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I second adopting a bonded pair. I have done that twice now and have never had a problem with them bonding with me and my husband.
As long as they are beyond the puppy stage, you can probably leave them a little longer for bathroom breaks. I like the idea of a doggie door! And if you can come home at lunch or maybe even do doggie day care a little that can help keep them socialized and active.
I second adopting a bonded pair. I have done that twice now and have never had a problem with them bonding with me and my husband.
As long as they are beyond the puppy stage, you can probably leave them a little longer for bathroom breaks. I like the idea of a doggie door! And if you can come home at lunch or maybe even do doggie day care a little that can help keep them socialized and active.
Best of luck to you!
I second doggie day care. You don’t need to do it every day, just 2-3 days a week.
No, to the first, as I would never want to leave a dog outside all day, but I could conceivably come home at lunch to let the dog out, since I only work 6 miles from home. Would a bonded pair also easily bond with me? And can you suggest at what age a dog might be able to go 6 hours or so without being able to go outside? My house is on over an acre, but the property is tiered in several levels with stone walls, so fencing is difficult.
Not sure why people think it's wrong for a dog to be outside. Assuming the weather is not extreme, they may actually prefer it to being cooped up INSIDE. I think one ideal might be a doggie door where dog could come in and out at will.
Of course a pair of dogs could bond with you, and of course there's a way to fence your yard, if you want to.
If you can't spare the time to interact with a dog, you shouldn't have one. You wouldn't like being locked in one room (or even an otherwise empty house) for most of the day.
As a dog lover and trainer of Labrador Retrievers and English Shepherds, we just got, 3 years ago, our first cat. A male, neutered Himalayan....Murray and he is the best ever pet. Doesn't need to be walked and I am a recent below the knee amputee, he keeps himself clean, is so funny, cuddly, loves to be where we are. He just doesn't like to get groomed and for this we take him to the groomer at the Vet wherein he is given a little anesthesia to calm him down. We do this only once a year. He is such a good companion....eats well, likes his brothers when they come for a visit and gets along really well with our remaining dogs. A Maine Coon is as big as a dog and can be walked if you need be. The best thing....they run to the door to greet you after a long day at work. Cannot believe I didn't ever have one before. Such a delight.
Yes, it definitely is possible. Adopting a self secure, adult dog from a rescue that takes the time to know their dogs' personalities would be best. Some dogs will do just fine on their own in a stable, loving home like yours. Others won't. It doesn't always come down to breed either IME. Dogs are individuals.
I would certainly consider adopting a bonded pair of dogs but you need to consider how capable of physically managing two dogs by yourself you actually are. That's two dogs at the end of two leashes who may react differently to everything the whole time you're out and about.
I've always lived alone, worked full time and could be away from home more than 9 hours per day. I have adopted multiple adult dogs (one at a time). None of them ever had issues with separation anxiety or loneliness and can count on one hand the times any of them had an accident in the house unless something unusual upset their stomach. They were well adjusted and seemed quite happy. Whenever possible I established dog door access to a fenced portion of a yard or an outdoor run. It wasn't always possible.
Of course, when I was home, we did all sorts of activities together and I took them everywhere. They were never relegated to a yard, tied out, or in a kennel run when I was home. They were incorporated into my life. I feel that is the most important thing you can do for any dog. If your dog is secure in the knowledge that they're safe, a treasured family member, they'll realize your absences are temporary and ordinary occurrences and will pass the time peacefully until you're home again.
There's a saying: "dogs don't carry stopwatches". If your day ends up being a little longer than usual it isn't going to be the end of the world for your dog. A healthy adult dog that's secure in a known routine can hold it without ill effects longer than you realize; 10+ hours. A young puppy, a geriatric dog, or one with a known health issue is another story. Establish a daily routine of meals and time outdoors. Morning meal, a short walk (most dogs are ready to do their business within 20 minutes of eating), back in the house with a time-consuming chew, puzzle toy, frozen Kong, a quiet non-dramatic departure by you, then they'll doze off. When you arrive home in the afternoon/evening don't make a fuss. The less you fuss over departures and arrivals the more you teach your dog that those events aren't worth fussing over. After work you plan more time with the dog outdoors, more exercise, dog sports or games, training, whatever. Then spend the rest of the evening/night with them. Next morning the routine starts again. Days off or weekends I'd spend as much time with my dog as possible.
Last edited by Parnassia; 12-22-2023 at 05:03 PM..
As a dog lover and trainer of Labrador Retrievers and English Shepherds, we just got, 3 years ago, our first cat. A male, neutered Himalayan....Murray and he is the best ever pet. Doesn't need to be walked and I am a recent below the knee amputee, he keeps himself clean, is so funny, cuddly, loves to be where we are. He just doesn't like to get groomed and for this we take him to the groomer at the Vet wherein he is given a little anesthesia to calm him down. We do this only once a year. He is such a good companion....eats well, likes his brothers when they come for a visit and gets along really well with our remaining dogs. A Maine Coon is as big as a dog and can be walked if you need be. The best thing....they run to the door to greet you after a long day at work. Cannot believe I didn't ever have one before. Such a delight.
You better tell her how expensive a Maine Coon is before she finds out and goes into shock.
My first dog was a Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix from a shelter. I wasn’t allowed pets as a child, so I had this dog when I was in college & working. I lived in apartments then, & was gone at least as many hours as you are, 5 days a week. She stayed inside when I was gone.
I took her out to go to the bathroom before I left & as soon as I got home. She had access to food & water in the apartment at all times. She never messed indoors. If I had time between classes, I would go home to let her out, I lived close enough to do that sometimes.
She was a great companion, & I took her with me everywhere I could, & maybe places I shouldn't have, like the college biology lab. Point being, I spent a lot of time with her, & she had an easygoing temperament. She was with me for 14 years & many life changes, a wonderful girl.
If you can find a dog like what I just described, it would be great for both of you. Check the shelters/ rescues. It may take a little time. And, I’m sorry for your loss.
If you aren't opposed to getting a cat, I really feel like it is a better option, unless you really feel that you can get home every day to let the dog(s) out, or have a doggy door. I would not get two dogs. Could you walk both of them? Make sure you price pet products also, as dog food, like everything else, has really went up in price.
Think carefully if you have the time to do this. Will you be ready to go for a walk when you come from work? If your property isn't or can't be fenced, how will you exercise your dogs, let them outside while making sure they don't leave the confines of your property?
I am currently looking for a dog. We lost ours a few years ago. I am actually thinking about giving up, and getting a guinea pig. A guinea pig is an amazing pet, and ours were always thrilled when they heard the door open and we came in. They are inexpensive and easy to keep. The ones we got as babies were cuddly and loved to be held. Just a thought, but you might check it out. (youtube has taught me that they can be trained to do a number of cute tricks)
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