Doggy on it's own;Advice sought for potential new dog owner.

johnfarquhar74

Firstly, I'm just thinking, long and hard, about potentially, looking into, getting a dog.
Secondly, I would appreciate genuine constructive advice or first hand experience. I've obviously browsed other threads and seen that some posters have had to post under alternate usernames as the subject can divide and turn people.

Right,,,the 'family' have been considering getting a dog for while, if we're honest it's been a couple of years. we've looked into the various aspects, we realise sacrifices will have to be made but the reward of dog ownership would outweigh that.
We want a dog for a variety of reasons, companionship, lifestyle-outdoors/camping/long walks. Things we already do but feel a dog would make it even better.
Money is not an issue, all insurances and vet bills will be met without hesitation.
The plan would be to source a pup from a responsible breeder, preferably through recommendation and through spreading our annual leave allowance we would like to house train the pup and carry out the initial obedience classes for around 8 weeks/2months.

BUT

We both work full time (mon-fri) and child goes to school.
The dog will be left from 09:00hrs, mon-fri and we will start coming back from around 15:00hrs mon-fri. A few times a week, one of us will be able to pop in and, if necessary, give a quick 15 minute walk but this cannot be guaranteed for all 5 days.
Would this be unfair to the dog?
Would it make any difference if it was known that the dog would have a 1 hour walk in the morning, a 1-2 hour walk in the evening with lots of walking/games at the weekend which none of us work and most likely will be spent away in the hills?
I have lots of experience with dogs but never owned one. I've looked after many in the past and am confident we would make good owners as I've been out in all weathers as long as the dog is willing.
My doubt is in the 'potential' 6 hour period where the dog might be on their own. I say might as we have family members that are senior, active and enjoy walks/walking but although they can be relied on, I don't want to rely on other people for what I consider is a lifestyle choice made by me/us, not them! (if that makes any sense?)


Sorry for the long post, as I said, we've thought about it long and hard and we wouldn't think about getting a dog until next spring (research/research/research) but I just want to see if what we are thinking of doing is being unreasonably selfish or are we overthinking it?

Sally_A

I'm glad you are giving it a lot of consideration.

Frankly I would not go for a pup with those working hours.

We were allowed to rehome a brother/sister pair (aged 7) from the local dogs home, with them knowing that we were out of the house for approx 5 hours per day.

Maybe an older pair who could keep themselves company whilst you are at work is the way to go.

Wellyboots6

I would say if you were looking at getting a puppy then 6 hours is too long to leave them alone.

An older dog maybe wouldn't be such a problem.

My dog gets left for around 3-4 hours in a morning, and then I come home for an hour or two over lunch and then he gets left again for around 3 hours in an afternoon. He is 6 though and is very very well behaved when left.

My previous dog was 2 when we got him and we couldn't even leave him alone to go and put the bin out without him pooing in the house and chewing. This was due to separation anxiety as his previous owners had left him for long periods when he was a pup.

I think it really will depend on the dog.

What about a dog walker? Mine costs £8 to take Tyson out for half an hour. You may find one cheaper in your area, mine just costs a bit more as Tyson needs taking out on his own rather than as a group.

A dog walker is good too as they can often be called on in an emergency, if you get kept late at work, stuck in traffic etc.

Also, if you decide you are getting a dog and would accept a rescue, the dog tends to choose you

PazDeLaHuertaFan

Leaving a pup on their own for that long would be unfair.

My dog is 8 months old now and is only just getting used to being alone for an hour max. We are preparing him for longer, it does take time though.

Sally_A

katy721 wrote: »

Also, if you decide you are getting a dog and would accept a rescue, the dog tends to choose you

So true; between dogs and when I'm "never going to have another one", I get the urge to go dog walking at the local home, despite the gap being maybe 7 days between visits, some dogs will remember you and give you the look and the wag. You know you have been picked as their new owner.

johnfarquhar74

Thanks for the quick reply so far.
We have considered rehoming, we've been to the local cat & dog home as well as the Dogs Trust(NCDL) many times. I'm concerned an older dog may have behaviour issues that will prove difficult to correct.
Completely different situation but we have rehomed cats in the past, basically took years for them to become socialised. I understand that dogs generally want to be part of the pack so they are not as solitary as cats but I still have my reservations.

Also, when is a pup not a pup, around 12 months, less/more? As said earlier we would plan to be with the (potential) dog more or less around the clock until it was 6/7 months old, we could then arrange for it to be on its own for no longer than 3 hours (during 9-3) but at what age could we ease that off or is it generally fairer to start a routine that it will have for life?

