Leaving Dogs home all day

carmelite

Hi

My husbandand I are trying to adopt a dog from a rescue/pound but they are stalling as we are both in full time jobs and they don't want to have the dog alone for most of the day.
Now I understand the reasoning behind what ehy are saying but we have said we will adopt 2 dogs to try and give them some companionship.
Just wondering what people's opinions are on having dogs home all day on their own - we would walk the dogs in the morning and evening, bring them up the mountains with us on weekends and they would be inside most of the time.

Would it not be better for a dog to be getting some kind of home life rather than being in a cage in a pound all day and night except when a volunteer come sto visit? (Anyway I might be flamed but just wanted some honest opinions which I'm sure is what I'll get :-) ) Thanks to all who answer.

markos79

i know where your coming from i was too going to adopt a dog from a pound but when they started saying all that stuff about not leaving the dog on its own it just turned me off the idea,i think the people that run these pounds think only people that dont work or work from home can own a dog,i myself have two dogs and as like most people i have bills and a mortgage to pay so i have to work so i cant be home with my dogs during the day,but this doesnt mean that my dogs arent cared for i love my dogs and they are very well looked after happy dogs that are walked daily.

EGAR

Please do not lump Pounds and Rescues together. Most Pounds don't give a fiddler's where the dogs go to as long as they get their release fees. I too have a rehoming policy which excludes full time workers albeit only for pups. With adult dogs I play it by ear and the individuel situation the dog would be rehomed into. Maybe you should consider a dog walker who comes once a day to let them out/walk them? Or a relative/friend who can give them some relief during the day?

peasant

carmelite wrote: »

Hi

Now I understand the reasoning behind what ehy are saying but we have said we will adopt 2 dogs to try and give them some companionship.

Just get four dogs and you needn't come home at all

Seriously ...having two dogs is better than one, as they can keep each other company. But it can backfire as well; two bored, anxious and ill trained dogs can wreak at least twice the havoc of one while unsupervised.

There are lots of people out there for whom having one or more dogs alone most of the day has worked out really well ...there is at least the same amount for whom it hasn't ...just they don't post about it here, only their distressed neighbours.

carmelite

We wanted to adopt one dog and were told that we would have to get a walker in if we were to get the one. The rescue were the ones who suggested that we get two dogs instead for the company as we really can't afford to pay someone €40- 50 a week to walk the dog.

It just doesn't seem fair to me that there are people who are horrible to their dogs (keeping them chained all day, not walking them, etc.) and then when we want to make a dog's life a little better, there are so many obstacles in our way.

We've filled out forms, had a home visit, answered more questions about the type of food we were planning on feeding the dog and tbh I am getting a litle sick of it. I know it's needed to make sure the dog goes to a good home but at this stage I am probably going to go and buy a dog from a breeder rather than rehoming one. If they were serious about wanting to rehome these dogs they should be a little more flexible.

agnes edel

Dear Carmelite,

What i would suggest is for you to research into separation anxiety. Dogs left at home all day are prone to suffering from this condition & become very distressed when separated from their pack leaders (you!) & often having another dog for company doesn't necessarily compensate for owners being away most of the waking day. Pups,for example, need to be fed 3-4 times daily, who can facilitate that whilst you are at work? Also, have you thought about the cost of vet bills & kennelling whilst you are away on holidays etc. If a dog walker is not financially feasible for you, are you sure you can afford to care for a dog. Rescue centres have such stringent requirements because they have been burned so many times by people not thinking "pet-ownership" through in advance. I believe that your "reactive" remark on going to a breeder highlights that perhaps you need to seriously rethink you motivation for dog ownership.

carmelite

Hi Agnes

Thanks for your response.

In reply, I have cats at the minute and know all about the vet bills, cattery fees, flea treatments, food bills, insurance and various other expenses that go with owning an animal. Obviously we would have to get a licence for the dog(s) as well. A dog walker would be an additional expense on top of this and would cost about €200 per month if we were to get them in 5 days a week 4 weeks a month.

