# working full time and having a dog?



## skye123 (11 December 2007)

my dog died last year and i miss her like hell  
	
	
		
		
	


	





now all of my family (espically me!) really want a new dog but my dad says that as both he and my mum work it wouldnt be fair to leave it on its own all day (my solution was to get two but it didnt go down too well!  
	
	
		
		
	


	








)

so what are your thoughts? do you leave your dog(s) on their own all day etc?

thanks!


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## sloulou (11 December 2007)

I work full time and so does my OH... but we have a dog...

He isn't left on his own all day tho...

I leave at 8.30 am (He gets an hour's walk in the park in the morning with me) then our dog walker comes in at 11am and takes him for a lead walk around the roads for an hour.  Then she comes again at 2.30pm and takes him to play with another dog in the local park for about an hour... then I come home at 5.30ish and he gets another quick wander out then... maybe 20mins around the roads.

So it can be done - but wouldn't like him to have less...  I guess it depends on the breed as well - mine is a lab and I wouldn't want him to get fat and lazy...

Dog walker is the way forward


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## Amymay (11 December 2007)

I would love a dog, but don't have one as I work all day.  I just don't think it's fair.

Sorry


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## Gingerbird (11 December 2007)

OH and I work all day but we have a puppy visitor (soon to become dog walker at then end of the week) that comes in at lunch time for an hour to break up the day. We've only had him a few weeks but its worked really well.

A friend has two highly strung rescue dogs, and although she works at home now for years her and her OH were both out all day at work and had no one to visit. Her doggies were fine and suffered no ill effects from being alone.


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## sloulou (11 December 2007)

I have found if I am home during the day - Loki sleeps at the times he is usually alone (which are around 2.5 - 3 hrs max) - so it is his routine and he is happy with it.

He gets v. tired at weekends when he gets less chance fo naps in between


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## Morrigan_Lady (11 December 2007)

I work full time and Buster stays at home all day, but he does have two cats to harass all day!


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## Starbucks (11 December 2007)

We've got 2 dogs and although we both work full time, OH works at home a lot so they are only left about once a week on their own.

I think it could possibly work but I wouldn't recommend getting a puppy/young dog. Maybe go for an older rescue?


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## prose (11 December 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
I would love a dog, but don't have one as I work all day.  I just don't think it's fair.

Sorry  
	
	
		
		
	


	





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This is the reason my parents never let us have a dog as kids, even though they both adore dogs.

I have flexible work hours, which means Stella is never left for more than five hours, and even that isn't every day. On days when I'm extra busy, she has a walker or I put her in doggie daycare. 

If these options are open to you, I think a dog would be fine.


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## frankie7 (11 December 2007)

Me and OH work full time, Chimo has a walk in the morning, and we are out the house by about 8:45, then home for lunch about 12:45 for about 45 minutes and she plays with the dog next door , then at about 3:30 / 4 the neighbour lets her out for a wee but most of the time at lunch and in the afternoon, she is asleep and has to be woken up!  

At the weekend she gets really tired as we are here all the time and she just wants to sleep! 

It can be done, you just need to make it work!


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## elsielouise (11 December 2007)

It is possible but depends on your hours and what you can commit to in terms of help. When we got ours last year we knew we'd need a walker and budgeted for it.

We ended up with two greyhounds and a JRT 10 month old pup. We both work long hours but have a dog walker who comes in the middle of the day and walks them for an hour we also have a cleaner who comes in three times a week for a couple of hours and... eeek I sound so lazy but also a garder person.

All of them let the dogs out and when the JRT was tiny we had our walker come twice a day too.

Expensive but worth it. Not that I'm suggesting dogs without this madness wouldn't be happy but I wouldn't have one on its own ever again now.

We DO work a lot so have to have help just to keep alive really but our dogs are very happy ( I know as have watched them asleep on the webcam!)


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## pocomoto (11 December 2007)

I now rehome because I work and it would be most unfair on a small puppy.   Now I have purebreds from breed rescue but I also have had scruffy mutts.  I have never had any problems leaving my dogs while I am at work.

My dogs have the very best life, they are always with me when I do the horses twice a day and get walks of at least a mile every evening and most mornings.  They come out when I ride sometimes for up to 3 hrs, or they tag along when I long rein the youngsters.  At home they have a routine and sleep most of the day.  They have the run of downstairs and the garden via a dog flap, and my neighbour looks in on them if I have to work late.

I am in a position to take dogs no one else will and turn them around, giving them a great life and they are in no way stressed by their lifestyle!  Though there are two at the mo I have often had one and again no problems as they are well fed and exercised.

Have no time for RSPCA as they said as I worked they would not consider me, how short sighted when most of their Dogs had signs up "Unsitable for families"  "Not good with other Animals" etc!!!!  How on earth do they expect to find a home for those poor dogs!


