@ Anyone with a dog

[bobbarley]

Curious, is there anyone on here who has a dog, but both you and our other half have full time jobs?  If so, how does your doggy deal with being trapped inside all day until someone gets home?

The Mrs and I are thinking of getting a dog in the new year, but on Monday's and Friday's we'll both be at work, so it'll be about 10 hours before anyone comes home.

[Murrayedition35]

We've had a Husky for the last 12 years and we both work full time...However although we love our dog, if something happen, we don't think we would have another one...Our Husky stays outside during the day, in her kennel and has the freedom of the garden..I think its a same to leave the dog inside all day and she does need to do the toilet and you could end up with a mess in your house.

[Khare]

My dog stays at home while my mum and I are at work. At first when it was a puppy we kept it just between the living room and kitchen, to minimize the risk of her injuring herself down the stairs, or creating havoc. Once we were confident she wasn't into chewing shoes and going down the stairs and jumping onto beds, we allowed her to roam the house free. We always leave the TV and a light on and obviously water (duh!).

She does get extremely excited when either of us come home after work, but then again she gets just as excited when I pop out of the house for literally a minute, so I think it's just her being a playful and loving dog.

Loads of people do it mate, and so long as you let the dog have 24/7 access to water and a comfy place then it'll be happy to sleep most of the time or go on adventures around the house. Leaving a TV or radio on helps to keep them reassured 

[bobbarley]

Can they hold it in all day though?  Poor thing would be crossing it's legs dying to get out surely?

[archie837]

We've always had dogs (I live with my folks still)

Pretty lucky that they do staggered shifts - my dads home by 4.30 most days and on Mondays and Tuesday's the step mum doesn't leave till 11. Every other day she's gone by 7.30 though so they're left about 9 hours.

They're pretty good and rarely pee in the house - it was only the younger one anyway, so put it down to general house training anyway.

They get a semi decent walk in the morning, fed their breakfast and then left. They just crash out all day as they're lurchers.

In the old house they used to get let out at lunch time which is an option if you work close enough?

We also used to have a dog flap in the old house which was pretty handy. People always asked about security issues with it, but the reply of "would you crawl into a house with a dog flap that big" normally sufficed.

[tweed]

Curious, is there anyone on here who has a dog, but both you and our other half have full time jobs?  If so, how does your doggy deal with being trapped inside all day until someone gets home?

The Mrs and I are thinking of getting a dog in the new year, but on Monday's and Friday's we'll both be at work, so it'll be about 10 hours before anyone comes home.

I had a pharaoh hound for a little while and the dog needed about 4 hours a day of running. He was fine in the house but had to go back at lunch everyday. And we just thought it wasn't fair on the dog in the end as you can tell he didnt like it. so we gave him to a dog home that the owner also had pharaoh hounds of their own and they had fields to run around in all day.

I honestly think it comes down to the size of the dog. Any bread that is big then it's not fair on the animal.

[Khare]

Depends how big the dog is and what sized house you have. Small dogs don't required daily walking, although all dogs love it. A big dog though needs to be taken out every day, preferably twice a day. If you have a big house you can get away with leaving a few days without taking a small dog out (mine gets walked sometimes once or twice a week, I know I'm bad). But my dog is a chihuahua so for her my house is big enough to do exercise and run around in.

[archie837]

Not really the size of the dog but more the breed.

Lurchers, greyhounds, wolfhounds etc are big but due to their nature of Sprinting, they are inherently lazy.

Collies, spaniels, even terriers etc need a lot of attention and entertaining due to being clever. These are the ones that tend to wreck furniture if left too long as they get bored.

Is there a particular breed you are looking at?

[X4MGS]

It's not fair on the dog... and no doubt you'll punish it if its bad.... Not fair again as they crave attention & no dog likes being left on its own for 10 hours....


Then you sleep 8 hours so the poor thing gets 4-6 hours with you...


I'm lucky that I can take mine to work with me and if I can't then the Mother in law comes round and lets her out, but the most she gets left is 4 hours at anyone time....


An old saying and it's still true " A Dog Is For Life & Not Just Christmas"...


They are very Tie-ing and VERY EXPENSIVE.... Add another couple of hundred quid if you want a holiday, Vets bills every year Etc Etc....


IMO.... Of Course...

[Khare]

They are very Tie-ing and VERY EXPENSIVE.... Add another couple of hundred quid if you want a holiday, Vets bills every year Etc Etc....


IMO.... Of Course...

Amen. Food, vaccines, vaccine booster, passport if you want to travel with it, microchip and then if she gets ill it's going to cost you from a full service upwards! Mine ate a box of chocolate bonbons overnight and had to spend a night at the vet clinic on a drip. £180 vet bill 

Thankfully insurance paid I think £100 of that.