I have family around who would be able to look after the dog(s) when we were on holiday otherwise we would use the cattery/kennels we used previously for our cats when on holidays. My family wouldn't be able to pop around to the dog(s) in the day though as they work (these are the ones who would look after the dogs for my holidays) or else don't believe in treating dogs as part of the family.

I will read up on seperation anxiety as you suggest. Thank you for the suggestion.

agnes edel

Your welcome & good luck.

Sigma Force

If you are going to walk the dog(s) in the morning and evening and then long walks on weekends then I don't see why you can't get a dog most people work..bills need paying, dogs will need food and vet care etc.
As long as you are matched with a dog that suits then things should work out fine once everyone gets used to the routine.

Two dogs, although with be company for each other, still means they will miss you mostly. Sometimes in rescues you will find a pair of dogs looking for a new home together.

I think it's ridiculous for a rescue to expect someone to be there 24/7 what happens if you need to go to the shops or to the doctors or want to meet someone for lunch it's just not realistic. People have to work that's the reality of home life for the majority of people and a dog will survive just fine with the walks the OP is suggesting it will get.

Some dogs do suffer from seperation anxiety but only some dogs.
I have two dogs and am home all day and my two would be lucky to get two walks a day they'll probably pack their suitcases and leave me if they thought the op could offer them a home where they would get to go up the mountains on a weekend.

It's important to have high standards when rehoming any animal but it's also important to realise that not everyone can be home 24/7 and nor should they.

OP from what I've read it sounds like you can offer a great home not every rescue dog is a basket case that needs someone there all the time or they tear up the furniture or loose the plot. Plenty of dogs are easy going and are happy with their walks and just plonk when they come home. Some are just so greatful for cuddles and a warm bed they don't mind if you go out.

Sangre

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

I think it's ridiculous for a rescue to expect someone to be there 24/7 what happens if you need to go to the shops or to the doctors or want to meet someone for lunch it's just not realistic. People have to work that's the reality of home life for the majority of people and a dog will survive just fine with the walks the OP is suggesting it will get.

they don't expect you to be there 24/7. They just expect you not to be out of the house from possibly 8am - 6pm!

Yes, the reality is people have to work. So the reality is these people probably shouldn't get dogs.

dbrock

Sangre wrote: »

they don't expect you to be there 24/7. They just expect you not to be out of the house from possibly 8am - 6pm!

Yes, the reality is people have to work. So the reality is these people probably shouldn't get dogs.

i suppose isnt it better to let the dogs be put down then rehomed to loving caring people who have to work all day, like myself and a lucky few at the moment,,,im sure for the twats in the rescue centres with these opinions will be only to happy with our economic climate with people loosing there jobs every day,,, adoptions on the rise wohoo:rolleyes::rolleyes:

hope you guys get the dogs,your after, im sure they will be loved for :)

woofie87

We both work full time and had one dog for a year. He had a separation anxiety at first but he seemed to get used to the fact and spent his days between looking out the window and the sofa! However, we were v conscious he must be lonely and we got a second rescue about 2 months ago. The change is great. They keep each other company and play during the day. We walk them for 30 minutes before work and for over an hour on the fields when we are back from work. They seem to be very happy together. I would strongly recommend getting two ( many shelters put ''couples' for adoption- dogs that were rescued together or became great friends in the shelter, this way you wont have to socialise them!) - so go for it and give two deserving animals a second chance in life! There will be obstacles at first but in the long run it is very rewarding. And if you insure two together you get a discount! Let us know ho you are getting on.
Attached a pic of my two scamps playing on the fields.

carmelite

Ah Woofie they look gorgeous - we have a park right across the road from us where the dogs would be brought after walks to run around and calm down a bit before we went in home so they would probably be like your two!

I think my husband has found another rescue who are more open to the idea of giving us a dog or two - I'll keep you all updated.

