Rate my suitability for a dog

RE*AC*TOR

Live in Dublin. 3 bed mid terrace town house. Reasonable sized garden to rear.

Here's the important stuff. Both my wife and I work. However, my wife works from home two days a week. Unfortunately that means 3 days a week with no one home.

I've always loved dogs, but I don't want to make a dog unhappy or neglected.

Lay it on the line for me.

No, Yes or Yes with certain provisos?

6th

What time does the last person leave in the mrning and when is the first person home?

RE*AC*TOR

At the moment last person leaves around 8 and back by 6.

peasant

Separation from the group is one of the hardest things to deal with for a highly social animal like a dog. No dog likes being left alone for a whole day.
Some cope, some don't, none "like" it.

So, your rating is: no, not yet.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

No reason why not if you're not both away from dawn to dusk. Get a pup while you have a week or two of holidays to help settle it in and get it used to increasing lengths of being alone.

Alfasudcrazy

One dog only and I would say no - two dogs and its a maybe - depending on if the dogs have a secure garden with comfortable shelter from the elements and of course plenty of food and water.

Scoobydoobydoo

I would say no, not while you are both gone from 8-6 three days a week.
It wouldn't be fair to a dog, because they need company.

Apart from that, you would more than likely have to leave him outside, and he might bark a lot when you're not there, which would cause problems with your neighbours.

Unless you have someone near you who could look after your dog for some of the time that you're away.

Glowing

You could perhaps rescue an older dog, maybe a 3-4 year old greyhound (www.paws.ie). They're very sedate, affectionate and love to sleep during the day. You could hire a dog walker for 3 of those days that no-one is at home to come in at a regular time. I wouldn't recommend a puppy in your situation .. they need too much looking after at that age.

Rigsby

peasant wrote:

Separation from the group is one of the hardest things to deal with for a highly social animal like a dog. No dog likes being left alone for a whole day.
Some cope, some don't, none "like" it.

So, your rating is: no, not yet.

I agree.

comongethappy

It all depends on the breed TBH. You'd definetly need a low exercise breed and one that doesn't mind having a double life (ie outdoors under the day (with shelter of course!) and indoors with you under the evenings). When you are home, you'd need to pay loads of attention to it. If you wanted anything else, or if you'd be away evenings to go out, then I'd say no unless you had someone to walk and keep the dog company under the day. Most dogs need a good bit of excerise and do not like to be alone.

peasant

comongethappy wrote:

It all depends on the breed TBH.

Nope ...it doesn't :rolleyes:

The need to be social and to be a member of a group is inherent to all dogs, big or small, energetic or lazy.

comongethappy

peasant wrote:

Nope ...it doesn't :rolleyes:

The need to be social and to be a member of a group is inherent to all dogs, big or small, energetic or lazy.

Of course all dogs need to be a member of a group :rolleyes: - you seem to be misinterpreted what I was saying. As you said in a previous post, some dogs are better at coping than others. Some breeds would not tolerate to being alone under the day, while some would have a much easier time adjusting to it, provided that a good portion of the day was spent with the pack. Socialisation is key to having a happy and mentally healthy dog - I don't think anyone is here to debate that. I'm not saying it would be easy for them - but it is possible if they can put the time, energy, research, and care into it. But then again you may disagree. There are many conflicting opinions on the subject.

I was merely suggesting low excerise because they away for a significant amount of the day 3 days a week and would probably not have the time to sufficently excerise a demanding working breed, such as a Husky.

peasant

comongethappy wrote:

...As you said in a previous post, some dogs are better at coping than others. Some breeds would not tolerate to being alone under the day, while some would have a much easier time adjusting to it...

Yes ..but that's exactly where the misunderstanding is

I said some DOGS (as in some individuals) you say some BREEDS ...and that is simply not correct. There is no such breed as the "Golden Idon'tmindbeingleftaloneandbored"

I also said that no dog would like this, just that some may cope.

What if the chosen dog doesn't cope? Keep trying different ones until you find one that does?

Zozz

I don't think you should have a dog. Isn't there any possibility that anyone of you can work from home? Me and my family have a dog, but we leave him in a kind of day-care center for dogs, where they get food water and people take walks with them. I don't think people should buy dogs if the dogs are going to spend 10 hours being alone and bored. I know lots of people who had to sell thier dogs because they barked too much when they were left alone. My friend leave their dog alone on the days, but I highly dissaprove of that.

EGAR

Then most rescues should not have dogs either. Alot of rescue dogs spent 20 + hours in their kennels due to lack of time/staff and not every dog has the luck or inclination to live in a pack of canines. Plus, a dog costs money and one needs to work in order to get money to afford a lifestyle which can comfortably accomodate a dog and its requirements. I have rehomed dogs to peeps who work full time and will do so again if the right dog/adopter combination comes along.

peasant

EGAR wrote:

Then most rescues should not have dogs either. Alot of rescue dogs spent 20 + hours in their kennels due to lack of time/staff and not every dog has the luck or inclination to live in a pack of canines. Plus, a dog costs money and one needs to work in order to get money to afford a lifestyle which can comfortably accomodate a dog and its requirements. I have rehomed dogs to peeps who work full time and will do so again if the right dog/adopter combination comes along.

Well ..if there really are rescues out there where dogs spend 20 uninterrupted hours in solitary confinement in their kennels ..then maybe "rescue" isn't quite the approptiate word for those circumstances?

