Dog Suggestions for working people

Muahahaha

This thread seems to come up at least a month and there seems to be some sort of hierarchy of dog ownership on this forum. The way some people are going on you would swear you cannot own a dog unless you babysit it 24/7. That just isnt realistic for the majority of people.

The OP here is open to getting a greyhound or whippet. And people are complaining about its quality of life because he has to go to work every day, as do the majority of dog owners. One thing that is for sure is that greyhounds and whippets in this country are put down in their hundreds every year. If the OP gets a rescue greyhound or whippet they will have an infinitely better quality of life than the alternative which is an end to their life.

Go ahead and speak to a rescue center OP. Tell them your circumstances and how youll have the dog walked during the day. I have no doubt they would much prefer seeing a dog going to a loving home over seeing it put down which is the reality of what happens many of these dogs.

em_cat

Yes @Muahahaha you do have a point, but most people who are concerned about the welfare of their dogs do not believe that it’s in their best interest to leave them alone for 10+ hours per day.

No ones saying you have to be retired or unemployed. 10+ hours per day is too much.

darkwater88

But everyone normally works 8 hours a day and 2hours commute is normal. So most people wouldnt be able to have dogs?

Muahahaha

em_cat wrote: »

Yes @Muahahaha you do have a point, but most people who are concerned about the welfare of their dogs do not believe that it’s in their best interest to leave them alone for 10+ hours per day.

No ones saying you have to be retired or unemployed. 10+ hours per day is too much.

But the OP intends on having a dog walker call in to walk the dog so its not really 10 hours straight. In an ideal world no dog would be left on its own for 10 hours but the reality is we dont live in an ideal world, we live in one that puts down over 2,000 dogs a year in Ireland.

I would prefer see an unwanted greyhound or whippet homed with the OP than seeing it put down which is very much the reality for these breeds of dogs, in fact many greyhound owners turn a gun on them when they fail to win races, they never even get a chance to be rescued.

I get that people love their dogs and dont want to see any dog lonely. But real life gets in the way of that and if dog ownership was only for those who are retired/unemployed then we would have hundreds of thousands of dog owners having to give up their dogs. Its just not realistic, people have to go to work.

sillysmiles

em_cat wrote: »

No ones saying you have to be retired or unemployed.

Not directly but by default people kind of are.

10 hours per day is standard for most people to be out of the house during the day.



I stand by a home is better than a pound or kennel situation. People who have children have to make compromises in the name of paying the mortgage etc - the same goes for dogs. If you don't go to work then the dog doesn't fed!


There is a difference between

a)people who work all day, dog is in the garden, walk past it on the way in and have no more interaction with it during the evening and

b)other people who work, walk the dog in the morning and evening and the dog spends all of the time they are in the house with them.



Like everything - it is nuanced

Choc Chip

I used to work 60 - 70 hour weeks and my life did not fit with a dog. I do longer hours in my current job, but it allows me to work from home a lot or bring dogs with me sometimes, so i can now have a dog.

I've done homechecks for a rescue and have met a good few people who work from home, or only one person works, or work opposite shifts.. there are lots of scenarios that dont involve leaving a dog alone 10hrs per day but that dont involve unemployment.

There's mixed views in a rescue I'm involved with about working full time and having a dog. Some people are strictly against it, while others think that if they have someone coming in to walk them in the middle of the day, its acceptable (with the right dog).

Its expensive to have someone coming in to walk your dog every day, but if you can afford it, I'd be going for an older greyhound/lurcher in a rescue that have fostered the dog in a home and can let you know whether that will suit the dog.

Just my 2 cents.

em_cat

Life may be nuanced, and as Choc Chip is saying it shouldn’t be black & white, but unfortunately I see everyday people who work full time, walk their dogs morning for 10 mins, 10 mins luchtime if the dog is lucky and then maybe 10 mins in the evening. Meanwhile the dog(s) are either barking/whining all day, chained outside, left on balconies/gardens with no shelter, water, food or access to indoors and generally reactive to everything & anything.

Now that’s not the case for everyone but it is a general observation more often than not.

TG1

em_cat wrote: »

Yes @Muahahaha you do have a point, but most people who are concerned about the welfare of their dogs do not believe that it’s in their best interest to leave them alone for 10+ hours per day.

No ones saying you have to be retired or unemployed. 10+ hours per day is too much.

Totally agree, I'd love nothing more than to have a dog, I know of a dog I've fallen in love with that is possibly looking for a new home, but I wouldn't think of taking him for a second. I live on my own and am out of the house for approx 10 hours 5 days a week. It's too much for a dog to be left alone for.

I've a sister who has a dog, and herself and the other half have doggy day care, a dog loving cleaner and an arrangement to work from home at least one day a week, plus herself and her partner work different hours so the house is only empty approximately 6 hours a day. They both work but make it work, I can't.

It's all down to your own circumstances but 10+ hours a day every day is too much to leave a dog in my opinion.

jsabina

To be honest I wouldn't be so strict.
Meaning that if you could save an older dog which is in the pound, and commit to dog walker + your evening walk and time together in the weekend.. well the dog will have a much better life than staying in a cage!

I wouldn't get a puppy in this situation and I agree that most dogs will feel lonely.
But there are so many dogs in need, check pounds and rescues, that I believe would benefit from being adopted.

Of course dog is a cost and commitment, in my opinion your best bet is to talk to a rescue and see what they advise!

When it was my turn I went to few of them and explained my situation. I was able to go home quickly for lunch time. I was ready to get and older, sick, aggressive, disabled any kind of dog in need.
And I am a happily dog owner .. I believe my dogs are happy.
Maybe they don't have a 100% life, they would love if I could stay home all day.. but... guess what? I will start a job where I can bring my dogs with me!!



good luck and don't give up so soon, if you are ready talk to some rescues!