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## Oneofthepack (11 December 2007)

I'm away for 7 hours twice week and my neighbour comes round halfway to let them out and play for half an hour. There are 4 of them and they get a good long walk before I go out and when I get back and though they are extra pleased to see me they don't appear to suffer. I wouldn't leave one alone all day though as they are intelligent creatures and wouldn't enjoy it any more than we would!


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## welshies (12 December 2007)

Anyone mind me asking how much these dog walkers/puppy visitors etc are, don't need one at the mo but just always wondered!


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## Vicki1986 (12 December 2007)

i know loads of people that work full time and leave their dogs at home, it can work as long as you work hard to make sure it does. 
breed / temperament should be considered alot.


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## sloulou (12 December 2007)

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Anyone mind me asking how much these dog walkers/puppy visitors etc are, don't need one at the mo but just always wondered! 

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Mine is £6 per hour - which is good for where I am (some charge £10 or £12 - but they are the dog walking companies... mine had fab references and has been a walker a long time - and the dog loves her.  She also walks him alone - not with lots of other dogs)  You do have to do a bit of research to find the rigfht person/ service for you.


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## Lill (12 December 2007)

My friend and her OH have a rottie and a staffi they both work full time and the dogs are left on their own for 8 hours + a day... they have the company of each other though and a room in the house to 'trash'  
	
	
		
		
	


	





I would LOVE a doberman/ridgeback but not until i move out sadly


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## prose (12 December 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone mind me asking how much these dog walkers/puppy visitors etc are, don't need one at the mo but just always wondered! 

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We pay $20 for 45 minutes, which is excellent for Manhattan. She usually gets walked alone, but yesterday teamed up with Peach the Frenchie and Max the Doxi.


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## Amymay (12 December 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
My friend and her OH have a rottie and a staffi they both work full time and the dogs are left on their own for 8 hours + a day  

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Plus the 8 hours they spend asleep (owners that is) = 16 hours a day.

Plus the hours they may be out of the house for extra curricula activities etc.
Dogs will get about 5 hours attention a day


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## GinaGem (12 December 2007)

Ours only really get left if we go to the supermarket or on the odd occasion where they can't come wherever we are going.  I take mine to work and my OH takes his to work.  Wouldn't want to leave them at home all day and i like the company


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## Lill (12 December 2007)

I know  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 she can't even bring them to the yard with her as they've only got a 2 seater car at the moment between them.  

Think they got the staffi first, and then the rottie for company for him...  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 two destructive dogs when left not surprisingly!


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## whippet (13 December 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
My friend and her OH have a rottie and a staffi they both work full time and the dogs are left on their own for 8 hours + a day... they have the company of each other though and a room in the house to 'trash'  
	
	
		
		
	


	






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Poor dogs.... apart from everything else, 8 hours+ is an unreasonably long time to expect a dog to go without a toilet break. I couldn't do that to my dogs 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Anyone working full time owes it to their dogs to make provision for their needs whilst they're not there.


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## ecrozier (13 December 2007)

Rinkydink - doesn't your dog go 8 hours overnight without a toilet break though?
My rottie does at the moment have to stay home alone for several hours every day.  Well, alone apart from the cat anyway!!  Usually just a couple of days a week, I leave at 8.45am and my OH gets home at 5.  Other days I can go home during the day or leave later, or take him to work with me.
Where we used to live my mum would go and collect him about 2pm and take him home with her.  We now live too far away for her to do that.  Incidentally when she did collect him, he was always upstairs and fast asleep, had to be called repeatedly to get him to come down!
I am going to look into a dog walker in the new year but the one near our old house charged £16 an hour for 1 dog :O :O
He comes to the yard with me am and pm, and is with us all weekend and every evening.  He is a 4 year old dog now and honestly a very happy one, we make sure he gets plenty of attention when he has had a day alone.  
I do think a lot of it depends on the breed/personality of the dog though!


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## kildalton (13 December 2007)

Yep, that's why I haven't got a dog, although I miss my old one, I'm on my own now and it just isn't fair  on them.


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## Vicki1986 (13 December 2007)

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Rinkydink - doesn't your dog go 8 hours overnight  

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i think that is slightly different, they are asleep, you wouldnt expect them to be asleep all day having been asleep all night too. unless they are pups mine seems to be asleep 90% of the time!!


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## Sooty (13 December 2007)

Depending on the breed, most older dogs seem pretty happy to sleep most of the day if left to their own devices. It really is puppies that cannot be left, it just isn't fair. They need companionship and stimulation, which can be levelled off gradually. Morgan is three now and gets one walk a day at this time of year, and looks most miffed if anyone suggests she should venture outside before everyone comes home from work. Which is ironic, as I am at home all day... Anyway, would you consider an older dog? Two does seem a good idea...


