What have you put in place for dog care?

[twentyyearsagotoday]

Hello How do you manage logistically with a dog? I have cats rn so I can go out for the day but if I went out overnight I'd ask my neighbour to feed them. If we go away on holiday we have a pet sitter. What do you do for a dog as I know you cannot leave them all day. Generally I'm about all day but there will be times when both of us are out all day, or we might be away at weekends. Is it tricky to factor it all in or do you just get used to it once you get something in place? Doggo we are considering is very old so i'm also thinking it might be tricky to bring her with us if we go out for the day? I think she'd be fine if I popped to a cafe to come with me, or to watch the kids play football. That would be great as she could relax with me. Somewhere where she might need to walk a long way would be trickier. Anyway, just trying to work out what our life would look like if we take her on and how other people work it all out!

A combination of working from home, family, a dog walker, doggy daycare, and a home boarder. ChenDog can be left for a maximum of four hours as well. It is a bit tricky sometimes but our life incorporates him - he’s great fun!

My neighbours puppy sat for me when I needed to pop out for short periods of time. The older dogs could be left home alone.
If I am away for longer than three hours, I pay pet sitters to come round and sit with them. They also cover holidays/days away.
My oldest dog can't walk far, so I have a pushchair for her. It can also be used as a bike trailer if that's your thing.

Getting a dog is a huge lifestyle change
You can no longer be spontaneous, everything has to be planned.
We both WFH most of the time but we use to use doggy day care if we were out for longer than 4 hours
Now ddog is older he probably wouldn't cope with it but luckily we have good neighbours, 2 of which are now retired so they take him out. Its very rare its necessary though because we are both SE so arrange our own diaries mostly

Doggy daycare 3 days a week and she boards with them when we go away. Very expensive 😩

We have 2 dogs.

I work from home 2 or 3 days a week, DH and DD both work early shifts so are home by 1pm and because they work weekends someone is at home most days, I'm lucky that I can choose my office days.

The most they are left is up to 6 hours twice a week. We have a camera so know that when they are on their own they spend most of the time sleeping. On days they are to be left on their own I will take them for a long walk before I leave for work so it does mean an early start for me on these days.

If DH and I go away, DD has the dogs and when she is working my Dad comes and sits with the dogs.

We also do one holiday a year with the dogs.

I think a dog which is very old would be easier in some ways, you should know in advance whether it can be left at home alone, some dogs suffer separation anxiety so cannot be left at all.

We all work different hours.with me being wfh mostly.
1 adult child lives at home still so when DH and I go away he looks after DDog's, as norm in the day ( he's a chef) and eldest comes and for the evening. We also have a dog sitter ( she's a retired friend) who comes a couple of times a week normally but she will come in for a few times a day whilst we are away or house/dog sits if we are all away.

thank you. am having a bit of a wobble about it all :-( I'm worried I'll feel very tied/trapped. I'm not sure if I'm overthinking or not. Will sleep on it. I'm trying to think about my lifestyle and what actually would need to change as realistically we aren't away much and I'd still be able to go out - would just need a bit more thinking.