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If you get a purebred dog from a responsible breeder, many of them will have you sign a contract stating that if you can't keep the dog, the breeder gets to take the dog back and rehome it.
Now that was something that really set my mind at ease because I want a Doberman and I don't want the dog to end up in shelter or guarding a junk yard if something happened to me.
The other thing you can do is see about getting put on the list to take a guide dog that's been rejected for whatever reason. One of my friends got a gorgeous German shepherd simply because the dog couldn't tolerate a corn based diet. There is a waiting list though, and it's long. But they will also take back their dogs if you can't keep them.
But speaking of guide dogs, some guide dog institutions are looking for guide dog puppy raisers. Now, you have to be home to socialize the dog, you have to take it to training sessions, and you will have to give the dog up at a year old so it can go back to the institution for guide dog training. You will be invited to the graduation if your puppy finishes training with a blind person and if your puppy is rejected for any reason, you will be the first person they will offer the puppy to.
And if you do a good job with the first puppy, you can apply to get another one.
Check out YouTube for guide dog puppies.
You will have to have a fenced yard, though, and most breeders make it a requirement before they sell one of their puppies.
Many thanks for the encouraging advice. I'm not rushing into this, but I've been a responsible dog owner before, and I know the costs and time involved.
Mattie, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your husband. I really feel for you.
A new dog friend would do your heart some good! If you can get home on your lunch break, like you said, to let the dog out, that's great. Dogs adapt. I worked for a farm rescue for a number of years, and the reality is, people WORK! People are away from the house for extended periods. It's just life.
As long as there is a break in the middle of that stretch of time that you're at work, your dog will be just fine. Give him a kong with peanut butter. Leave the TV/radio on. There's a lot of little things you can do to make your dog happier while you are away.
If you're getting your dog from a rescue or animal shelter, if they're good, they'll help you find the right dog that's a good fit. Normally, they'll do their best because most just want to find a "forever" home and not have the dogs keep getting returned because it wasn't a good fit.
I would say no to a puppy and no to an older dog. Puppies are too much work, and an older dog may have issues that you just can't deal with right now, know what I mean? I would also advise against a working dog/high energy dog, they can get anxiety or turn destructive if they don't get enough exercise/have enough work to do. If you get a bonded pair, that would be a good option too. And bonded pairs don't normally have any trouble bonding with their people.
Much luck to you in your quest to find your dog friend(s).
Hope everything works out really well for you,
sparrow
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)
If you enjoy taking your pet companion places with you outside the home or on trips, obviously a guinea pig won't do that nearly as well as a dog. Although I've known a family who took theirs an amazing variety of places. They moved a lot seasonally, tent and dry cabin camping and living on their trawler at sea for weeks/months at a time. Pickles (don't ask me...I don't know) was a very well traveled gal. She lived to the ripe old age of 12.
Someone suggested getting a guide dog that gets dropped from the program. I have a friend that has been puppy raiser for guide dogs for the blind for about 30 years. Some of the dogs that she raised that did get dropped went to live with friends or family but in the past few years that has changed, as they are now placing them in other service programs like Canine companions. While they could not make it as a guide for the blind, they can do other service dog jobs so now it is very difficult to get one.
I have also seen people in some of the posts ask how you would walk 2 dogs? All my dogs have been in the 50 lbs range and walking two or three at a time has never been an issue. Even now with my two I frequently take a third as I have two friends that due to health issues cannot always take their dogs on walks, so I offer to take them with either both of mine or if I go on a long hike which is more than a few miles then just with Zephyr because Chaos is a senior and does not enjoy long hikes now. If you train a dog to walk on a loose leash walking two (or 3) is no harder than walking one. Training a dog to walk with a loose leash is not difficult if you are willing to put in the time. I say that because years ago in puppy class, Chaos and I put in time outside class, and it showed as she learned and was the star of her class. The last night of class we did a big group walk and most of the puppies were pulling, but Chaos was walking on a loose leash like a good girl. Other owners would say that is not fair your puppy is so well behaved, well yeah because I put in the time. Chaos was just a mixed breed puppy from a shelter, not even the smartest dog I have owned. I did not arrive at class every week with excuses as to why I did not have time to work with her. You get out of training what you put into it.
Last now that I have been retired for a year so am home more, I can say we go on a morning walk, then the dogs eat and the younger dog goes back upstairs to go back to bed and often unless I am upstairs, I do not see him again until about 4 PM when he comes down to see when we are going on the afternoon walk. Chaos will stay downstairs and sleep or chew on a beef cheek, but it is true they do enjoy sleeping a good part of the day. Some days we are out doing activities but when we are home except for the 2 walks they are perfectly happy just chilling out or in Zephyr's case sleeping. Zephyr is a sight hound, and many sight hound breeds are content getting their walks and runs in then sleeping most of the day. That is why Greyhounds are called 50mile per hour couch potatoes.
So once again I will say it is very possible to be single and have a dog or dogs even if you work full time. Not very possible to be single, not work and have a dog or dogs as dogs are expensive and most of us need to work to make money so we can afford a dog. There are also quite a few dogs that live in no kill shelters or kennels at rescues for long periods even years, and I think they would be much better off and much happier living with a single working person as having a house, beats living in a dog run.
We've had dogs. We've had guinea pigs. Apples and oranges are closer than dogs and guinea pigs. For people who enjoy the rodents, I think that's great, but frankly I don't understand trying to compare them.
The first dog I was exposed to (early 1970s) was a German Shepherd that flunked out of police school because of her reaction to gunshots. I don't know how we got her, I just remember the adoption fee was $50 and we were required to feed her a VERY specific diet. She was the best family dog a little boy could ever hope for. Unfortunately these types of dogs are very difficult to get now. In her situation being afraid of gunshots in these days she would be repurposed to drug sniffing or some other working dog task that didn't require composure during gunshots. I'm partial because this dog was part of the family that raised me and forever shaped my relationship with animals from a very young age- but if one has the chance to get a dog like this, I would highly recommend it.
Thank you for the further encouragement Bette. I was planning on visiting the shelter next weekend, but, as luck would have it, I fell at work this week and broke my wrist in 2 places. I'll let you know how I make out in 6-8 weeks!
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Dogs staying home alone
