# Getting a dog whilst working full time?



## ab1385 (Jul 11, 2009)

Hi there,

I appreciate that this topic has probably been done to death elsewhere, but I'm new here so go gentle on me!

I have grown up all my life with dogs around so I'm well aware of how much work and attention dogs require. Having now moved out of the parents house, I'm now 26 and married, but work full time. Both my wife and I desperately want to get a flat coated retriever (or maybe two) and are trying to figure out the best way of doing this, or if it's possible at all to do so without being cruel to the dog(s).

I'm a doctor working some strange shift patterns, so will be at home during the day one week in 6, but most of the time we'd both be out 8.30 to 17.30. I know that this would be cruel for a dog, so we're trying to find ways around this. I've found a few dog walking companies around Cardiff who could walk the dog everyday from, say, 12.30 to 13.30, meaning that they would never be left alone for much more than 4 hours. My sister is a student and so would probably be able to pop in and say hello for 30 minutes most days, at least whilst he's still a young pup.

I'm quite willing to pay for a dog walker, and when we got it/them we'd take a lot of time off work to get him used to being with us, but would this realistically be enough to keep a dog happy? Being social creatures would they have less problem being left alone for 4 hours at a time if we were to get two?

What are people's thoughts? Is it possible to get a dog or two and keep them happy whilst working full time, by doing things like hiring a dog walker?

Thanks for your input!

Alex (and Deb)


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## Varkhond (Mar 1, 2009)

I used to work 8-17.30 as well. The way i got around with it was getting home at lunch brake to walk my dog. So (had an little dashhound then) was only alone for 4hours tops a time. Then there is breeds who demand alot of exercise and attention, where a collie is in the good end. Very self sufficient dog who likes he's cuddles but is less likely to suffer from being alone. (getting 2 dogs can help, but that you know).  Don't know how well a terrier alone, all terriers are bit more on the hyper end.


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Hi, hiring a dog walker you need to be careful because in this heat it's stupid to walk a dog around mid-day. I avoid walking my dogs anytime between 9am (at the latest!) and 5pm (at the earliest!) because it is just far too hot!

So you would need to make sure that your dogs were not going to be left too long and not walked when it's too hot.
So you could have someone walk them twice, instead of one long walk?

What about doggy day care? Is there any of them near you? They are more likely indoors so the dogs get looked after while you are ate work, and exercised, played with and not out in the heat.

x


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## Matrix/Logan (May 7, 2009)

A dog walker sounds like a great idea but like it has been said before if the weather is too hot maybe just an hours play in the shade of your home and toilet break time would be a good idea instead of a walk on those days!!??

I would certainly get your dogs one at a time, never fall for getting 2 litter mates as you feel sorry for them being on their own so 2's company(BIG MISTAKE)!! You should aquire dog number one, do the training and everything, get that one bonded to you then when he/she is a year or so old get puppy number two. Getting 2 litter mates is very rarely successfull as the pups become too focused and bonded on each other to make bonding and training very difficult for you, especially when you are at work during the day. And as an ex veterinary nurse i have seen a lot of fights from litter mate sisters when they reach sexual maturity. I am not saying _always_ but _often!!_

My pup is 5months old and is left for 4 and a half hours in the morning and 1 and 3/4 hours in the afternoon. He is walked in the evening and seems very settled.


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## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

I would go for a rescue dog as you can only improve it's quality of life and you sound like you are willing to provide for it.

I took on 2 rescue's and I would not recommend anyone else doing it. I would get one and then consider another a few months later.

Defo do not get a pup as they need a lot of time which you are unable to provide.

You will need to go to an independant rescue centre as you will prob find that big places such as Dog Trust, Battersea etc will not re-home due to the amount of time you are out for. Best person to speak to is JSR, she is into rescue and can give you some great advice - send her a private message.

Good luck x


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## ab1385 (Jul 11, 2009)

Grr, stupid laptop just deleted a whole long post I'd written out.