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## skye123 (13 December 2007)

to be honest we would get a rescue dog if we did get one so it would probably be an older one


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## wireweiners (14 December 2007)

If the only people who could have a dog were people who either didn't work or worked full time, then a lot of dogs wouldn't have a home.  I have always had dogs and worked and my dogs have always seemed healthy and happy.  I now have 7 dogs and work full time.  Now 4 of them are outside in a kennel but the 3 house dogs do well.  The 15 year old can no longer go all day without going outside to potty so my mom comes down to let her out during the day.  They get lots of love and attention when we are home.  I would get an older dog around 3 or 4 and would not choose a high energy breed.  I have always had dachshunds and they seem to adapt well to being by themselves.  A dog walker or helpful neighbor or relative is great, leaving the TV or radio on is also good, and a cat or another dog for a companion is also a good idea if possible.  Dogs are very adaptable and can fit themselves into your lifestyle.  I think a dog would prefer a home where it is left alone for a while but otherwise cared for to one where it is neglected or no home at all.


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## Tia (14 December 2007)

I'm at home with my dogs every day.  I'll tell you this much; I have a 5 year old Springer who is never in (apart from at the moment as she has a small brood).  I have a 3 year old who pretty much only ever goes out when I am outside and I have a 6 month old puppy who hardly ever goes outside and when she does it is usually to dig a hole and sleep in it.  

My dogs live with free access to outside 24 hours a day and apart from the Springer, the others would stay asleep all day and all night if I never ventured outside.

So, as a few others have said, depending on the dog you buy, lots of breeds are perfectly happy to sleep all day and all night with a couple of walkies at some point through the day.

I personally would never leave a single dog alone all day and every day though.  2 or more dogs would be best.


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## fmay (14 December 2007)

We both work full time but have always had kids home from school/uni when we have a new puppy. Once they are a few months old there has never been any problem with leaving them for the day (the boys say that even when they are home from uni the dogs just sleep all day on the beds while they play computers


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## madmav (15 December 2007)

I work part-time, and funny hours,  so our dog is alone only for a few hours for some days. And he has equivalent of doggy TV watching front door ready to shout at postman or whoever walks past house.
But I did specifically choose a breed (he's a schipperke - ideal city dog) that can cope with some inertia and doesn't require hours of walking and stimulation each day. Would love to have a border collie but until I move to a big pile in the country, it will have to remain a dream. Just not fair on dog.


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## whippet (17 December 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Rinkydink - doesn't your dog go 8 hours overnight  

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i think that is slightly different, they are asleep, you wouldnt expect them to be asleep all day having been asleep all night too. unless they are pups mine seems to be asleep 90% of the time!! 

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Yes my dogs do go 8 hours at night without wanting the loo, but like Vicki said, I think this is rather different as they are asleep....my boys definitely know the difference between daytime and bedtime 
	
	
		
		
	


	




Most humans will sleep through the night without going to the loo, but would probably be a bit miffed to find they were expected to do, say, an eight hour day at work, without a toilet break. Like us, our dogs will eat and drink during the day, and so will presumably need the loo more.

Agree though, that it will depend a lot on the age, type, and activity levels of the dog as to how long would be fair to leave it


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## FinkleyAlex (17 December 2007)

my dad works full time and mum does shift work, however I am not at college very often and brother (when back from uni) is here, sisters are often here so our malamute is rarely alone apart from at night. She gets walked in the morning for 45 mins, sleeps whilst we are out, goes jogging with me at about 4pm, gets another walk with dad for about 1 hour at 8pm and officialy has her mad hour at 9.30pm where we are all forced to play with her as she wont leave us alone otherwise! She also tells us if she wants to go in the garden by standing by the garden door, we check every now and then to see if she wants to go outside. She manages fine when we're out - she used to chew wires and a bit of paint when she was younger but has grown out of it!


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## ShadowFlame (6 January 2008)

Most dogs are perfectly happy to sleep for a lot of the day as well as night, providing it is not a high energy breed. I myself have 2 dogs, a 3yo and a puppy. They are both left for around 6hrs a day, and they never have any problems. They have plenty of attention while we are home and on weekends, and they are happy, healthy dogs. Our walls are relatively thin, so neighbours can always hear when they bark - the only time being when the postman comes. If I have a day off during the week when I would normally be out, both dogs stick to their normal routines and sleep for 90% of those 6 hours during the day, only waking for food, water, and to bat a ball around for 5mins. What's better for the dog? To have an owner who loves them dearly and leaves them for 6 hours a day 5 days a week, or to have an owner who couldn't care less, leaves them in the garden all day and all night, and although they are in all day, gives the dog 5 mins of attention at feed time? Most dogs cope fine, and many dogs endure much worse.


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