What to do with a dog when at work?

locum-motion

My brother's just bred his dog to his bitch for their first litter, and I'd love to take one of the puppies. Thing is, I'm away for about 11 hrs four days a week (ie 4 x 10hr workdays and 1/2 hour commute each way).

So, what is the story on dogs and working? If the dog has a secure run to run around in and a kennel or similar to lie down/shelter from the weather, then is it OK to leave them unattended while at work? Outside of work, I don't have a problem with finding time to walk/train the dog.

Lima Golf

11 hours seems too long for a dog to be on his own even if you're home 3 days a week. Do you live alone? Can anyone mind the dog for a bit while you're away? If not i think you shouldn't get a dog. They're social animals and love company. I know if my dog was left that long I'd come home to find him stressed out.

Meteoric

My opinion is that you can't do that to a puppy. I myself work which is why I got a dog who was 11 months when I got him and people could have a go at me for that but I believe it is reasonable.
Puppies need people around, an 8 week old needs people there most of the time.
I'm not trying to be judgemental but a pup needs family and people around to learn what they are.
A pup after 8 weeks is like a toddler, they need minding and to learn, a pup at 8 to 12 months is like a teenager, they can be independent and really bond with their people without them being there all the time.
Would it be possible for the puppy to grow into a young adult with your brother with the understanding you will take the pup when older?

locum-motion

Lima Golf wrote: »

11 hours seems too long for a dog to be on his own even if you're home 3 days a week.

I was afraid you'd say that!

Lima Golf wrote: »

Do you live alone?

Yep.

Lima Golf wrote: »

Can anyone mind the dog for a bit while you're away?

Looks like that's what I need to find out!

Lima Golf wrote: »

If not i think you shouldn't get a dog.

I was afraid you'd say that too!

Lima Golf wrote: »

They're social animals and love company. I know if my dog was left that long I'd come home to find him stressed out.

locum-motion

Meteoric wrote: »

...Would it be possible for the puppy to grow into a young adult with your brother with the understanding you will take the pup when older?

I haven't even broached the subject with him yet!

3rdDegree

I work from home and a lot of my neighbors leave their dogs alone for the day. Almost all of the dogs are very obviously extremely stressed as they bark and whine from the time their owners leave until they come home again. I do not think you should get a dog.

Meteoric

locum-motion wrote: »

I haven't even broached the subject with him yet!

You could have a dog, you could be a good dog owner, you cannot get a puppy and have a happy dog, puppies need interaction, think what would happen if you took any baby from it's mum once it was weaned and just left it alone all day without anyone else? How messed up would it be. Even if you get someone to come in and feed the puppy the 2 times it needs food while you are at work (puppies need 4 feeds a day) they need playing with and talking to.
You are a good person to ask the question and it is possible to work and have a dog, just not a puppy.

JustAThought

locum-motion wrote: »

My brother's just bred his dog to his bitch for their first litter, and I'd love to take one of the puppies. Thing is, I'm away for about 11 hrs four days a week (ie 4 x 10hr workdays and 1/2 hour commute each way).

So, what is the story on dogs and working? If the dog has a secure run to run around in and a kennel or similar to lie down/shelter from the weather, then is it OK to leave them unattended while at work? Outside of work, I don't have a problem with finding time to walk/train the dog.

They're cute now but when you come home to find its wee'd and poo'd all over the place while you were at work, or been barking all day out of loneliness, or has ate your chairs/skirting board/couch because it felt it was great Craic & no one told it not to for 10 hours, then you may see that it's not such a great plan.

The others are right - really it just isn't a runner with a pup. If your brother will take it & mind it for the 3 days you are in work yih have a good chance but if your shift changes etc tiu will be back to square one.

Fair dues to you for asking, but it'd be like leaving a toddler alone for 10 hours every day.

diegroblers

How about - let the pup stay at your brother's till he's older, but fetch him for the three days that you are home? Or would it be viable to pick the pup up after work each day?

muddypaws

Where do you live? There are doggy day care facilities popping up all over the country now that could help. 11 hours a day is a long time to be working when you have a dog, what kind of dog is it?

CBRLizzie

Sorry to say I agree with the others. I got a 6 month old Rottie and left her alone while I was at work - I'd walk her first thing in the morning, then go to work at 9, home by 5.30, but she was still a complete lunatic by the time I got home. Then one day I came home and she was gone - I was hysterical. She had managed to get out of my garden, which I'd just spent a small fortune having fenced, but she had all day to figure out how to get out. Luckily we found her, by some miracle, in Ballymun. I re-homed her after that, it just wasn't fair on her and she was getting bolder and bolder. She's now living in Laytown, getting walked on the beach twice a day, her retired new owner dotes on her and sends me videos of her to show me how well she's doing. She's still a lunatic, just a happier one now.