How long would it take from getting a pup to being able to leave it for 4 hours at a time? I could feasibly be at home during the day for a maximum of 3-4 weeks, including when I'm working nights. I'd really like to have a dog from a puppy, if only 'cause that's what I always had with my parents and I've felt you develop a relationship more like that. That and the fact that they won't have had years of getting away with bad behaviour for them to unlearn.

How old are the youngest ones at a rescue centre anyway? I don't hugely mind not having one at 8-9 weeks, but wouldn't want to get a dog older that 6 months...

Thanks for all your advice so far!

Alex


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2009)

ab1385 said:


> Grr, stupid laptop just deleted a whole long post I'd written out.
> 
> How long would it take from getting a pup to being able to leave it for 4 hours at a time? I could feasibly be at home during the day for a maximum of 3-4 weeks, including when I'm working nights. I'd really like to have a dog from a puppy, if only 'cause that's what I always had with my parents and I've felt you develop a relationship more like that. That and the fact that they won't have had years of getting away with bad behaviour for them to unlearn.
> 
> ...


Hi,
Ok pups need lots of attention,they need feeding 4 times a day,toilet trips every 30 minutes to an hour for the first few months,then can still have accidents.
The flatcoat I'm led to believe are a happy breed,however they are part of the gundog group and need alot of mental stimulation and exercise,I'm really not sure this is the correct breed for you at this point in time,you may also have difficulty in trying to locate a breeder who would be happy with your current situation.I am also led to believe there are not many breeders of flatcoats in the uk.


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## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

Agree with sallyanne, you are not in a position to offer a good home to a pup because of your time limit.

I disagree about the bond with pups and rescue's, in actual fact quite the opposite. Rescue dogs are almost more loyal because they may not have had the best start in life. Also you mention that they have gotton away with a lot. This is not always the case, sometimes an owner has died, for example.

However do not let me convince you, rescue dogs come with their individual challenges and they are not for everyone. I do believe you have to be a certain type of person, which maybe you are not .......


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## ab1385 (Jul 11, 2009)

Oh, I'm not saying I'm against getting a rescue dog - I've just not got any experience with rescue dogs so I'm just going by (probably unfair) assumptions!

Are there many reasonably young rescue dogs out there? I wouldn't want to get one that's getting on a bit.

I don't know what sort of person you need to be to get a rescue dog? I think we're definitely 'dog people' though


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## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

Rescue's are very close to my heart, I have 3 of them!

Rescue's come from new born up to any age. You are better to get advice from somebody that knows, rather than us advising you. I understand your thought process about getting a younger dog, but you need to get a dog that is right for your situation.

Rescue dogs are very rewarding and they don;t all come with issues.


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## Luvdogs (Aug 15, 2008)

Agree with other posters about maybe considering a older rescue, Flat coats are very active dogs and need Lot's of mental stimulation as you are probably aware  Also a reputable breeder might not consider you suitable due to your work commitments.


Good luck


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## ab1385 (Jul 11, 2009)

Yeah, I have actually been looking around quite a bit now. There are quite a few nice looking dogs around at about 6 months to a year old, which is probably what we'd look at - does that sound like a reasonable age given our situation?

I've e-mail a few flat coated retriever breeders to ask what they think about our getting one, I'll see what they say. I'm guessing that a labrador retriever would be a very similar sort of dog, in terms of temperament and requirements, so we may consider one of them too. I'd be interested to see what the rescue centres feel about our situation and whether we should be looking after one of their dogs or not. I don't want to do the wrong thing by a dog if we can't give him all the support he needs, but I think we're very much a dog family.

We're probably not looking to do this for a month or two anyway as we're not moving for another month, but it's best to do your research early I guess!


