Can you have a dog if you work full time?

hollydays

I have a dog that comes everywhere with me, where possible.
I can't say whether or not you should have a dog and work , but I do think some breeds are companion dogs and wouldn't cope with being left alone.

Do lots of research , read everything you can. Understand you cannot take them certain places, even more so if they are bigger .Don't underestimate the traits of certain breeds , if you decide to get a particular breed, read up on the breed, before you make the descision.

chelseablue

Thank you all, yes of course I would walk before work and in the evening.


I very rarely go out on a weekday evening, if I did I don't live alone so my partner would be in.


For holidays my mother in law is retired and has had dogs in the past and has already said she would look after them (would only be for 1 week of the year and if we went away in this country would find somewhere that accepts dogs)

GBNI

I have two dogs and work full time. The reason I have two dogs is so they have company for each other. TBH, once these two are no longer around I won't be getting any more as I can't cope with the guilt of leaving them, even though they seem to cope fine. I haven't had any complaints from my neighbours and I do get a dog walker in when I can afford it. Holidays end up very dear though as I'm having to pay for my own holiday and the girls holiday


I leave a radio on and they get 'special' toys that they're only allowed when I'm not home. They know their routine every morning. I make sure to not make a fuss when I get home as this can help make separation anxiety worse (if a dog suffers from it) Any days I happen to be off, they tend to not interact with me too much and sleep or play with each other more. At the weekends they never get left for more than a couple of hours and get extra walks.

chucknorris

chelseablue wrote: »

First post in the pet board so be gentle with me!


I love animals and have always wanted a dog, and now that I''ve moved from a flat to a house I'm re-visting the idea.


The only thing that stops me is that I work full time, is that a total no for having a dog?


I would of course employ a dog walker to come in every day so they are walked for at least an hour in the middle of the day, or is that still a no-no?

I was also very keen to get a dog, so we moved out of my London flat to a house in Surrey, I also changed jobs and switched to part time, but I was still going to have to leave him for 2-3 days a week (but mostly for half days, and only for 20 weeks a year as I am university lecturer). When I was talking to rescue centres, they said I couldn't have a dog, so we invented a story that my in laws were going to look after him when I was at work. We bent the rules, but on the (mostly half days) that I was at work, I paid for day care for him, two people provided this, one person was a dog walker who took him for walks for the whole day, as well as took him to her home, the other person (couple) took him into their house for the day, and kept him company. But I have to say that my dog's happiness always came first, in fact, it was a significant part of my decision to take early retirement this December, so that I can spend most of my time with him.

I really don't think you can have a dog if you work full time for most of the year, it just isn't fair on the dog, you are all he has, you are his world. But most of the time you wouldn't actually be there for him. I know that's hard to accept, but try and think of the dog's feelings, that's really what matters, everything else is secondary.

trolleyrun

I have a rescue and I work full time - shift work. Due to my circumstances having changed drastically 6 months ago, I can't get someone in to walk my dog for me. I rush back every lunch time to walk her but if I'm on a late shift I can't so she has to be on her own the whole time. Things will change next month, where I can move home and therefore have someone come in to walk her when I'm at work.
I don't go out in the evenings unless I can take my dog with me. She comes first when I make any decisions. In an ideal world she wouldn't have to be on her own so much but she's a happy dog and the life she has now is way better than being in kennels.
I have some friends as back-up if I get ill or have to go somewhere my dog can't come with.

OP, only you can decide what's best. Have a good think about it, make plans and also consider being a foster for a while to see if it works for you. Good luck!

dermonte

My next door neighbours has a dog and they both work full time. With me working nights and dog left on his own I hear him barking. It doesnt really bother me as our walls are thick and our houses are big that I can go to another room on other side of my house if it bothers me. I am used to it now, so I hardly notice but I was wondering why he starts barking as soon as they are out. Maybe ask your neighbours as well incase you have a barker.

Mojisola

dermonte wrote: »

I was wondering why he starts barking as soon as they are out.

The poor dog is lonely and calling for his pack to come back for him.

catkins

In an ideal world a dog would not be left all day while its owners are out at work but there would also be no dogs in rescue waiting and waiting for a loving home (and often not getting one and being put down).

If you can find a dog that is happy being left on its own or, maybe with another dog, then surely that is better than it being stuck in a kennel all day every day?

I definitely would not get a puppy as they need company and need training too and you would not be there enough to provide either.

I would look at older dogs in rescue or dogs that have had homes and are known to be ok if left.

It's great that you would have a dog walker. Do you have anyone else - neighbour, friend, relative - who could come and keep the dog company even if only for 20 mins or so. Not necessarily to walk the dog but let them in the garden, check they still have water, put fresh water down, play with the dog etc.

Doggy day care is great too. The dog gets doggie and human company for a day (or half a day if someone else could be involved in taking or fetching) and in my area it costs about £20 a day. Most dog walkers in my area charge between £12 and £15 for an hour's walk so the day care is much better value and more fun for the dog.

Also what about a retired greyhound? There are loads of them looking for homes and lots of them, as long as they get around two 20 minutes walk a day, love to sleep the rest of the day.

TerryTorque

I've just rehomed, must have visited and spoken to at least 6-7 centres, I work FT and my GF Mon - Wed. None of the centres had an issue with that but I am OK to come home at lunch and my gf mum is happy to pop in the other days whilst we are both at work.

Money_saving_maniac

chelseablue wrote: »

First post in the pet board so be gentle with me!


I love animals and have always wanted a dog, and now that I''ve moved from a flat to a house I'm re-visting the idea.


The only thing that stops me is that I work full time, is that a total no for having a dog?


I would of course employ a dog walker to come in every day so they are walked for at least an hour in the middle of the day, or is that still a no-no?

Yes, but bear in mind the following:

1) If you're renting bear in mind it can be very very hard to find a place to rent if you have a dog and dogs can live to 12-15 years.
2) Someone always has to stay home with the mutt in the evening, or mutt has to come - anytime you are not working is 'pack time'
3) Someone always has to stay home with mutt at the weekends, or mutt has to come- anytime you are not working is 'pack time'
4) Annual vaccs and flea stuff is going to sting you, these are not optional. Plus dogs do things to themselves, either insure them or have access to savings to pay for illness and injuries. Dogs are quite expensive...mine is fit and healthy but has cost me a lot in vets bills. For example, he got his paw caught in the carabiner of my work lanyard...had to take him up to the out of hours vet to get it off, cos every time I tried to touch it he screamed. *note to self, dog's paw pads have strange anatomy. Cut his paw. Hurt his eye running about like a loon. etc etc. Plus I feed him on decent food and he has treats, he's only small but I reckon his food is about £1 a day.
5) Pick the right dog and leave the radio on while you're out
6) Check that you trust your dog walker....really trust them
7) Dog training classes or society - I cannot recommend them enough. Actually it's you that gets trained in the class, not the dog, the actual dog training you do at home.
8) Think about what size dog you want. I've had big dogs and small. The small ones will twist you round their little paw. The big ones are hard to bath and all the rest of it. I wanted a small dog this time round and I was surprised how different their characters generally are to bigger dogs. And also how much more you spoil them and feel like a parent to them.
9) Are you planning for children? You need to factor that in if you are. The dog can't suddenly get no walks and attention because you have a baby and you're knackered and busy.
10) Dogs are GREAT but they are a life long tie, you're lucky to have someone who is prepared to look after a potential pooch for a week while you go on hols.