Do our working hours mean we shouldn't have dogs?
- Thread starter Lynnie
- Start date
My BF got me a puppy for my birthday, we have her 6 months, and she is house trained.
We leave the dog on her own from 9am - 4.30/5pm in the kitchen.
We leave the radio on, she gets her toys / treats etc.
She is brought out for a walk/run before we go to work to tire her out and gets one when we get home. W'ends she is included in most of our activities, walks in the mountains / drive to the coast etc.
We have only begun to leave her in the garden, but only for periods of 2 hours or less, as she has become accustomed to being indoors now, and seems to prefer it.
There is a real split on whether full time workers should own a pet. I've seen it on online forums.. where posters have almost seethed venom when posters said they were out at work, whilst the dog was at home.
We love our dog, and look after it to the best of our ability with our situation. Other options we are considering for breaking the work day - is bf coming home at lunch time when he can - Dog Walker?, or get my nephew to take her out when school holidays start.
I was watching the RTE Animal Rescue show.. one of the rescuers was saying all they want is for dogs to have a walk a day, food shelter and loving owners!.. I think we tick all those boxes!
We leave the dog on her own from 9am - 4.30/5pm in the kitchen.
We leave the radio on, she gets her toys / treats etc.
She is brought out for a walk/run before we go to work to tire her out and gets one when we get home. W'ends she is included in most of our activities, walks in the mountains / drive to the coast etc.
We have only begun to leave her in the garden, but only for periods of 2 hours or less, as she has become accustomed to being indoors now, and seems to prefer it.
There is a real split on whether full time workers should own a pet. I've seen it on online forums.. where posters have almost seethed venom when posters said they were out at work, whilst the dog was at home.
We love our dog, and look after it to the best of our ability with our situation. Other options we are considering for breaking the work day - is bf coming home at lunch time when he can - Dog Walker?, or get my nephew to take her out when school holidays start.
I was watching the RTE Animal Rescue show.. one of the rescuers was saying all they want is for dogs to have a walk a day, food shelter and loving owners!.. I think we tick all those boxes!
Dogs DO NOT need attention 24/7. For a dog to be well behaved and well trained he/she needs to know when its 'human time' and when its not.
I watch nearly every animal rescue program thats on T.V and sometimes I'm close to tears when I see how some of the animals are treated.
If a dog has shelter,food, water, excerise and affection what is the problem?
I watch nearly every animal rescue program thats on T.V and sometimes I'm close to tears when I see how some of the animals are treated.
If a dog has shelter,food, water, excerise and affection what is the problem?
Have been on to a few of the animal rehoming/adoption centres and you're right, this is often the case. If they don't have two to be housed together, it seems they'll help you to 'put together' two that would get on well, based on their temperments, history etc.
I was initially slow to pose my question here at all because I was worried of this kind of reaction. Then I thought, sure how many families have someone at home most of the day in [as my Mammy would call it] this day and age?
I think we do too. There was an episode on the other evening where a rescuer was out looking at an Alsatian who was outside and did have adequate water and shelter and his only concern was that the dog should at least have interaction with other animals even if it was only getting a minimum of human contact... Since we intend to adopt two, it seems that they should be happy enough entertaining each other.
Go for it Lynnie. You have put a lot of thought into getting a dog and I think you and your husband will provide a great home to 2 lucky dogs. Just think, you are going to give 2 poor animals a great home, a garden to play in, food, water, shelter, caninie company and then I know you and your husband will take them for walks and give them lots of love and affection. Please let us all know about your 2 new dogs when you adopt them. Enjoy every minute of it, there really is nothing quite like the joy dogs can bring you.
i have 2 dogs together, a german sheperd we got first and then a lab after, great fun hard work, the lab goes out during the day and the shep stays in as she barks and we have a mad old spinster who lives near us and complains
is out near the airport, run by a lady called maggie, she knows all about dogs and may be able to advise you, lovely sheperd pup on the site just now
is out near the airport, run by a lady called maggie, she knows all about dogs and may be able to advise you, lovely sheperd pup on the site just now