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## Patterdale_lover (Sep 25, 2008)

Gundogs, collies/shepherds and terriers or any working dog for that matter are usually very high energy, and need lots of stimulation. A flat coated retriever may not be the best idea, especially two. 
Either aim for something a little more lazier or a rescue.
Greyhounds are good, they don't require a lot of physical exercise and love to sleep on the ocuch all day. So if you hired a dog walker and your sister came in to play for 3o mins i am sure it would be very happy.  If you were to get a greyhound, please rescue an ex racer, they need homes


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## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

Patterdale_lover said:


> Gundogs, collies/shepherds and terriers or any working dog for that matter are usually very high energy, and need lots of stimulation. A flat coated retriever may not be the best idea, especially two.
> Either aim for something a little more lazier or a rescue.
> Greyhounds are good, they don't require a lot of physical exercise and love to sleep on the ocuch all day. So if you hired a dog walker and your sister came in to play for 3o mins i am sure it would be very happy.  If you were to get a greyhound, please rescue an ex racer, they need homes


Excellent advice about the grey hound. A friend has just rescued one and she is the sweetest dog! x


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## lifeizsweet (Jun 7, 2009)

I work full time as does my OH, he will be taking puppy to work with him when he is old enough, but till then my sister will watch him during the day. I did look into puppy day care, a creche for dogs, which if my sister is ever unable to watch him we will use.


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## Varkhond (Mar 1, 2009)

Grayhounds.. Doesn't they need loads of walks?  Just assuming as they do get used to run fast...  (hate that btw). Not to informed on this breed so excuse my ignorance. :blushing:


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## Patterdale_lover (Sep 25, 2008)

Varkhond said:


> Grayhounds.. Doesn't they need loads of walks?  Just assuming as they do get used to run fast...  (hate that btw). Not to informed on this breed so excuse my ignorance. :blushing:


Nope they are actually a very lazy breed.


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## 2Hounds (Jun 24, 2009)

Patterdale is correct, very lazy dogs Greyhounds are sprinters so get tired quickly, my greys don't get to run everyday but are perfectly happy with 2 walks of about 30 mins + . We tend to do longer walks at the weekend and they are up for that too.

I have 2 ex-racer greyhounds that i adopted just before there 2nd birthday (litter brothers) as they didn't make the grade. My partner & i were both working full-time when we adopted via an RGT branch. I worked locally so would come home in my lunch hour to let them out. The greys are quite happy to laze all day and don't require much exercise so suit this lifestyle well. 
Our dogs have their individual quirks but no major issues as they were well looked after by their trainer and used to being handled. They were pretty easy to housetrain over a long weekend and passed the KC bronze award with a novice handler as they are the 1st dogs i've owned.

There not a breed for everyone tho, if you dream of playing fetch or having your dog off lead a lot and want a very obediant dog best to go for another breed. My dogs arent safe off lead unless its a secure area as their recall isn't great with distractions, which is common for greyhounds but its ok as they don't need to go off lead in order to burn off energy like some breeds do.

Retired Greyhound Trust


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

Flat coats are lovely dogs and so long as you are prepared to give a decent walk in the morning, a dog walker at lunchtime and a good walk in the evening I see nothing wrong with it. Working when you have a pup is not ideal but it can work. If you are thinking about 2 dogs why not get an young rescue dog with no issues, there must be some where owners have died or split up or whatever and the dogs are well reared. Then when that is established with you get your flat coat pup as there is no doubt leaving a pup with an older dog is much easier. I have felt comfortable leaving my pup for 4 to 5 hours at a time with the older dog since she has been about 4 and a half months. Before that I was getting someone to let her out for a wee if she was going to be left more than a couple of hours. She just curls up in the basket with the old dog and sleeps, it doesnt bother her at all. I am home most of the time but in the past I have had pups and worked all day. I have always had older dogs though and the pup has never minded and it hasnt affected house training.


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## nicola1980 (Oct 5, 2008)

This could be just the company you need to keep you and your dog happy when you are out at work K9 SERVICES WALES: Welcome to K9 Services Wales they run a doggy daycare and it looks really good.
I don't know where in cardiff you are but this company cover the hole of cardiff and the vale of glamorgan so should be able to help.


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## ab1385 (Jul 11, 2009)

Thanks for that, I've sent them an e-mail, I'll see what they say.