I have since adopted a 6 year old German Shepherd, who is quite happy at home on his own all day, we go for walks in the morning and when I get home. Then he potters around the garden for the day. My neighbour keeps an eye on him for me and lets me know if anything is wrong. I just think leaving a puppy for that length of time would only leave you both frustrated and upset, and I say that out of experience. I know I'll never get a puppy again, its older dogs all the way for me. They're so much easier.

Good luck with whatever you do.

DeVore

*ahem* ... *clears throat*.... *assumes position of grandiose expert on the topic*...

Well now... so...let me fill you IN!
(I know exactly what you are asking. You are basically where I was 2 years ago!) If you want to catch up on your reading my first thread is here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056150557

and the follow up thread to complete the story is here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056806248


The short answer is unfortunately, no, its no where near possible if you are doing it on your own (I'm also a "single parent" in the dog stakes). I know how much you want to but the realistic answer is that its not fair on him and it will be a lot of work for you. Dogs dont walk themselves so your new friend will still need a walk after you finish work for example. When you get home, he will have slept half the day and will be bonkers to play... while you will probably want to put your feet up.

My fella Josh gets bored after a few hours alone and then the antics start.

If you could sort out something for him during the days when you are away for 11 hours then it might be possible (as others have said). The impact a dog has on your life shouldnt be underestimated either. Feeding them, washing them occasionally, managing care while you are away, lack of being able to arbitraraily decide things like going to the pub after the match because someone has to feed him etc. These are real impacts on your freedom and time.

It took a major change in my circumstances (eg: being able to work from home) to be able to take Josh on and its still been a lot of work. Being a single parent is the hardest part because you simply have no one else to take on the strain on days when, for whatever reason, you cant/dont want to handle it. Its 7 days a week, all week, every week.

11 hours on his own is pretty much solitary confinement for a puppy and he'll go bat**** insane if he doesnt have company. Its a recipe for behavioral problems imho.

aonb

I think by now that the OP has gotten the message that leaving a dog for 11 hours/day is just not an option.

We recently went away for 2 days, on an unscheduled trip abroad. Our usual dog sitter wasnt available, so a very kind neighbour, who the dogs know, said she would take care of the dogs. It was thurs/fri last week - i.e. VERY wet, so she couldnt let the dogs out in the garden for a few hours in the afternoon, and could only manage v.short walks, but came by 3 or 4 times each day. We arrived in from the airport at midnight to find the dogs totally manic/stressed, with four seperate piles of poo hidden around the house The house stank of dog and they havent let me out of their sight since. Totally upset. I know my lot are spoiled rotten, and we prefer to use a dog-sitter because of 2 elderly dogs, and leave them in their own home, but horrible to think of them here on their own all day (lamps on timers and radio left on) missing their humans so much Dogs just love their routine, it must be really disconcerting to them when everything is different

locum-motion

JustAThought wrote: »

They're cute now but when you come home to find its wee'd and poo'd all over the place while you were at work, or been barking all day out of loneliness, or has ate your chairs/skirting board/couch ...

The pup/dog would be in a secure outdoor yard, with shelter available. Not indoors.

locum-motion

JustAThought wrote: »

... If your brother will take it & mind it for the 3 days you are in work ...

diegroblers wrote: »

How about - let the pup stay at your brother's till he's older, but fetch him for the three days that you are home? Or would it be viable to pick the pup up after work each day?

Brother lives 200 miles away, so that's not a runner. I have aunt, uncles and cousins nearby, though, so that might be a possibility. Also a few of the neighbours have dogs of their own, so it might be worth finding out which ones have someone at home during the day...

Basically I'm only thinking out loud at the moment, though!

locum-motion

DeVore wrote: »

*ahem* ... *clears throat*.... *assumes position of grandiose expert on the topic*...

Well now... so...let me fill you IN!
(I know exactly what you are asking. You are basically where I was 2 years ago!) If you want to catch up on your reading my first thread is here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056150557

and the follow up thread to complete the story is here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056806248

Nearly 500 posts between the two... No, thanks!

I'll just take your tl;dr version below!

DeVore wrote: »

The short answer is unfortunately, no, its no where near possible if you are doing it on your own (I'm also a "single parent" in the dog stakes). I know how much you want to but the realistic answer is that its not fair on him and it will be a lot of work for you. Dogs dont walk themselves so your new friend will still need a walk after you finish work for example. When you get home, he will have slept half the day and will be bonkers to play... while you will probably want to put your feet up.

