Puppies especially are well known to just pick up any random stuff on the floor and I have taken my dog to the emergency vet twice now and not every time you can claim the insurance.

GandhiDeclaredWarOnYou · 26/03/2023 12:35

You’d be mad!
Dogs are a massive commitment and you can’t just leave one alone all that time. They get lonely, bored or destructive.

Cats don’t all bring mice in.

Dogs and cats are not the only pet choices.

Matildapower · 26/03/2023 12:36

Check out daycare, I work, mine goes and loves it, she comes home exhausted

Burnamer · 26/03/2023 12:36

No - you can’t do this.
what will you do for holidays or days out at the weekend?

UseOfWeapons · 26/03/2023 12:48

No, that’s not fair to the dog. It’s not just about a ‘catflap’for them to get into the garden. If you think that’s the only issue, then you’re never going to be ready for a dog.
Your DD could have another pet, but most animals do need care an socialisation.
I’d love a dog too, but I work 4 long shifts a week, and right now, the best dog lover I can be is one without a dog.

drspouse · 26/03/2023 12:56

Get a cat. Our cat was also VERY put out when HER house was invaded during lockdown.

LarkRize · 26/03/2023 12:57

I had a conversation like this with a friend. He was honestly amazed that a dog could not be left for hours alone - equally he has never had a dog, never lived with a dog and now he realises that it would not be a good idea to get one…

Freddiefan · 26/03/2023 13:00

It would be cruel. Also a cat is a terrible idea. Ours would wreck the house if he was left alone. We have to keep stopping him from scratching the furniture and carpets. I think there is a scheme where you can walk other people's dogs. My daughter did that when her kids wanted a dog and it wasn't practical.

PritiPatelsMaker · 26/03/2023 13:00

Think a lot will depend on the breed too. Ours suffers notoriously with separation anxiety but that didn't come as a surprise as we're familiar with the breed and had done quite a bit of research.

A DF has a Chow Chow and that seems a bit out out in the days they are home.

PritiPatelsMaker · 26/03/2023 13:02

Freddiefan · 26/03/2023 13:00

It would be cruel. Also a cat is a terrible idea. Ours would wreck the house if he was left alone. We have to keep stopping him from scratching the furniture and carpets. I think there is a scheme where you can walk other people's dogs. My daughter did that when her kids wanted a dog and it wasn't practical.

Cinnamon Tryst are good as they go-ordinate walkers for people who are either elderly or have an illness, like Cancer, where walking the dog has become difficult.

RoxTen · 26/03/2023 13:02

Daycare is not always the answer either - it doesn't suit some dogs, they might get asked to leave due to behaviour, can't attend due to kennel cough, can't attend due to being in season (if female), be required to be neutered (timid/anxious dogs often shouldn't be neutered and daycare often wants them neutered younger than ideal for some breeds)

Rachaelrachael · 26/03/2023 13:04

Please don't get a dog and leave it all day...

bobby81 · 26/03/2023 13:05

Please don't do this, it would be really unfair on the dog. Ours get left for a maximum of 4 hours and that doesn't happen often. They are a huge commitment.

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 26/03/2023 13:12

Freddiefan · 26/03/2023 13:00

It would be cruel. Also a cat is a terrible idea. Ours would wreck the house if he was left alone. We have to keep stopping him from scratching the furniture and carpets. I think there is a scheme where you can walk other people's dogs. My daughter did that when her kids wanted a dog and it wasn't practical.

Rehoming a cat that is used to being alone all day might be an option. Some cats do like their own company.

2bazookas · 26/03/2023 13:19

Very selfish. You can't leave a dog alone all day, any more than you can leave a small child. They need company, excercise, stimulation and training.

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 26/03/2023 14:34

No, incredibly cruel and no remotely responsible breeder would sell you a dog with that being your circumstance

glovepillow22 · 26/03/2023 14:51

I work full time and my partner works abroad 6 weeks at a time.
This is how we juggled 2 puppies when he went away...

1st pup -
Partner was home for 2 weeks when we brought her home so she settled nicely, we crate/kennel trained her.

When he went away and I went to work, we hired a dog walker/dog sitter who took her for a few hours every day (not walking, she would take her a small walk and basically pup would chill at her house for a few hours) and then she would have a couple hours in her kennel/crate before I came home.

When left alone she was either in her crate or outdoor run with kennel where she could pee/poo outside if needed and had plenty to look at and keep her occupied.

2nd pup came along 2 years later - We did the exact same she went along with the dog walker every day while I was at work and spent any alone time in her outdoor kennel and run alongside her sister.

now they are 3 and 5 their week looks like this

Mon to Fri - 6.30-7.30am walk

8am I leave for work

5pm I return and they get another hours walk. (All year round, I'm the only nutter walking around with a headtorch in winter)

2 days a week I have a dog walker who takes them out from about 11 till 12.

I have recently started to WFH. I realise all my dogs do all day is sleep 🤣

So 3 days of the week they are left outside in a kennel and run for 8 hours. I have cameras on them and they literally.just.sleep.

They spend all weekend with me and are very rarely left on a Saturday or a Sunday.

Alot of folk are soft when it comes to dogs and leaving them alone.
Think about working dogs, they don't work 24/7 so they have alot of downtime too. Depending on season they can be out of work for weeks and do very little.