Thanks for the replies and support from everyone, (although not sure I agree with calling the rescue people twats - they're just doing what they think is right.)

woofie87

Good luck carmelite and let us know how you get on!

peasant

dbrock wrote: »

i suppose isnt it better to let the dogs be put down then rehomed to loving caring people who have to work all day, ...

Ever ask yourself where all those dogs in the pounds and rescues come from?

Quite a substantial number I would suspect come from so called "loving homes" where people simply didn't realise how much work and commitment goes into having a dog and how much time you need to spend with them and dedicate to them to make them agreeable companions.

A lot of people like to think that yes, they work all day, but once they are back home thay can dedicate the rest of the avaible time to their dog.

Like heck they can!

There are dinners to be cooked, clothes to be washed, carpets to be hoovered, news to be watched, feet to be put up, etc, etc and slowly but surely poor doggy falls by the wayside and turns into a nuisance rather than a joy, only to end up in the pound.

You can't blame rescues for having a good long look at prospective owners, if only to prevent the dogs from coming back again 6 months later.

woofie87

Peasant,
Of course the rescues are cautious of people who want to take dogs and who work full time. It is their job to make sure the dogs get best possible owners, and it is true that many people do not realise how much time and effort dogs need. But people's individual circumstances are different. Our priority (and something we enjoy more than TV) is to take dogs out for a long walk after work. We dont have children and the washing and cleaning is done when we have time during the week and at weekends. We still have time to cook dinners and go to the gym as well- we have a system and it works well. So our circumstances and priorities might be different than that of a busy family with children. It all depends on the owners, therefore I think that turning people down just because they work full time is not really fair (on both people and the dogs waiting to be rescued). We had home checks before adopting both times, our lifestyle and household seemed to be dog-friendly despite the full time work and we are a happy little pack now!

carmelite

Hi Peasant,

That's all well and good but I don't have a family so a routine of dinner, washing,cleaning isn't that important to me or my husband at the mo. We can alternate who brings the dogs for a walk, and the other can do any work that is needed in the house if needs be.

As I said before we have cats and when we moved from the UK last year it would have been a whole lot easier to bung the cats in a shelter and not bring them with us but we decided to bring them with us as it wasn't fair to give them up just for the nuisance it caused with us finding an apartment where we could have the cats! (took us six weeks of them in a cattery adn us in a hotel/guesthouse but we managed it )

I'm telling you this to show that once we have an animal in our house, we don't just get rid of it when it becomes a nuisance. (And I know that cats are completely different to dogs but it's jsut to prove a point)

peasant

woofie87 wrote: »

We had home checks before adopting both times, our lifestyle and household seemed to be dog-friendly despite the full time work and we are a happy little pack now!

So despite the initial refusal, after a home check everything worked out and you have your dogs?

All is well then.

Hopefully it will work out the same way for carmelite.


I have no involvement with rescues, but I can very well imagine that an initial blanket refusal of anyone who works full time is a good way to weed out the phantasts from the realists. Only really interested parties with the necessary amount of commitment and responsiblity will then seek to overcome that hurdle.

Whispered

Walking & socialisation is very important to your dogs mental health, could you reconsider whether you can afford that 40 or not? If not, then it's really not fair on the dog.

While it sounds terrible, money is a huge factor in deciding to have a dog or not. Insurance, good quality food, toys, treats, kennels, medical costs (vax's etc), it really is a huge financial undertaking. I'm a new dog owner and it's more than I realised actually. Not that we mind at all but if 40 a week towards your dogs mental health is not affordable then you should really consider the costs before you go ahead with it.

BTW well done on bringing the cats with you, so many people just leave them when they move.

As for people giving out about rescue policies, look at the type of people handing in dogs, you would be amazed at the amount of people who "don't have the time" due to work, or, even more common "can't keep the (badly trained due to being out all day) dog with baby on the way" you will see why they are choosey.

OP hopefully you will get your dog, you do sound like you would give them a great home, just try to be understanding of the rescues policies. I agree it seems overboard at times, but there are reasons.