A dog walker is an option, I know we have them in the immediate vicinty, when I've dog-sat in the past they were easy to spot, young girl with 7-8 dogs on many leashes I think I'd prefer a more responsible dog walker. If we went down that road it would be quite easy to work out, as I said earlier, money will not be the issue and we have a conservatory/extension(east facing so doesn't get too hot)that we can secure separate from the house so trust/security won't be a problem. My only hesitation with a dog walker, perhaps a selfish/stubborn trait within me, is that I believe a dog should have one master. Allowing someone else into the routine up to 5 times a week, will that cause issues?

Again, thanks for the opinions, keep them coming!

krlyr

I ditto the suggestion of an older dog and a dog walker. Remember that some dogs end up in rescue due to many reasons other than behavioural or health issues. Change in housing situation, job/financial circumstances, emigration, ill health, allergies, even just plain boredom. I would recommend looking into rescues that use foster homes and do thorough assessments on their dogs. Try the Dogpages forum, rescues can advertise there and you will be able to read personal experiences of people who've adopted from particular rescues.

In regards to "one master", a dog walker coming in a few times a week isn't going to get half the loyalty of you as an owner. I think that you need to get over that little niggle - as you said, it is a bit selfish - because if that makes owning a dog feasible then I think it's worth it. I would be very careful with how warm (or cold) the conservatory could get though, perhaps keep a thermometer out there that registers minimum and maximum temperatures before leaving a dog out there unattended. Heatstroke can happen very quickly in dogs.

In regards to choosing a dogwalker, definately go for a more professional one - these will have public liability insurance, for example, and be much more capable than a young child. What would happen if the dog that a young child was walking attacked or was attacked by another dog? Lacking any kind of vehicle or driving license, or the mental maturity to cope, could be the difference between life and death for either dog involved.

johnfarquhar74

krlyr wrote: »

In regards to "one master", a dog walker coming in a few times a week isn't going to get half the loyalty of you as an owner. I think that you need to get over that little niggle - as you said, it is a bit selfish -

I know you're right, the fact that we're even considering a pet dog highlights a selfishness within us when it comes to pets, but it is what's best for the animal that counts, thanks!

krlyr wrote: »

I would be very careful with how warm (or cold) the conservatory could get though, perhaps keep a thermometer out there that registers minimum and maximum temperatures before leaving a dog out there unattended. Heatstroke can happen very quickly in dogs.

I have taken that in to consideration, it's more a heated (in winter) extension than a conservatory although it does get naturally warmer during the summer months. It is well vented but I would off course check max/min temps before even thinking about leaving a dog in there.

krlyr wrote: »

In regards to choosing a dogwalker, definately go for a more professional one - these will have public liability insurance, for example, and be much more capable than a young child. What would happen if the dog that a young child was walking attacked or was attacked by another dog? Lacking any kind of vehicle or driving license, or the mental maturity to cope, could be the difference between life and death for either dog involved.

Don't worry, if it had to be a dog walker, then they would be thoroughly vetted. I'm not naive when it comes to dog ownership, just no experience when it comes to young dogs/puppys and what people deem a fair maximum amount of time a dog could be left a day, weighed up against how we will live our lives outwith that time.

Wellyboots6

johnfarquhar74 wrote: »

Also, when is a pup not a pup, around 12 months, less/more?

That again will depend on the breed and the dog.

It depends what you mean by when it is not a pup. Mine is 6 years old and acts like a mad puppy half the time!

A lot will depend on how much time you have to put in to training and socialising the dog.

A dog walker shouldn't affect your relationship with the dog. Dogs are capable of bonding with more than one person. Just be aware that if it is a family dog it may end up bonding more closely with one particular family member, and that family member may not necessarily be you. It is surprising how jealous you can get if 'your' dog seems to prefer to spend time with someone else!

tizerbelle

johnfarquhar74 wrote: »

We have considered rehoming, we've been to the local cat & dog home as well as the Dogs Trust(NCDL) many times. I'm concerned an older dog may have behaviour issues that will prove difficult to correct.

Not all dogs in rescue / rehoming centres have behaviour issues regardless of age. Many dogs are given up by their owner because of a change in circumstances.

I adopted two older dogs (actually geriatric at 12 and 13 and I'm not suggesting you go that old) they had been brought up together and were beautifully behaved in and out of the home and had obviously been well trained by their original owner. Apparently she gave them up because she got a new partner who was allergic to dogs. Absolutely gobsmacked when I heard that - for me it would have been a no brainer - get anti-histamines, get used to them or get out!

Anyway I digress, but please don't rule out rescue dogs for a sweeping stereotype and do consider getting a pair of older dogs (rather than pups) as that will help with the time they can be left. My two were left for 3-4 hours in a morning then I'd be home for an hour and then back at work for another 4 hours or so.

Fosterdog

I don't want to keep repeating everything that the others have said but if you did go for a dog 18 months plus you'll get more out of the walks, any younger particularly for large breeds and you can do their joints permanent damage if they are walked for too long when they are too young. This means that your hill walks/camping trips etc will be limited for the first 18 month of the dogs life if you get a pup.