My fella Josh gets bored after a few hours alone and then the antics start.

If you could sort out something for him during the days when you are away for 11 hours then it might be possible (as others have said). The impact a dog has on your life shouldnt be underestimated either. Feeding them, washing them occasionally, managing care while you are away, lack of being able to arbitraraily decide things like going to the pub after the match because someone has to feed him etc. These are real impacts on your freedom and time.

It took a major change in my circumstances (eg: being able to work from home) to be able to take Josh on and its still been a lot of work. Being a single parent is the hardest part because you simply have no one else to take on the strain on days when, for whatever reason, you cant/dont want to handle it. Its 7 days a week, all week, every week.

11 hours on his own is pretty much solitary confinement for a puppy and he'll go bat**** insane if he doesnt have company. Its a recipe for behavioral problems imho.

locum-motion

muddypaws wrote: »

... what kind of dog is it?

Hungarian vizsla.

kylith

Sorry, OP, you simply can't leave a pup for that long, it's a recipe for disaster. Especially with such an active breed.

If you're dead set on a dog you could look at adopting an older pair, but rescues are unlikely to rehome them to somewhere they'll be alone 11 hours a day. As DeVore said; when you get home from work they still have to be walked and played with, trained and groomed. If I were you I'd wait until work hours were more suitable or you had someone who could look after the dog while you're at work.

Quality

You need to watch Marley and me and see the destruction a dog can get up to when left home alone!

Not fair on a pup. A cat would be more suitable for you!

liquoriceall

Quality wrote: »

You need to watch Marley and me and see the destruction a dog can get up to when left home alone!

Not fair on a pup. A cat would be more suitable for you!

I live alone & am the proud 'owner' of the laziest dog in Ireland.....a 6 year old basset. He has the most god awful seperation aniexty & even though he sleeps for 23.5 hours if Im here I get a girl to come take him out during the day when Im at work just for the company (Im sure he just sits down & she rubs him but thats fine)
However a high energy breed such as you are considering Im doubtful even at 6 will be lazy. Maybe consider a adult in a different breed?

I've an Akita and he's left alone for 10 hours Monday - Friday. I walk him every evening and he's perfectly content to stay at home and mind the house. It's a routine for him and he loves it.

When I got him as a puppy, I took a week off work and my girlfriend took a week off work and my folks used to call down to him until he was about 6 months old.

It can work but I did have the help of the folks popping down to him until he was 6 months old...after which he was getting too big and boisterous for my folks anyway.

PS: Crate training will resolve most destruction issues until the dog is old enough to handle his surroundings without wrecking the place. Don't talk to people who don't understand this, they'll deem it as cruel. It's not cruel, dogs love a den.

ShaShaBear

If you plan on leaving a puppy locked outside for 11 hours a day then no, do not get one. People need to learn that it is both unfair and unsafe to leave puppies, especially recognised breeds, alone and unattended in an accessible area. A puppy is totally unsuitable for you.

Shelli2

Where are you based OP?

JustAThought

locum-motion wrote: »

The pup/dog would be in a secure outdoor yard, with shelter available. Not indoors.

So that's much worse.

Answer = basic. No.

THey may be cute and you may really want one, but it is simply animal cruelty.

pARTICULARLY with a high energy
intelligent hunting Dog like that.

How can you think that won't be cruel?

Posy

Are there any particular breeds of dog that are not high-energy that would be better suited to being left while their owner is at work?

kylith

Not as puppies, and generally not for that long. No breed of dog enjoys isolation. They're a pack species and they need company; spending 11 hours a day alone in a pen would be torture.

Some dogs are ok with being alone because it's part of their routine and they know when they can expect their humans home, but a puppy, especially a high energy breed, it will be driven to distraction with boredom.

ShaShaBear

Especially when locked outside. I don't know about anyone else, but my part of Ireland cant have predictable weather patterns over the course of 11 hours.

Liccle trinity

There are companies out there that do dog walking for this exact reason. Would take the boredom out of the couple days you work. Im sure then it would be grand.