Yes, I know, easy enough for me to say ..I don't have to look at the endless numbers of dogs on death row in the pounds every day.

But where do this dogs in the pounds come from? Besides irresponsible breeding/uncontrolled breeding a contributing factor are people who couldn't cope with their dogs any more because they couldn't spend enough time with them (training, supervising, just being there) and the dogs got unruly and out of hand and finally had to be "gotten rid of"


Bit of a viscious circle, that...

EGAR

No one there from 5 pm until 9am for example because the staff goes home and no one lives there. Staff comprises almost solely of FAS workers who do their 19 1/2 hours a week.

That is just ONE example.

Strokesfan

Dogs are pack animals so I have 2

Get two but my two still get a little bored so I got them the cube toys where you stuff dry enticing dog treats inside and they work to get them out for hours... I also spoil them rotten with chews when I go to work.

Lots of people just have one in your situation. I'm in LA at the moment and people here keep dogs of all sizes in apartments!!!! but dogwalkers make a fortune here going around cleaning up after them and taking them out while their owners are at work.

Niall06

We both work but rescued a dog.
I leave the house at 7am and am back about 12pm for an hour.
Leave again about 1pm and am back at 4pm.
Our dog seems very happy to be left at home. Even when I am on a day off she still will sleep until about 11am.
Surely its better to have her in a comfortable & warm house during the day and then lots of love and walks in the evening then in a kennel in a rescue home.

When I get ready to go back to work at lunch time she jumps up on the chair, gets herself in position and never looks stressed.

flanzer

We're in a similar situation. 3 bed semi, with a resonable back garden. Last person to leave is about 9 a.m and first to come back is about 4:30 p.m.

We have a cat, that playfully spends most of the day with our next door neighbour's King Charles. The neighbour is a semi-retired lady that is home 3/4 days a week but the cat is quite indepentant anyway (like most cats!). It's great because up until she got the dog, our cat was getting bullied terribly by a couple of other cats in the area but now she has an allie in the dog and the cats generally stay away now most of the time.

We we thinking of getting a Jack Russell or something of that size. My partner is from the country and grew up around animals. In fact, her parents bred labradors and retrievers all through her childhood and is pining to get a dog.

What do you people think?

sn00ps

I would have to agree with the posters who say don't get a puppy (and by puppy that means a dog less than 3 years old) they are hard work and demand a lot of attention and training. If you aren't there to give it you will end up with a very disturbed untrained dog and its simply not fair.

This means being there every day to let them out to go pooh and play with them. They are like babies and can't hold it all day and genuinely do not like messing where they sleep so that in itself is cruel.

However, I would though suggest that perhaps an older rescue that has been used to this type of environment is a good idea.

We have to remember that the ideal of stay at home mum and dad is not always possible in todays world and there are still loads of dogs being destroyed each week for the want of a loving home. Surely peasant this environment would be better than that.

I'm sure like most dog lovers you want a want a puppy though, perhaps not just this time .. wait until you have more time to give or have a friend/relative who can help during the day ..

I would say maybe with the above provisos!!

RE*AC*TOR

Thanks for all the replies. Food for thought.

Rigsby

REACTOR :

Fair play to you for seeking advice before hand and not acting on the spur of the moment. If more people were like you we would n't have the unwanted dog problem that we have at the moment.

North&South

I agree with you Rigsby - Reactor, you're doing the right thing by looking at your lifestyle first.
We did just that 6 years ago when I was working. I worked from 10am to 3pm, so not an all day thing.
We went through different breeds, bearing in mind we only have a back yard, although we're minutes away from the beach.
So..... we plumped for a Basset! He is 5 yrs old now & given half a chance will sleep for 23 hours a day! Then we were asked to take a rescue King Charles Spaniel... he sleeps even longer if he can.... are we really that boring? Hmmm... possibly!
The boys have their own dog flap into the yard, and now I'm no longer working, they have me to watch them whilst they sleep... bless!

litup

I have to agree, my King Charles sleeps pretty much constantly. I am not at home every day and used to feel really guilty leaving him but now I realise he sleeps pretty much all the time we are gone and if he does wake there are toys for him to play with. He also gets a walk right before I leave and as soon as I get home.

I don't understand why people say its really cruel to leave a dog during the day but its ok to leave them downstairs alone for 8/9 hours while you are in bed. My little guy sleep upstairs with me!

Demonique

Maybe you should get a pair of kittens, they'll keep themselves amused and are not as dependent on human company as dogs are.

Just make sure you cat-proof your home first and make sure there is nothing they can injure themselves on

wyk

peasant wrote:

Nope ...it doesn't :rolleyes:

The need to be social and to be a member of a group is inherent to all dogs, big or small, energetic or lazy.

Some breeds are more independent than others. LSG are a good example. Some do not even socialize much with humans unless trained or nurtured to do so.

However, it will depend upon the dog what sort of separation anxiety it may have. Most dogs prefer company. But many can stand being alone for 4-6 hour spurts easily. Afterall, many breeds sleep for up to 20 hours a day. And they will generally take this time to rest.

The fact of life is very few people can be home all the time. But just about anyone whom can provide a stable environment can own a dog. It all depends on the fit. In any case, you could always have 2 dogs to keep each other company. Also, being left in someones home for a few hours a day is far far better than being put to sleep, or staying in a pound with cold concrete floors and barking dogs 24 hours a day.


WYK