Why not have a look in the homes needed thread at the top of the page.

carmelite

Thanks all for the replies -

While we are going to be working all day we would be walking them a lot already so I'm sure the walking aspect of their lives will be pretty full.

I'm going to take a couple of days off work when we eventually get the dog(s) and then will train it/them to exepct us to be gone away (using some techniquess I found on a website about seperation anxiety).

I understand the concerns some of you have raised, and that is why I started the post jsut wanted to see what most people's opinions were.

As I said I'll update when we get a final answer from the rescue people.

mel123

I got my first dog over a year ago (a boxer) and i have to say she is rotten. the size of her i couldnt leave her in the house all day, she is too big to be confined to one room, and on the ocassions i have left her in the house, lets just say i wasnt a happy camper when i came home! so she needs to be left out the back when i am at work. however, luckily, its only about once a week for a full day she is on her own, because of shift work between myself and my partner. The max would be two days.
ANyway back to the point, i have to say, there is definatly a difference between house dogs and dogs which are left out the back garden all week, personality wise. Im not saying the dogs left out the back are not loved etc, im sure they are spoiled rotten like my own dog, but i have to say, i dont agree with it. They need interaction, they need you there. They need to be played with for a while, walked, petted, fed etc. I dont think they should be left on their own for 9-10 hours every day, thats just my own personal opinion.

leadinglady

Hi. I adopted my first dog milo one and a half years ago. Before that however I had a horrible experience with another rescue, who made me feel as if it was a child I was trying to adopt and refused me. The refusal was not the problem, it was the attitude of the rescue and the tone. I felt like an unfit mother for days! Then I found a much nicer rescue and adopted milo. I was so happy with the whole process that I now foster for them, and have been doing so for a year. Sometimes I have three fosters as well as my own two. (have a new puppy now as well). The thing is, I now see why a lot of the rules are in place as I play a part in rehoming, however, attitude and commom sense have to prevail. I would agree whole heartedly that getting two is the way to go. The difference in my first dog since jerry lee came into the fold is fantastic, dogs are pack animals and need company. I am asked to recommend people as I meet them when they come to see the doggies in foster and regardless of whether a couple work during the day, if they have the right energy and passion about the dog and are willing to get a companion as well, I go with my gut and would recommend them. Dogs dont have a perception of time, they just know you are gone and you come back, be aware though that if they get anxious or bored they will eat things! -Walking should stop the boredom. Most importantly they are not a returnable comodity, and most problems can be healed with time and patience. We dont live in an ideal world, any dogs going to you would be lucky to get this second chance.

dbrock

carmelite you should def get the dog and enjoy every bit of time you guys have together,

good luck with it:)

leadinglady

I am about to venture into the world of dog boarding. I have fostered now for a while for rescue dogs, and I feel I could do a good job on the kennels as well. What I want to know is, any ideas or inspiration from experience etc. as to what can I do different/better to make our kennels a cut above the rest, so to speak! Have looked at the English and American versions which go from the basic to the rediculous, BUT, maybe my idea of rediculous is narrow minded, i dont know what us Irish people expect in this area. For ex, I mentioned putting a doggie gym ie outdoor play area for exercise and I was met with smirks by some friends. . . Open to any ideas or suggestions no matter how unusual because I inten to do this properly and I need to know what people really want for their pets when they are on holidays or at work (considering a doggie day care in the long run as well, have to wait and see how open the area is to that). Thanks in anticipation.;)

boomerang

Stepping aside for the moment from the issue as to whether should be kept indoors or out -

I cannot understand the concept that dogs above a certain size should be kept outdoors - it seems to be a uniquely Irish idea. I work in rescue and one of the first questions I ask someone looking to adopt is, "Are you looking for an indoor or an outdoor dog." You'd be amazed the number of people that tell me, "Well, obviously if it's a small dog then yes it can come in and we can put a bed for it in the utility, but if it's a bigger dog then we have a kennel outside the back door." And by "bigger" they mean collie-sized, or Boxer-sized. We're not talking about Great Danes or St. Bernards! I would also talk to a lot of people who have a "big" dog like a collie or springer that they keep outside and they contact our rescue looking for a "house dog" i.e. a smaller dog that will be allowed to sleep indoors and treated as one of the family. In my own mind, I couldn't make make such a distinction between my various dogs, unless I had a dog that really wasn't happy indoors.