Quite a few of the re-homing charities say that they're not happy with the dog being alone for more than 4 hours a day - I've asked them what they think of a dog being along for 3 1/2 hours, then 2 hours in day care, then another 3 1/2 hours. I'll see what they say.


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## ab1385 (Jul 11, 2009)

Well, I've got an e-mail back from the doggy day care centre, who basically can either walk the dog for an hour each day (maybe every other day and Deb could come back from work for an hour at lunch to walk him/let him out into the garden the other days), or take him into day care all day, as many days as week as we would like.

The problems I have with this are:

1. If we let him go regularly to doggy day care will he see them as the pack more than us?
2. If he goes some days but not others would this upset him, as dogs like something of a routine?


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## Patterdale_lover (Sep 25, 2008)

Spending all day with people and dogs, i can see why he would see them more as family or familiar. 
To be honest, why not wait until work is a little more relaxed and then consider one?


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## ab1385 (Jul 11, 2009)

Because work isn't likely to be much more relaxed in the next 35 years  Boo.


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## Patterdale_lover (Sep 25, 2008)

ab1385 said:


> Because work isn't likely to be much more relaxed in the next 35 years  Boo.


Hmm thats a bum 
How about one of you take some time off work til the pup is about 16 weeks old, just so he can get settled in and bond with you.
Sort of like a maternity leave for a couple of weeks? I know it isn't always possible, but is it worth a try?


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## kenla210 (Nov 12, 2008)

I send Daisy to daycare - not all the time but prob once or twice a fortnight. Generally it is all different dogs, so no need to worry about pack forming - I did also read somewhere that dogs have to actually live together to form a pack, but don't know if this is true. 
On the positive side:
1) fantastic for socialisation
2) great for overall confidence
3) she just generally gets on so much better with other dogs since she's been going
4) they often work on recall whilst there too - this combined with my own work on this = very solid recall = very happy me 
5) she comes back pooped (and often very muddy) 
6) I love the fact that she obviously enjoys it SO much when I can't be looking after her.
7) she knows the people there so when we go away, we have someone she knows and trusts to look after her (and she gets to go to the field every day then too!)


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## ab1385 (Jul 11, 2009)

That's definitely what we're looking to do - we'll try and find a time when we can get about 3 weeks in a row and get him then - having thought about it I quite like the idea of getting a 4-12 month old junior from a rescue home so he's a little bit more mature - if at least he can be left for 2 hours or so a day at first without needing to wee, so we can train him up so he'd be OK for the 3 1/2 hours we're considering leaving him for.

I know it's all a lot of hassle and I know it's not the absolutely ideal situation for a dog, but at the end of the day the personal care and relationship we'd be able to have with it would surely be better than whatever situation a rescue dog came from. Even if is not the perfect setup, it would still be a loving, caring home for a dog. At the end of the day, like I saw in someone else's signature, to us a house doesn't really feel like a home without a dog. I just want to try and figure out the best way of keeping him happy when we find a way to be able to get him!

P.S. Also, with daycare, is there any increased risk of getting infections etc?


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## Patterdale_lover (Sep 25, 2008)

ab1385 said:


> That's definitely what we're looking to do - we'll try and find a time when we can get about 3 weeks in a row and get him then - having thought about it I quite like the idea of getting a 4-12 month old junior from a rescue home so he's a little bit more mature - if at least he can be left for 2 hours or so a day at first without needing to wee, so we can train him up so he'd be OK for the 3 1/2 hours we're considering leaving him for.
> 
> I know it's all a lot of hassle and I know it's not the absolutely ideal situation for a dog, but at the end of the day the personal care and relationship we'd be able to have with it would surely be better than whatever situation a rescue dog came from. Even if is not the perfect setup, it would still be a loving, caring home for a dog. At the end of the day, like I saw in someone else's signature, to us a house doesn't really feel like a home without a dog. I just want to try and figure out the best way of keeping him happy when we find a way to be able to get him!
> 
> P.S. Also, with daycare, is there any increased risk of getting infections etc?


