Doggy day care/dog walking options 'out of hours'

[Olddognewtrick]

I'm thinking of applying for a job which is a great next step for me, except it's 3-11pm 5 days a week. It's just me, my young adult child, and my 4yo dog at home, and currently the dog goes to day care 5 days a week while I'm at work (normal office hours) as he doesn't like being alone. He's not destructive or anything, and I can leave him for a few hours, but he does howl at times and 8 hours would be too much.

DC is trying to get a halfway decent job after graduating this summer and is also thinking about doing a masters next year, so I can't - and wouldn't want to - rely on them 1. living here, and 2. being available every evening to keep the dog company.

Just thought I'd post here for a bit of hive mind brainstorming about options - maybe I could get someone to walk him 6-8pm daily? Could I train him to put up with being home alone for that long? My ex would probably have him but bought a flat where although they can technically have dogs, apparently the Residents Committee have never said yes to anyone asking. I've thought about a lodger!

I'm not going to re-home him. Any more creative ideas?

"Could I train him to put up with being home alone for that long?"

You can train a dog to be ok with being left but 8 hours is double the maximum amount of time it's recommended to leave a dog.

I don't think a lodger is a solution, you can't rely on them being home anymore than you can your child, less so even as it's not their pet.

I'd start contacting local dog walkers. And if he does have separation issues (I wasn't sure because you said he howls and doesn't like being left but also that you can leave him) then I'd definitely start alone training.

I honestly think that’s a tricky shift pattern with a dog.
Although 11pm sounds ok it reality you won’t be able to switch off right away and it will be a late bedtime. Having to get up early to let the dog out for a wee will be problem number 1 - dog flap?

Then it will need a decent walk first thing which you’ve got time for but then leaves a huge gap obviously between the second walk/ bedtime wee. It’s is going to be really problematic especially in the winter,

Are there no other shifts?

Have you looked at "Borrow my Doggy"?

No other shifts, it's a specific role.

I don't really think it's doable either, but maybe I will contact some local dog walkers just to find out whether that sort of evening walk is at all feasible.

Borrow my doggy is too casual to rely on for work I think, unless someone really wanted to spend every weekday evening with a dog! I was thinking cheap rent for a lodger in return for dogsitting but I don't think that's a long term solution either.

I mean, I'm not sure I want to work 3-11, but if it were just me, I could try it out and deal with it/look for another job if I didn't like it. But if it doesn't work for the dog, I can't expect him to just put up with it.

Personally, I wouldn't take a job with those hours if I had sole responsibility for a dog - it wouldn't be fair.

You're very unlikely to find a walker who will commit to doing daily evening walks - I certainly wouldn't (I would do ad-hoc but not regular, it's not worth my while).

You could end up being lucky and finding a boarder who is happy to just take your dog overnight (ie. 7pm-7am - they could possibly collect?) but the cost would be extortionate and I also don't think it would be much fun for either of you.

Our dog boarder would do it, but she’s a mature student with young kids and dog sitting is her only income, so I suspect she’s motivated to be more flexible than most!

It would be worth asking around local dog walkers - you may get lucky with one who is ok with those hours, or perhaps you could find a few who would commit to one or two evenings each per week?