Liccle trinity

Oh and never it the dog outside all day. Apart from the barking, dog napping is rife at the moment. Purebreds or not, they are all at risk for baiting or breeding.

carly_86

I work 10 hours a day I have a jack russell and she is outside for the best part of 11 hours a day. She gets walked in the morning. She has her house outside if it rains and I give her plenty of toys so she wont get bored I see nothing wrong with leaving your dog out all day

ShaShaBear

carly_86 wrote: »

I work 10 hours a day I have a jack russell and she is outside for the best part of 11 hours a day. She gets walked in the morning. She has her house outside if it rains and I give her plenty of toys so she wont get bored I see nothing wrong with leaving your dog out all day

There is the minor issue of dogs getting stolen from back gardens. Never mind the fact that a puppy requires 4 feeds per day and can hardly get that if they are alone for 11 hours!

carly_86

I have her since she was a pup she got fed twice a day. She was always left outside since she was a pup

ShaShaBear

I'm going to refrain from posting further, because the idea of a puppy going hungry without any socialising for 11 hours really irks me.

carly_86

ShaShaBear wrote: »

I'm going to refrain from posting further, because the idea of a puppy going hungry without any socialising for 11 hours really irks me.

She is over a year now and never went hungry. She had 2 big feeds a day

The Sweeper

locum-motion wrote: »

Hungarian vizsla.

Oh man - take all the reasons you couldn't have a dog if it was to be alone for hours and multiply tenfold.

Vizslas are a hunting and house dog - intelligent, working dog drive (not too high though) but also innate sociability and an intense need to belong. Putting one in a run outside for hours daily would be tantamount to cruelty. Plus your neighbours would hate you - vizslas are whiners when they're unhappy, so that'd be up to 11 hours of whinging in its run...

Also they have short coats that offer little protection from cold weather. This is a dog breed that will specifically thrive by your side and wither when left in isolation.

boomerang

carly_86 wrote: »

I work 10 hours a day I have a jack russell and she is outside for the best part of 11 hours a day. She gets walked in the morning. She has her house outside if it rains and I give her plenty of toys so she wont get bored I see nothing wrong with leaving your dog out all day

What good is a ball if there's no one there to throw it?

What good is a tuggy, if there's no one there to pull it?

Chinasea

As said it is great for the OP not to go into this blind and try and map out a suitable plan in advance before taking on such a HUGE commitment.

When it says that this is the 'first litter' I worry. There are so many unwanted, abandoned, dogs stuffed into every corner of every shelter of the country I just wish we got this under control before we start breeding.

mentalist101

Chinasea wrote: »

As said it is great for the OP not to go into this blind and try and map out a suitable plan in advance before taking on such a HUGE commitment.

When it says that this is the 'first litter' I worry. There are so many unwanted, abandoned, dogs stuffed into every corner of every shelter of the country I just wish we got this under control before we start breeding.

Would love to adopt from a rescue centre but they are prejudiced against people renting even though I have a letter from my landlord saying he allows pets. Have no choice but to purchase one:(

ShaShaBear

mentalist101 wrote: »

Would love to adopt from a rescue centre but they are prejudiced against people renting even though I have a letter from my landlord saying he allows pets. Have no choice but to purchase one:(

You need to look at some more rescues then. By all means they are not all like that, not by a long shot. And there are plenty of people posting here on boards and on rescue pages on Facebook looking to find a good home for their pet due to unavoidable circumstances, so you likely would be preventing them from going into the pound. Always a way around it if you are really interested.

carly_86

boomerang wrote: »

What good is a ball if there's no one there to throw it?

What good is a tuggy, if there's no one there to pull it?

My dog is happy and well looked after

muddypaws

mentalist101 wrote: »

Would love to adopt from a rescue centre but they are prejudiced against people renting even though I have a letter from my landlord saying he allows pets. Have no choice but to purchase one:(

Really? I can certainly recommend a few rescues that will accept that letter no problem at all.

toadfly

mentalist101 wrote: »

Would love to adopt from a rescue centre but they are prejudiced against people renting even though I have a letter from my landlord saying he allows pets. Have no choice but to purchase one:(

I've never heard of that rule?

ShaShaBear

TillyGirl wrote: »

I've never heard of that rule?

I do know there are a few rescues who would be overly strict on who they rehome to. With renting it can be understandable, as anything can happen, the house is never permanent, and who is to say what will happen the dog when you have to move and cant find anywhere that accepts pets. However, if you know you will be somewhere for a while (eg long term lease) or have a back-up plan (eg a family member willing to foster) then there really is no reason not to adopt. Hard and fast rules like that are crippling rehoming numbers

DBB

TillyGirl wrote: »

I've never heard of that rule?

I've never come across a rescue that has this rule either. We'd ask to have a chat with or see a letter from the landlord alright, most rescues I know do, but to pass up a good home just because they're renting? A bit overly strict.

mentalist101

ShaShaBear wrote: »

You need to look at some more rescues then. By all means they are not all like that, not by a long shot. And there are plenty of people posting here on boards and on rescue pages on Facebook looking to find a good home for their pet due to unavoidable circumstances, so you likely would be preventing them from going into the pound. Always a way around it if you are really interested.