Awh you sound like alovely person, and i agree 100% that maybe a rescue young'un would be good for you! And for the dog! And defintiley agree with your plan. I think that dogs have to be health checked before they enter a day care? Is that right Emma?


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## kenla210 (Nov 12, 2008)

daisy had to b up to date with her jabs but that was it, worth getting kennel cough jab too, tho don't know if it's 100% effective. My one won't take them if any sign of kennel cough but u always get some numpty trying it. If they do get one showing any signs come on, then they warn other owners to get their dogs checked out.
Working full time with a dog has worked fine for us, you just need to b organized and have not just a plan but a back up plan, plus make the most of the time u do have with your dog. Getting an older dog sounds very sensible in your situation, and u sound like u'll do a great job of it


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## ab1385 (Jul 11, 2009)

Thanks for that.

What do you do with your dog during the day? Do you get a walker or day care or anything similar?


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## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

When my golden was a baby he got left from 8.30-1 and then 2-6 for a week when he was 11 weeks old as we our situation meant I couldn't get home, but he did fine and when he was 13/14 weeks he would happily have a sleep from 8.30-12pm and then 2-4pm, he was pretty good with accidents too as we worked lots on that.

With a flat coated retriever, when I researched into getting my golden, I found a site saying that golden retrievers like people, flat coated retrievers LOVE people, and that apparently they pine when they are left alone, I don't know if it is true, it was only one site I remember reading it on, but maybe worth asking a breeder about even if you plan to get one from rescue.

I know our local labrador rescue is very good too, have you got one nearby? My godmum got a couple older dogs from there, an 8 year old and a 11 year old, but before that she got an 11month old too, but unfortunately he got ill and ha to be PTS, but they are lovely people at our lab rescue


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## frankie7 (Jul 11, 2009)

we work full time and got a puppy nearly 2 years ago. she was alone from about 8:30 till 12:45 and then 1:30 to 5:15. toilet traning was a bit harder as we were not there to let her out everytime so there were more puddles! she was always a happy pup and it was all she had ever known. After 18 months we moved house and got another dog who is the same age as her (she is an inuit and he is a JRT so quite different!) and they both seem very happy. our dogs are used to the routine and sleep all day we are not there, we are off thisweek and keep getting woken up and look anoyed!!


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## kenla210 (Nov 12, 2008)

ab1385 said:


> Thanks for that.
> 
> What do you do with your dog during the day? Do you get a walker or day care or anything similar?


well my situation is a bit different as oh does shift work so is always around for at least part of the day, also as it turned out we were in the market for a new childminder at the same time as we got daisy so I had first two weeks at home with her and then got a live out part time nanny/dog sitter. We got someone local who brings her son and two dogs too, and was just looking for a bit of extra cash. It meant she was able to come by really regularly when daisy was a pup, and less regularly now she is older, plus I get my kids looked after/picked up & dropped off to school too. It has worked really well, and the daycare is just for back up or as a treat for daisy


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## Stellabelly (Jul 11, 2009)

Dogs do get used to a routine. Stella took a bit longer to housetrain but we got there in the end.

She knows when we are going to work. She sits on the second stair (fondly known as the naughty step when she was younger) and waits for 2 treats.

When we are not at work she just sleeps.

Weekends are different and she knows it. She comes everywhere with us.

We play with her loads and she gets 2 very long walks each day.

She always has a waggy tail and is very devoted and a v happy dog!!


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## Papillon (Dec 16, 2009)

Hi, a new member here, continuing the discussion.

I've been wanting a new dog since my last one passed away twenty years ago, and have so far not really entertained the idea due to my long hours but I've now realised there are dog walkers and dog daycares, so I might start thinking about it more seriously.

I tend to leave home at 8am the latest and get home at 7pm the earliest, which is obviously not ideal for a dog and I certainly couldn't live him on his own for that time, even if I had a garden, but especially as I live in a Central London flat.