In my experience, all dogs like to spend time with the family, and any dog regardless of size can be taught to behave impeccably in the home, if taught by the owner. I have two dogs, both collies and they never put a paw wrong in the house while I am out.

Yes of course, there is an argument for some dogs sleeping outside, particularly if they show a preference for it. But all dogs shed, all dogs walk mud into the house - I just can't understand using size as a yardstick as to whether the dog will be kept primarily indoors or out?

carmelite

Hey Everyone,

Thanks again for your support and advice. Unfortunately a few days ago we were told that we wouldn't be suitable to rehome a dog with. We were told on NYE so bit of a bummer.

Reasons given were having the dog outside all day and the length of time we would be away. Now we never said we'd have the dog out all day - we were asked if the dogs would be allowed in the garden and said that yes they would be, and we would provide a run if they were going to be out all day. . Should have probably added that we would be keeping the dog in all day unless there was a reason for it to be outside.

Ah well, we'll try again in a few weeks maybe. We might try again in a few months if our circs change.:(

getz

carmelite wrote: »

Hey Everyone,

Thanks again for your support and advice. Unfortunately a few days ago we were told that we wouldn't be suitable to rehome a dog with. We were told on NYE so bit of a bummer.

Reasons given were having the dog outside all day and the length of time we would be away. Now we never said we'd have the dog out all day - we were asked if the dogs would be allowed in the garden and said that yes they would be, and we would provide a run if they were going to be out all day. . Should have probably added that we would be keeping the dog in all day unless there was a reason for it to be outside.

Ah well, we'll try again in a few weeks maybe. We might try again in a few months if our circs change.:(

i know it is getting very hard to pick up and rehome a dog now , in the uk near me before they let you rehome a dog they have to visit your house to make sure you are a suitable foster parent and even then you have to pay them about £100, most of the time you are better off paying for a pedigree dog less hassle

dbrock

thats an awfull pity to be honest im sure you would have looked after the dog the best it could be,, why not try another shelter or buy from a breeder,

carmelite

Thanks guys,

To be honest I thought that rescuing an animal would be the best thing to do so would really like to get one from the pound. I had a home visit and would have paid about €100 (minimum suggested donation) to get the dog (€200 if I got the 2). I wouldn't mind but the home visit person said she'd be more than happy to recommend me getting a dog.

I'll try a few more rescues/shelters and see if I can get anywhere with them.
I'll let you all know when I eventually do get one (if I do) and put up pics.

getz

leadinglady wrote: »

I am about to venture into the world of dog boarding. I have fostered now for a while for rescue dogs, and I feel I could do a good job on the kennels as well. What I want to know is, any ideas or inspiration from experience etc. as to what can I do different/better to make our kennels a cut above the rest, so to speak! Have looked at the English and American versions which go from the basic to the rediculous, BUT, maybe my idea of rediculous is narrow minded, i dont know what us Irish people expect in this area. For ex, I mentioned putting a doggie gym ie outdoor play area for exercise and I was met with smirks by some friends. . . Open to any ideas or suggestions no matter how unusual because I inten to do this properly and I need to know what people really want for their pets when they are on holidays or at work (considering a doggie day care in the long run as well, have to wait and see how open the area is to that). Thanks in anticipation.;)

looking at your post made me smile my son puts his two staffies in kennels when on holiday 3 times a year;last year he took them to a kennel because they said for a extra charge they will give the dogs extra cuddles

Whispered

Leadinglady, you should start a new thread, I'm sure you'll get loads of responses of what people want in their kennels.

Extra charge for extra cuddles :D what a way to play on someones guilt at leaving their dogs.