dogs and jobs

Almo

Thanks for the continuing responses everyone - with the time difference I haven't been able to reply until now.

Bromley86 thanks for finding those sites . I found one place at $17 for 30 minutes, and another at $20 an hour, so I'd go for the $20 an hour, hypothetically speaking.

It's all very tough I spoke to my boss today, and he's unsure what will happen to my hours. I guess we'll just have to hang on and see what happens. I think I would be comfortable leaving a dog for 2 days a week, and having a dog walker, but I wouldn't want to leave him 5 days a week, dog walker or not.

Out of interest, what are people's instincts over how long it is acceptable to leave a dog? As I mentioned, there is a chance I'll be working mornings only.

catkins

Almo wrote: »

Out of interest, what are people's instincts over how long it is acceptable to leave a dog? As I mentioned, there is a chance I'll be working mornings only.

I think it depends on the dog. Obviously a puppy is best not left for long because it needs to be toilet trained, it needs quite a few meals a day and it needs company and to play. An older dog does not have the same needs and tends to sleep a lot. Also the type of dog makes a difference. Some dogs need loads of exercise (mine really needs at least 3 hours a day, preferably off lead!) but some, like greyhounds, need very little. Also dogs, like people, vary a great deal. Some dogs suffer from separation anxiety, some dogs may become destructive if left or bark a lot (like one of my neighbours' dogs.)

I personally am not happy leaving my dog on his own for any more than about 4 hours. If myself and OH go out on our own at the weekend, which is rare, we nearly always get someone to dog sit. I work on Fridays and he is left from 8.30am until 5.45pm (unless OH gets home earlier). He has a dog walker walk him at lunchtime. I have also asked her to spend a bit of time with him when they get back from their walk, just stroking him and talking to him as I do not like to think that he gets back from a walk and then is just alone again. I feel really really guilty about leaving him on Fridays. For the first 3 years of his life I did not work at all. We were living in France where it is easy to take your dog literally everywhere and so we did. He came to restaurants with us, hotels with us, shops. I am not sure that we did the right thing but he was literally never left alone. If we went out without him which was hardly ever, our neighbour used to take him into her house. Because of this I do not like leaving him. Circumstances now dictate that I have to work. I work Fridays and Saturdays even though it means I don't get to spend much time with OH on Saturdays so that my dog is only left the one day.

Of course different people have different views. I know lots of people who have dogs and work full time. I know someone who works full time and has a puppy which I personally think is wrong and it upsets me to think of that young dog left so many hours on its own. I also know people who work part time or not at all but still rarely if ever walk their dog.

I know lots of people think me and OH are mad and spoil our dog but, as I said before, he is like our child and we both want him to be happy. We decided to get a dog and he is our responsibility.

cazziebo

I wouldn't have got a dog if I thought I would have had to leave him on his own all day. But life sometimes doesn't go to plan. I had a dream job, two minutes from home, easy hours, home at lunchtime and two teenage daughters at school who would be home by half three. Made redundant and now spend a lot of time travelling, long hours and both my daughters left home. I absolutely love the job.

I did think of rehoming because it didn't seem fair. Someone on here said see how it goes and I'm so glad I did. I have a 5 year old OES. I walk him for an hour to hour and a half each morning (sometimes at 3am if I've got a early start!) I have a dog walker at lunchtime and then I walk him again in the evening. If I'm away overnight then he goes to kennels. He seems happy with the arrangement - it's expensive but worth it.

Still feel guilty, but the alternative is not to have him at all and i can't bear that thought..

FakeIrish

Jeez, there are thousand of dogs left on their own all day, and those that have human companies all the time seem to spend most of their time sleeping anyway.

As long as you don't get a young puppy and that someone can pop in during the day to let them out for a while, then I would suggest you should go for it. Two dogs would be a good idea but don't get them at the same time as it would be double the trouble!

Just go with your instincts!

PS - where about in Oz are you?

suki1964

SVM wrote: »

Jeez, there are thousand of dogs left on their own all day, and those that have human companies all the time seem to spend most of their time sleeping anyway.

As long as you don't get a young puppy and that someone can pop in during the day to let them out for a while, then I would suggest you should go for it. Two dogs would be a good idea but don't get them at the same time as it would be double the trouble!

Just go with your instincts!

PS - where about in Oz are you?

Come see my dog and tell me he sleeps all day - he never stops.:D

Some breeds and some dogs are easier to leave then others. personally i wouldnt leave any working breed home alone all day - you will end up with a disturbed,depressed and possibly dangerous dog on your hands. There again an older greyhound would love nothing better then to spend the day on the sofa sleeping - so Im led to believe.

Theres one other thing to take into consideration when looking at getting a dog when working full time - how much energy and free time do you really have. As I said in a previous post we got our first pup when we both worked full time and lived in a flat. We had a dog walker but we still had to get up an hour earlier to walk him in the morning, we could never go for a drink after work with colleagues as we had to get back for the dog and our mad part social life was curtailed at the weekends - needed to be home for the dog plus there wasnt that many places we could go to that were dog friendly when we were looking to be out for the day.