I think I'd have to get somebody to come and take him for two walks a day, but as I don't like letting strangers into my house, I'd be more inclined to take him to a daycare centre. Also, he'd have more company, too, and would get socialised to other dogs.

My query would be about how to choose a daycare centre, if I don't know anybody whose dog goes to one? Is there an association they should belong to, or is this an unregulated industry? Obviously I'd like them to be responsible about the dogs they have there and how they walk them, so that mine would be safe, especially as I'd be getting a little Papillon. I'd also want them to have insurance so if something did happen to doggie, his medical bills would be covered. I'm also quite concerned about the way they'd treat the dogs, e.g., if they'd punish the dogs who'd have an accident, etc.

Many thanks!


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## lifeizsweet (Jun 7, 2009)

I work full time, but am lucky that OH's self employed and an agricultural contractor so Bramble can go to work with him most days. But, if OH can't take him Bramble is fine with being left 8:30-1 and 2-5. He sleeps most of the day anyway!


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## katiefranke (Oct 6, 2008)

Hi Papillon, so if you leave at 8 latest and then get home at 7 earliest - does this mean you could be gone even longer than this?

This is a very long time - even if you do use doggy daycare, as how would you bond with the dog? 

Many people juggle working and having dogs, but normally are not away for such long hours every day...do you have to be out this long every day of the week etc?

I am assuming you are thinking about an older rescue dog, as there would obviously be no way you would be able to see to the needs of a puppy and train them etc...

Whilst I do understand that people have circumstances change and suddenly have to make arrangements like this...I personally don't think it is very fair to get a dog planning on spending this much time away from them.

Do you like cats (i'm thinking as a possible alternative if you wanted a pet for company in eves and weekends etc)? I have had cats for years and have found that if you have an older rescue they can be quite happy for long periods of time on their own as they sleep! But when I came home they were incredibly affectionate and would come to the door to greet me. But that's just a thought...

Good luck whatever you decide...


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## Papillon (Dec 16, 2009)

katiefranke said:


> Hi Papillon, so if you leave at 8 latest and then get home at 7 earliest - does this mean you could be gone even longer than this?


Sadly, these are my minimum hours. Mind you, if I did have a reason to leave at 5.30pm every day, I probably would...



katiefranke said:


> This is a very long time - even if you do use doggy daycare, as how would you bond with the dog?


I was thinking of finding a daycare place near the office, so I could take my doggie out for a walk at lunch time, as I was worried about the dog spending more awake time with other people than me.



katiefranke said:


> I am assuming you are thinking about an older rescue dog, as there would obviously be no way you would be able to see to the needs of a puppy and train them etc...


I'm undecided on this, as I do my travelling on scooters and motorbikes, so the dog would have to get used to this. I know people who've struggled to train their adult dogs to cars, so I don't think it'd be easy to train an adult to biking.



katiefranke said:


> Do you like cats (i'm thinking as a possible alternative if you wanted a pet for company in eves and weekends etc)?


Sadly, not, I really don't like cats, and it's mutual.


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## katiefranke (Oct 6, 2008)

Papillon said:


> I was thinking of finding a daycare place near the office, so I could take my doggie out for a walk at lunch time, as I was worried about the dog spending more awake time with other people than me.


That's a good idea - would be very handy if you were lucky enough to be able to find a good one right near your work to allow this.



Papillon said:


> I'm undecided on this, as I do my travelling on scooters and motorbikes, so the dog would have to get used to this. I know people who've struggled to train their adult dogs to cars, so I don't think it'd be easy to train an adult to biking.


You could try and find a dog that was quite adaptable - used to lots of things etc...I would think you could train a dog of any age, using positive methods, to like the bike...it wouldn't be as hard as training a pup all the things they need to learn.

It could still be a relatively young dog, just not a wee pup - puppies need HUGE amounts of time and effort to socialse and train and care for - but if you don't have this, then getting a slightly older dog where most of the training is done could be the perfect solution...

