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I lost my husband recently. Besides missing him terribly, I hate coming home to an empty house, and wish I still had the company of our dogs, who passed on after 13 years just a couple of years prior. I would love to get another dog. However, I work full time, and am gone 9.5-10 hours a day. I'm not opposed to adopting an older dog, I just am leery of getting a pet that dies too soon after my recent losses.
Any advice? Any breeds that might handle being alone all day? I know dogs want people around, but I'd like to help get one out of the shelter while bringing comfort to myself, if it's at all possible.
Do you have the ability to have the dog either outside (with good shelter and secure fencing), or freely coming and going to an outside space? I ask because it's a long time to expect a dog to go without pottying.
And could you get two? Perhaps two who are already bonded and good together. That happens from time to time in shelters. That way they aren't alone all day either.
Do you have the ability to have the dog either outside (with good shelter and secure fencing), or freely coming and going to an outside space? I ask because it's a long time to expect a dog to go without pottying.
And could you get two? Perhaps two who are already bonded and good together. That happens from time to time in shelters. That way they aren't alone all day either.
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.
My condolences regarding the loss of your husband.
I think with your work situation a potential scenario is to adopt a pair of bonded dogs. Both will bond with you, but they would have each other while you are at work all day. Take some time off (vacation leave or whatever) when you first bring them home, then when you return to work come home at lunch for awhile. There are a lot of options for doggy potty needs while you are at work.
If you adopt small dogs they can be pad trained. If they are bigger you coming home at lunch is sufficient. Getting an older bonded pair is the best option. You will be saving 2 lives. I’m so sorry about your husband.
I have had dogs and had worked a 12 hr night shift a at least 30 of my 40 years of working. I only worked 3 shifts a week but lived alone and have had 2 sometimes 3 dogs at a time. A couple I got as younger adults, a couple were puppies when I got them. All have been well trained and did not have accidents in the house as I have a small fenced in patio that has a dog door to it. My puppies house trained within days of living with me as I would take 2 weeks off work whenever I got a new dog/puppy and work on house training and other things. When I went back to work if needed, they went out on the patio, but it tended to be a rare thing.
So many people told me I could not have dogs because of my long shifts but I managed to raise happy, healthy, well-behaved dogs. I did not come home to puddles or poop inside, shredded or destroyed things and my neighbors often asked where my dogs were when I was at work as they were quiet and not barking because they were lonely and bored. On my 4 days off we went on great adventures and some of them did agility so all in all they had great lives. Most friends tell me when I die, I want to come back as one of your dogs.
When I worked my 3 nights in a row I would come home, take them out, go to bed to sleep and get up early enough to have time to do a long walk with them and play with them before going back to work. When I left for work, I would hide food stuffed bones or put out dog puzzles and have them wait until I was at the door then give them their release " Free go find your bones or do your puzzles." That kept them busy for a while after I left, then I think they just slept the night. On nights I was home I tended to keep evenings quiet, (except for agility one evening a week) so they had a routine of such. My dogs had no guarding issues about food so did not fight over the bones or puzzles and shared food with no issues, thus I did not worry about fights.
All were crate trained but I never crated them while I was at work. When they were too young to be trusted having the run of the house, they were gated into the room that had the pet door and usually if there was an older dog, they too stayed in that room with the youngster until I decided they could be free in the house, I kept their crates in that room but with doors off as they saw crates as safe places to sleep.
When my current youngest, Zephyr was a puppy I actually set up an Ex-pen with a shower liner covering the floor and attached it to his crate as he liked to annoy Chaos too much. I put puppy pads down in it but would come home from work to find he had shredded them and had not had any accidents. He would also stay in the ex-pen as I slept, and I think that helped him decompress and transition from his breeder's home where he lived with other dogs and puppies so was not used to ever being alone. It helped teach him that even with Chaos and I in the house it was Ok for him to be alone in his ex-pen.
I have somehow avoided having any issues with separation anxiety, but I think it had a lot to do with the fact my dogs trusted me and knew when I left that I would be back. My last hour before going to work I did not spend fussing over them and instead put dinner down for them and ignored them until I gave them their "wait, leave it" command as I hid bones or put puzzles down just before I left. I never let myself feel guilty because I had to leave my dogs to go to work as it was because of my job that I could afford to have dogs. So, they picked up my confident vibes instead of guilty vibes as I left. I see them as dogs not as kids.
I have had smart high energy herding breed mixes and a couple sighthounds. I retired last year and still have two dogs. I have no regrets about having a job and having dogs, but I do think yes when you work long hours having two dogs is best. For people that say you cannot live alone, have a full-time job and own dogs, well maybe they can't but I know I can and did. I have many friends that have done so too.
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.
Good on you. Leaving a dog outside is a terrible idea, even with a fence.
I like the idea of a bonded pair but that may be hard to find with dogs. So, there is the option of getting two dogs (and hope they get along) or a dog and a cat (and hope they get along). Another animal will provide more security and companionship for the animals when you are gone.
Another option is to hire a dog walker. It’s great that you can come home but I wouldn’t just come home to let the dog out; rather, I would go for a walk and/or have a play session of at least 15 minutes. However, if you are gone for 10 hours, I would either come home again (if possible) or hire someone (or get a friend) to provide a second outing for the dog.
Lastly, is it possible to bring the dog to work with you? I know that’s a long shot but if the dog is well-behaved and you have a desk job, many employers are not bothered by a dog in the office.
I know dogs want people around, but I'd like to help get one out of the shelter while bringing comfort to myself, if it's at all possible.
I adopted two rescues from the same program who already knew each other. I put a doggie door in my sliding glass door in my bedroom (there's a pane you add to the opening), so they could be confined during the day but with access to the outside, and they have each other, so there's no separation anxiety. One was a 2yo Coonhound and the other was a 4yo Feist.
Before adopting, I took the quiz on the Animal Planet website to determine the best breed for me, and a Coonhound was it. It was definitely spot-on. The Feist is a lot more energetic, but because she has access to the outside all day, she doesn't suffer at all.
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