I am looking into re-homing a dog from people who can't keep them. Decided against buying seeing as It wasn't a puppy so I will keep looking into that.

ShaShaBear

mentalist101 wrote: »

I am looking into re-homing a dog from people who can't keep them. Decided against buying seeing as It wasn't a puppy so I will keep looking into that.

Excellent news! I find this is a great way to adopt. You are taking a lot of stress out of the process for both owner and pet

Princess Aries

To original OP. Fairplay looking for advice b4 making such a big decision, many don't and end up with problems 6 months down the line and thats why there are so many poor animals in shelters and I am sure you don't want that for the little guy/girl you are going to take on? so again pat on the back for posting.

I have a 3yr old Shih Tzu, had researched and found this best breed to our life/hse: Small hse dog in 3 bed semi with small garden.

I got him at 11wks of age, he was available from 8wks but I asked breeder to keep him for an extra 3 weeks when I would be in a position to take time from work. It was xmas so took 3 weeks off to get command/potty training underway. Myself and partner worked hard for the 3 weeks. Then I went back to work but we walked/fed puppy in the morning b4 work and had a dog walker call at lunchtime to walk/feed him then we were home by 6pm so he was only alone for 4-5 hours at a time. We would still come home to find wee & poo on the papers in the kitchen and sometimes the paper shredded all over the place!

Then theres the chewing, puppies are like babies/kids and get two sets of teeth so will go through 2 rounds of intense chewing, our lad was first confined to the kitchen then as potty training improved he got the run of hall stairs and landing also. So basically my chairs, table and skirtings all got it even though he had chew toys, and I dont blame the little guy this is all part and parcel of a dogs developement. So that was his first yr in a nutshell a lot of hard work, time & effort.

Now 3 years on even though a small guy & neutered he has bundles of energy and gets 2 sometimes 3 walks a day because he is high energy & gets upset & stressed if this is not drained. Realistically tho I'll put it like this a cons and pros list:

Cons:
Cost of dog, €50 a week for dog walking (a must if left alone), €10 a week for dog food, €200 a year for grooming, €120 min a year for vets fees (booster shots, worming, lungworm tabs). Then €'s for toys, supplies etc.. u are up2 €3,500 a year min can u afford that?

Trying to find people u trust to look after them when away? That will cost too!

Takes up so much of your time, for feeding, walking, playing, grooming etc. have you really got approx 4 hrs a day to give up to give this dog all the time he/she needs?

Your house will not be as it is now: Expect your furniture to be chewed, carpets to weed/poo'd on. If leaving outside (which I don't agree with for long periods) the garden will be dug up, fencing chewed, plants destroyed.

Now in saying all that, if you are willing to put in all of the above to give the dog a good happy life you will reap the rewards:

Pros:
A very loving companion that will be happy to see you no matter what mood you come home in.

Will make you laugh and smile everyday and joy at watching them learn and grow

Keep you fit!

Help you feel protected (my lad is a barker to any bang or knock to the door)

Thats it in a nutshell, we have recently added to our pack another female Shih Tzu so have more work on our hands and money going out of our pockets!! but they are worth it and I would give them everything I have if its whats best for them, because at the end of the day thats what is important what is best for the dog and is going to keep them happy & balanced!

locum-motion

Hi, Guys,

OP here.

Puppies have now been born (3 weeks ago) and they're so cute it's unbelievable. There's 8 in the litter.

Another couple of months and they'll be heading off to new homes. Unfortunately, my home will not be one of them.

Thanks for your input. You all confirmed what I had already suspected.

locum-motion

Chinasea wrote: »

As said it is great for the OP not to go into this blind and try and map out a suitable plan in advance before taking on such a HUGE commitment.

When it says that this is the 'first litter' I worry. There are so many unwanted, abandoned, dogs stuffed into every corner of every shelter of the country I just wish we got this under control before we start breeding.

When a person wants to raise, keep and train a working breed of dog to do the job that it was bred to do, then that person can't really just nip down the local pound and choose a 6-year-old stray mongrel.

My brother's dogs are pedigree, raised from pups, well trained, well kept, well fed, extensively exercised in off-season, worked hard throughout the on-season, much loved companions to parents and kids alike, and they were painstakingly chosen to be prime examples of the breed but not be closely related to each other, and the pups will only be rehomed in homes that can provide the same (hence my decision not to take one).

This may be their "first litter", but it is insulting in the extreme for you to automatically assume that this means that my brother is responsible for the proliferation of "unwanted, abandoned dogs stuffed into every corner".