Re the daycare, there are reputable places, but you would need to be more selective if you need them to help train your puppy for you too.

From what I have seen, dog daycare is a newer business in the UK (last few years) so there doesnt seem to be any specific organisation etc.

So it is really a case of finding other people's experiences, visiting the centres etc.

Can I make a suggestion? I think you might find out more info on the dog daycare if you do a separate post specifically on that - you could see if anyone on here in london could recommend one they use? It's just that under this thread "Getting a dog whilst working full time?" your question might get overlooked or as I did, people will answer about their thoughts on getting a doggie while working fulltime, as per the title...


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## Papillon (Dec 16, 2009)

Thanks for the reply, Katie. :smile5:

I saw this thread and read it with interest, to see what other people had done and what their experiences were. If I do decide to get a dog, I'll then put a thread up to get any local recommendations.

I'm a contractor, so most likely I could take a couple of months off to spend that time with the new puppy, but if I couldn't, then either I'd have to take an older one or defer the addition of a new family member. Or, I'd get my parents, who are retired, to move in for a couple of months and dog sit... I need to retile the kitchen and get a wardrobe built in anyway... And, the flat could do with a new coat of paint... :wink:


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

Wow, thats long hours to leave a dog.I work 12-13hr shifts and have 3 dogs but can only do so coz its overnight and I have a friend who takes them early evening for company. I wouldnt even have thought of getting them if I worked those hours in the daytime.
I suppose it could work if you spent a fortune on daycare or walkers but your dog might not bond with you. Ideally you could do it if you worked for a company where you could take your dog with you.


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## Papillon (Dec 16, 2009)

catz4m8z said:


> ( Ideally you could do it if you worked for a company where you could take your dog with you.


I'd love that! About 20 years ago I worked in a small office where we had about 50 people and two dogs, and it was great.

Now I work in investment banks, and they're not known to be animal (or people) friendly. Maybe I could pass the doggie off as a PAT dog, so he'd be there to lower everybody's stress levels...


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## katiefranke (Oct 6, 2008)

Papillon said:


> I'd love that! About 20 years ago I worked in a small office where we had about 50 people and two dogs, and it was great.
> 
> Now I work in investment banks, and they're not known to be animal (or people) friendly. Maybe I could pass the doggie off as a PAT dog, so he'd be there to lower everybody's stress levels...


ha! good idea 

Luckily I can work from home for most of the week and my OH has a dog friendly office for the rest of the time - but I have waited 5 years to get maggie while we lived in a flat without a garden (I have a Border Collie so needed to ensure we had the right kind of space and time for her before getting such an active breed!)

I guess you can't work from home though in what you do or you would have thought of that!


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## casandra (Aug 1, 2008)

Fortunately, there are certain laws against your idea of *calling* it a "PAT" dog. It would be against the law for you to call your dog a PAT dog when it isn't or to call your dog a Service Animal when it isn't. I don't know if you were just kidding, but if someone else comes along and reads this part of the thread, I for one certainly DO NOT want them to think it is ok to slap a vest on their dog and impersonate a working animal. I'm sure you'd feel this way too if you had spent the last decade working with Service Dogs and Therapy dogs in training. People with these dogs are already met by such discrimination. Thankfully, the laws are pretty clear out here.

You could possibly be sullying the names of these organizations that do SO much to help people who DO need these animals. Also, PAT/TDI dogs do not get public access rights, visits must be arranged weeks or months in advance and its not a daily deal. Limit is usually set at twice a week or so, as the dogs still need time to be dogs. You cannot start training a TDI or PAT dog until after 9-12 months of age, a Service Dog In Training cannot be certified until they are neutered and at least 2 years old. Also, you would be risking liability lawsuits worth tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds by bringing your dog into work with you. Since you are not disabled and have no public access rights, you could be considered as being discriminatory towards your coworkers with allergies etc and lawsuits could easily be brought against you for that.

