Working/owning a dog

Re: Working/owning a dog

Julie-Anne Wilson — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 13:56:08 GMT

Currently my boyfriend is unemployed so there is always someone at home with my dog. But when we both worked, she was in the house all day herself. She's fine like this, she's a very lazy dog and even when we're in the house with her, all she does is sleep so I have no doubt that that's what she does when she's alone.

There are dogs in our practice that don't get locked up. Our reception area is completely blocked off from the back so the dog's don't get locked away. If a dog we feel is aggressive or nervous comes through, they get locked up temporarily until the dog is gone. If I took my dog into work, I wouldn't be able to let her roam about so she'd have to be locked up all day. I feel this is more cruel than leaving her at home all day.

Re: Working/owning a dog

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 13:49:37 GMT

I e an old 13 yr old that chills at home all day while me and husband at work. Sometimes 8-9 hrs and he is never stressed. If I took him to work he would panic like mad. We also have a 7 month old terrier that comes to work and has a cage in quite back office and gets walked a couple of times a day and that works for her. X

Re: Working/owning a dog

Fuzzyduck — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 13:38:35 GMT

I dont own a dog but alot of collegues bring their dogs to work, where they sit in a small kennel all day being let out for perhaps ten minutes at lunch for a wee.

My ex house mate has a dog who is left at home all day from around 8.30am until 6pm.

I feel more sorry for the dogs at work, they are stuck in a kennel in a stressful environment with other dogs barking, wheras my housemates dog just chills in bed all day!

Re: Working/owning a dog

Jacquelyn Smith — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 03:04:46 GMT

I looked into getting a dog a few years back, but felt the amount of time I was out of the house was too long, 5am sometimes until half 6at night (I couldn't take one to work). I wanted something I could walk, to get me out of the house... So I got ferrets. They love going to the park and playing in fields. They don't really start acting old, ever (they're like kittens that never grow up). I don't want a dog anymore, I don't need one, I manage a pet hotel so have several. Lol

Re: Working/owning a dog

Vicky RVN — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:43:20 GMT

I will leave Jack for max 6 hours. If I know I need to leave him longer the dog walker will come for an hour or two half hour stints to take him out. Both of my parents are now retired so Jack is home with them all day, occasionally they'll go out and leave him for a few hours. When I got him there were two days in the week when there wasn't someone at home all day, my mum was the last to leave at 9ish and my dad would be home around 4. On these days I would get the dog walker to come. I wouldn't ever get a dog with the intention of taking it to work all day every day, I don't see the veterinary environment as one a dog should be in every day. The odd day if you can't arrange something else then yes fine, but not all of the time.

I went to RSPCA looking for a dog. I filled out the forms, saying I worked full time, they obviously had an issue with this. I said I live at home and both parents part time workers so would be with the dog, when they weren't dog walker would be used. Their response was "What if you move out of home?"....I was shocked at this question as had no intention of moving out soon, but answered that if I did i'd take the dog to them before work. The response of the jobsworth? "Well it will be your parents dog then, not yours, so you need to do the form for them not you!"...so I did! Didn't get a dog there in the end, went to Dogs Trust who I explained the situation to and they were perfectly happy with my arrangements, so I got Jack!

Re: Working/owning a dog

molladog — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:59:07 GMT

Totally agree with you, it depends on the dog how long it is happy to be left. Mine are left for a similar amount of time + are fine. They get tons of exercise at other times + I also agree with the rather too strict rules that most rescue centres have.

Re: Working/owning a dog

Tracy Windler RVN — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:49:29 GMT

My dog is often left forup to 10 hours during the day. I leave at 9.30, but hubby is usually back by 3 most days, so he's with him, but has very little bond with him and Bailey won't even get out of his bed until I get home at 6.30-7pm! But occasionally, he is on his own completely for that time.

Saying that, its not something I jumped into immediately. When I first had him as a 2 year old, I took him to work most days and walked him in the mornings, lunch time and evenings. I have gradually built up the time I have left him and if there were any problems, I would avoid it. I'm lucky that he's a very laid-back dog and tends to go to sleep in his bed, whether he's at home, in a kennel, or in the car. Also, I have found that he chooses not to go to the loo if the weather is particularly bad outside, so I know that he has no problem "holding on"!

I f I was to have a new dog (not likely now with a baby on the way!), I wouldn't want to leave it on its own for as long as this and its taken years of really knowing my dog, his character and limitations to be able to leave him.

I have been turned down for a rescue dog in the past, despite giving them this information and that I would take a new dog to work with me. Yet have seen an elderly couple take home a bouncy young boxer or a loopy collie puppy. I think they're too fixated on the issue of working dog owners and should look at the bigger picture- but I don't think it'll change very easily, if at all!

Re: Working/owning a dog

Ju_xx — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:24:54 GMT

The longest mine is left is 8 hours but she gets walked in the morning and in the evening. Usually if it is a day we have to leave her for 8 hours I will try and leave her with my dad. She will go there if we are out in the evening too. Most of the time though she is only on her own 6 hours. She isn't stressed and she gets good walks at weekends etc and spoilt loads to make up for it!

Re: Working/owning a dog

sarahjune84 — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:22:43 GMT

i have 2 rescue terriers and they get left on the own together for 7hrs while im at work on my half days, full days they come with me. But I think 7hrs is fine, their never stressed when i get home or have their legs crossed and surely running around the home is better then being in a kennel. I think it all depends on the dog and their behaviour when left on their own, how long you can leave them for.

Re: Working/owning a dog

Kate Claxton DipAVN(Med)VN — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:55:29 GMT

Hubbie and I both work full time and have been dog owners since May 2010. We only got our dog because we intended to have a full-time dog walker every weekday when we're at work. Dotty is never left for longer than 5hrs during the day, usually only 4. Hubbie leaves the house at 8.30am, dog-walker comes 12-2pm, takes her out for 1 to 1 + 1/2hrs and then I am home by 4.15pm. She's walked for an hour in the morning, 1-1 1/2 hrs at lunch then at least an hour in the evening, plus a training session. She does Obedience training classes twice a week, Flyball once a week in Winter, twice in Summer, plus we spend most weekends at either Flyball shows or Obedience competitions - yet we were classed as unsuitable owners by rescue centres as we are full-time workers....that being said I don't think leaving a dog for 8hrs is fair - especially if you're then going to go out in the evenings...I will rarely go out on a weekday night unless hubbie's home with dog!

Having a dog is a huge commitment but one I love - don't know where I'd be without my bestest girl :) such a superdog! Best way to wind down after work is walking her - never get sick of her happy face with a tennis ball in her chops!

Re: Working/owning a dog

Katy — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:54:48 GMT

National Petsitters who we are registered with say that a dog shouldn't be left for more than 3-4 hours on it's own.