dogs left at home

[mydogsandme]

I was wondering if many people work full-time and have a dog- is your dog okay with being left alone, do people pop in etc? My daughter would love a dog as we have them but is out at work 5 days a week although family live nearby. She probably won't get one but we were just wondering about what others do.

[B00]

My dog isn't left at home all day, i daren't. Left for even a short time alone he will go into an almighty sulk and poop on the kitchen floor and it does'nt make a difference if he out for a walk just prior either!

[hugoboss]

my sister leaves her dog all day when she's at work 5 days a week, but she pays a dog-walker person to come over once a day and take the dog out for a good run. Worth it to stop him getting bored and rip up the house!!

[dmsjps]

I would say that unless you get a dog who is already house trained, then don't ever buy a dog if you work full time because it will take you SOOOO long to sort it out - and it won't be the dog's fault because how can he/she learn when there is no one there to teach him/her? Also, although mature dogs can be left alone for hours while we work with no harmful effects, puppies are like children and need to have companionship, teaching, etc.

[butter1]

I have a dog and work full time.  I live on my own so i don't have much choice.  My dog is 5, this sunday...aahhh....anyway, I wasn't single when i got my dog so she wasn't left all day then.  Up until a month ago I had a dog walker which came and took my dog for a walk whilst I was at work.  But I have just bought a new house and have to watch the pennies abit now for a bit.  My dog walker charged �10 a day.... quite expensive if you add it all up.  My dog seems happy enough though, I have no trouble with her when she is left and I take her out once in the morning before work to a little park, then to a big park after work and then a walk round the block before bed.  I try to give her as much exercise as possible as I do feel guilty for leaving her all day.

[pruney]

i have 2 dogs which I leave at home all day. I used to come home at dinner time every day but have stopped this now as it didn't seem to make any difference to them if i came home or missed a day. I think because I have two, they are just happy to be together so don't get bored. But, I will say that I was on longterm sick when we got both of them so for the first few months, i was at home with them and could housetrain them properly. Don't know how i'd fare now with a new pup and having to work...

[pruney]

Also another thing, when I am at home all day at the weekends or when I'm having a day off, the dogs just sleep all day together anyway regardless so I don't think mine are bothered that i'm not there during the day.

[woofgang]

honestly a lot depends on the dog. What I don't think is ever a good idea is to leave a dog on a regular basis until they are adult, ie over the baby stage and through the bored destructive teenager stage. My 11 year old loves it when I am here but doesn't mind being left for slightly longer on occasion. The other thing to think about is how much attention you could give a dog outside work time. Its never fair to expect to work all day, then come home, say hello to the dog and go out again or to expect to leave it alone on the weekends as well.....also if you aren't going to be with it, why do you want one in the first place??

A solution might be to adopt an old dog. They tend to be happy to sleep more and do less

[jilbai]

I have an 8 year old shar-pei, and work all day, luckily I have a family member who looks after him for me whilst Im at work. He's like my little boy  who I drop off at the childminder everyday. On the occasion I have had to leave him, his little wrinkly face says it all when I get home, but the big sulk says more.

When I first looked into getting him the first thing I was warned about was separation anxiey.  This is notorious in shar-pei's even going to loo  I can guarantee he's outside the door,

I would advise your daughter not to get a dog  unless there is someone who can care for it during the day - who wants to sit on their own allday in silence - would you !