Personally, if I were in your situation, I wouldn't get a dog. If I were ever out of the house more than 20 or so hours a week, I wouldn't get a dog, its just too much time to spend on their own or in a daily day-care where they *will* sorta forget who you are. Especially if (judging by your name...so long as you're not a fan of the movie!) you'll be wanting a papillon. These dogs are extremely athletic and will need someone to run with them and give them the stimulation and exercise they require! A tired dog is a happy dog! The Papillon is also very intune to his/her owners, they can suffer bouts of separation anxiety if left for long periods of time without the person they have bonded to.

I have friends who do daycare a couple times a week, and its a great mini-vacation for the dogs, but its not a part of their routine!

I wish you the best of luck in your decision, though!


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## katiefranke (Oct 6, 2008)

casandra said:


> I don't know if you were just kidding


Hey casandra, I am pretty sure Papillon was joking, but thanks for clarifying :thumbsup:


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## WaveRider (Sep 8, 2009)

Surely it defeats the purpose of having a dog if for the majority of the day it lives in solitude with the occasional stranger walking it.


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## tafwoc (Nov 12, 2009)

I have three dogs, and am facing this dilema myself. But have decided before i work full time i am going to have a run built in the garden on from a room at the end of the house, so there will be a dog door to outside, yet they will have a room inside too, i will be out of the house for 7 hours. They get at least a 2 hour walk and they arn't on their own as they have each other. An i will more than likely be able to come home at lunch as well.


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## Papillon (Dec 16, 2009)

casandra said:


> Personally, if I were in your situation, I wouldn't get a dog. If I were ever out of the house more than 20 or so hours a week, I wouldn't get a dog, its just too much time to spend on their own or in a daily day-care where they *will* sorta forget who you are. Especially if (judging by your name...so long as you're not a fan of the movie!) you'll be wanting a papillon. These dogs are extremely athletic and will need someone to run with them and give them the stimulation and exercise they require! A tired dog is a happy dog! The Papillon is also very intune to his/her owners, they can suffer bouts of separation anxiety if left for long periods of time without the person they have bonded to.


I actually grew up with Papillons, and they're not the sensitive and neurotic little dog that many people think they are. None of ours ever suffered from separation anxiety, even when they were left alone, not in the care of somebody else. I think their natural curiosity to explore a new area and meet up with new and old friends overcomes any anxiety over separation from their owner. Besides, they're actually pretty lazy, being happy to do nothing for hours on end, but when they do go for a walk, they're happy to walk 10km. They are very athletic, true, which is why our weekend activity would be agility, but it doesn't mean they'd want or need to spend their entire day running around. Out of curiosity, we installed CCTV to see what our dogs got up to when they were left alone (occasionally up to 8h at a time), and almost without exception, as soon as the door closed, they went back to bed, and occasionally drank some water and turned their noses at the kibble and then went back to bed.

The daycare I'd choose would be one that could guarantee daily walks in whatever the weather, as well as play and socialisation with other dogs, as well as a peaceful rest area when the dogs want to do that. I'm not sure why this would be worse than people leaving a dog completely alone for 4h at a time, followed by a quick walk by an owner anxious not to overstay the lunch hour.

And, yes, I was kidding about the PAT dog thing. My cousin has had PAT dogs (hospital and school visits) for the past twenty years, so I'm familiar with how the scheme works, but thanks for your comments anyway. She actually gave it up, having found it increasingly frustrating to deal with H&S: children are brought up to be afraid of dogs, so their parents wouldn't allow a dog to be brought into the school or the children's ward, and hospitals started to worry about bacteria the dogs would bring in... So, she's now training search and rescue dogs.


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

If you can afford a top quality day care then good luck to you!!
I had to wait 15yrs until I was in a position to get my dogs. I think if I still worked god awful hours I might be knocking on a local rescues door and asking them if I could dog walk/cuddle the dogs on my days off!!
I had to leave mine for 9hrs yesterday (with a friend but still the longest I havent been with them). I couldnt stop wondering if they were missing me.....and I was supposed to be concentrating on the resusitation study day I was on!!


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