We were happy to give up a huge part of our social lives for the dog. Some people arent and others have never even thought that far ahead

catkins

suki1964 wrote: »

Theres one other thing to take into consideration when looking at getting a dog when working full time - how much energy and free time do you really have. As I said in a previous post we got our first pup when we both worked full time and lived in a flat. We had a dog walker but we still had to get up an hour earlier to walk him in the morning, we could never go for a drink after work with colleagues as we had to get back for the dog and our mad part social life was curtailed at the weekends - needed to be home for the dog plus there wasnt that many places we could go to that were dog friendly when we were looking to be out for the day.

We were happy to give up a huge part of our social lives for the dog. Some people arent and others have never even thought that far ahead

I so agree with this. Luckily I am an early riser (although I struggle more in the winter with the dark mornings!) so can walk my dog early. I am at work today so got up at 5.15. Walked my dog from 5.45 to 7.15 and am now getting ready for work (or meant to be!). If it had been raining then I dry him before I go which, if done properly, takes ages. I do also try and brush him before I go to work.

I also never go out after work with colleagues and the other week I was offered 2 free tickets to see Lords of the Rings which OH would love to see. Of course sods law was that there were for a Friday so that would have meant leaving work and going straight to London to meet OH. There is no way we could leave our dog all day and then through the evening too and I could not find anyone at short notice to dog sit him.

Sunday is the only day OH and I have together and we usually take our dog out for the day (we end up feeling guilty if we go anywhere without him) unless it is really hot. We can no longer go away on the spur of the moment and have turned down countless invitations from friends and family. We do like going to the cinema and theatre but always get a dog sitter for these times. Everything has to be planned in advance. Christmas Day (depending where we spend it) we have sometimes had to have dinner then do a journey back to check on our dog and spend an hour or so with him and then go back for the rest of the day (okay only a round trip of 10 miles or so but still a disruption and means OH cannot drink at all). Of course we cannot stay too late either (often we have had invitations to spend the night but can't). There is no way I would put my dog into kennels over Christmas!

We are both quite happy but I know a lot of friends and family think we are mad.

I do know plenty of people who go out and leave their dog regularly and even go to the beach for the day and do not take the dog (which I find weird!) but who can say if their dog is happy or not. I am positive if mine could speak he would say he has a happy life.

FakeIrish

Ditto the above! A good dog owner would walk the dog before going to work and that does mean early starts! But as you live in Australia - the early mornings are probably best for you anyway as it would get too hot in the day time for the pooch. It's more enjoyable waking up at 5am in Australia than it is here anyway.

And yes, your social live will be curtailled.........but most dog owners do not mind as your life takes on another dimension.

By the way, I have a working dog - an English Springer Spaniel. He's had his morning walk and I'm working from home today. He's just laying under my desk sleeping.

JennyW_2

Almo wrote: »

Out of interest, what are people's instincts over how long it is acceptable to leave a dog? As I mentioned, there is a chance I'll be working mornings only.

Every family situation is different and dogs do adapt. I walk my dogs before work. I leave at 7.30am and am home by 1.00pm - they are left for 5.5 hours. My dogs sleep during this time - as I walk in the door they are stretching and yawning however i may have to stop off on the way home for something so I may be another half hour or so, but not very often, and besides, my dogs are fine. They are not destructive and things work well. Dogs like routine so this is key. My dogs know that they are walked, breakfast, sleep, I come home then we have our lunchtime walk - it's the same Mon-Fri - they know what to expect. I leave the radio on too, just for a bit of vocal company, just a talking show, like Radio 4.

2 dogs are good as they keep each other company and greyhounds make excellent pets - they sleep 23 hours each day When mine isn't eating or on walks, she flat out on her bed :rotfl:

Also, slightly older dogs would also be good if you are worried, they are less likely to be anxious - they've been there and done that, and would be more inclined to sleep whilst you are out.

You sound like you'd make a great owner and I hope you are able to get something sorted

kegs_2

suki1964 wrote: »

Some breeds and some dogs are easier to leave then others. personally i wouldnt leave any working breed home alone all day - you will end up with a disturbed,depressed and possibly dangerous dog on your hands. There again an older greyhound would love nothing better then to spend the day on the sofa sleeping - so Im led to believe.

Just to give you alternative comparisons and as someone else has said everyones situation differs. We have two working cocker spaniels, both my husband and I work full time Monday to Friday. Our dogs get a walk before work and after work, but in the day they are left on their own. We do have a dog flap from our utility room into a sizeable secure garden.

I am bias but our dogs are very happy, I do tend to work at home one day per week, when I'm here the dogs tend to sleep most of the day with the occassional mooch around the garden.

Our dogs are very well behaved which all comes down to training in those early days and giving them the love, care and attention they need.

From our position having two dogs and a cat they are part of your life and we have made changes to our lives to accomodate them into our family. We moved two years ago to get a much larger garden to ensure their happiness. We changed our kitchen and took into account in the design stage our dogs and how they interact in the house, much to the amusement of the kitchen designer.

You do have to pass up on certain occassions, for us new years eve parties due to fireworks which our youngest is teriffied of.

I wouldn't be without our 'family' and like you we thought long and hard about it before going ahead, in fact I was the one against it up until we got Stitch, now I can't see our life without them and I am happy to make the changes required to ensure our family is content and happy.

Hope this all helps, look forward to hearing what decision you make in the future.

PasturesNew

A friend of mine had a dog and was out all day.
He had a full run and shed/kennel etc in the garden.

The dog would bark all day, so a neighbour complained.

In the end she had to give the dog away and explain to her children the dog had "gone away to school".