Calling all ladies with furry dog friends who work during the day!

[maddie80]

My FI and I have been considering getting a dog for ages. I had the chance to take care of a puppy on loan for a while, and I can''t imagine not having one around now! We already have 2 cats, who are surprisingly mellow about dogs as long as they are not chased around.

Anyway, we found the perfect puppy up for adoption at one of the local shelters. She was the right size, and absolutely the sweetest. Our application was approved and we were all set to take her home and all of a sudden I got cold feet. I got worried because my FI is starting a new job and will be out of town occasionally. My schedule is flexible now because I am still a grad student and my part-time job has a dog-friendly office, but eventually I hope to be gainfully employed fulltime!

So my question is, how do the rest of you working ladies with dogs at home manage it? Do you use a doggy day-care? Do you have a friend/family member stop by when you cannot be home all day? Can your dogs make it a whole day home alone? I do not want to get a dog and make it miserable if our schedules change and I am not around as much during the day as I am now! Thanks for all your help!

 

[maddie80]

Sorry, one more thought - if anyone else has a "mixed pet family" (cats and dog), I would love to hear any suggestions about how to introduce the dog with a minimum of stress to both dog and cats!

 

[dani13]

I think most dogs couldnt stay home all day without going out at least once. If you and your Fi do not plan on being home that much, I would definitely not reccommend getting a dog. They are very social (unlike cats) and need to be around people most times. If someone is not going to be home at all during the day, we have a dog walker come and walk our dog midday. It is also hard when you want to go away- you always have to think, "what about the dog?" And if you dont have close family members who would be willing to dog-sit, then you need to bring them to a kennel, and that is hard, we have never done that. Having said all this, we love our dog and wouldnt trade him for the world. They are truly loved like members of your own family. They are just a lot of work....

 

[maddie80]

Thanks Dani - I do not plan on being away from home all day every day in the near future (next year or so). But, when I finish school, I will likely be looking for another job that might not be a pet-friendly office. My FI and I rarely go out of town - the only trips he has planned are training at the headquarters for his new company. The only trip we will go on is our honeymoon - and my mom has already agreed to housesit for us during that time. She has been living with us and can also help out in a pinch. Especially after the wedding/honeymoon, we will not have the money to travel much!

 

[decodelighted]

I''m probably not gonna be much help, ''cause I work at home most of the time. But I will say this: I moved heaven & earth to get a dog. I bought a house, fenced a yard, researched breeds that co-mingle with cats well and still "messed up" the first time ... bringing home an injured rescue stray that attacked me and was most likely brain-damaged from his run in with a car. Had to turn him into the breed''s National Rescue org, heartbroken & defeated & sure I''d never get another dog. The breed people were so nice, they told me it wasn''t my fault and helped me realize that most dogs of that breed were sweet, docile little lap puppies -- and that if I, as a first time adult dog parent, got one of THOSE, I''d be fine. So, eventually I did and I wouldn''t change it for the world.


As to travel - we travel with her when we can, she''s only 7 pounds so she can go on most planes. My family''s traveled long distances to pet sit & we''ve had a couple petsitters that some in 2x a day to play & walk etc.... Our honeymoon will be a big challenge and I''m hoping one of my sisters will take her. It''s as close to having a kid as you can get without having one! Yet, the rewards are unfathonable. I call her my doggie daughter. She''s the best.

 

[maddie80]

thanks deco - that''s encouraging! We also just moved into a house - a dog was one of our main motivations over a condo!

Did you have dogs and cats that you mixed? How did it go?

 

[widget]

Author: madeleine
- I do not plan on being away from home all day every day in the near future (next year or so).. The only trip we will go on is our honeymoon - and my mom has already agreed to housesit for us during that time.

Actually, this might be a good time to get a dog. I think it''s puppies, more than dogs that need mostly stay-at-home moms.

No dog likes being left all day, but adult dogs can handle it, especially if they get lots of exercise and attention when you are home. When I worked I left my dogs home alone all day...I think they mostly slept when I was gone. They did have access to outdoors which probably helped.

widget

 

[widget]

Also...I've always had dogs and cats...with no problems...I do have "dog-savvy" cats, however.

In my experience it's been the cat that has taught the dogs how to behave. When I first brought Widget home, she took off after the cat the moment she saw her. Tinker stood her ground, administered one big swipe across Widget's nose, and sent her running in the opposite direction howling in fear!

They get along fine, now.

In fact here's a picture I took of them this morning. Mara's new thread got me busy with my camera!

 

[Mara]

you will find that your lifestyle adapts to include the new member of your family...

we were totally unsure about getting our dog because our lifestyle was so carefree, we did whatever we wanted when we wanted. woke up one sunday and decided to go for a day long drive, having lunch or dinner along the way and getting home at 9pm? we did it. but i knew if we got a dog those days would be gone! it''s not quite like having a child but you are responsible for another life and it does change the household.

we find ourselves staying home more or coming home more instead of going to dinner and then movies and then out with friends we may only do 2 things or 1 thing a night. also i have a mental clock in my mind on how long i am going to be gone from the house for the day or evening and if it''s over 5 hours (my mental threshold level with leaving portia alone, then i will call up my mom to see if they can go get her or we can drop her off or if i can come home etc.

i stayed home with her when she was a puppy, but i also have a flex work schedule being in sales, so i work from home 1/2 and work in the office 1/2 the time. if i went back to corporate marketing or similar, i''d put her in doggy day care because she is just so used to having someone home with her for part of the day that i would feel horrible just leaving her along for 8 huours a day. i know she can hold it that long, we have gone out to the city for a ballet and dinner night a time or two that ran late and she had to stay alone for 8 hours and she was fine when we got home but we just had to take her out right away...but it''s more like what''s fair to her and that''s alot of time for a dog to be alone. esp if she is not used to it...which she isn''t..and now that she''s an adult i think it''s harder for her to get used to change esp change where it means ''hey i am alone all the time now''...that''s no fun!!

so anyway i think you can make it work but part of it depends on you, part on the dog...if you can afford to do the doggie day care and have your mom assist it would be great, one of my coworkers mom babysits her dog for a few hours a day unless my coworker can get home for an hour or two and spend some time with the dog. also if you live close to home, you can go home on your lunch hour and spend that time with the dog...i did this for a while when i was working all the time out of the office, it doesn''t feel like enough but at least then you could spend some time and then maybe drop the pup off at doggie day care for a half day, alot of people in our complex do 1/2 days.

one comment and this is not good or bad, it just is...i remember with fondness those carefree days when i could just get ready to go and leave the house. no worries. now it takes me an extra 10-15 minutes to get portia out the field, wait for her to go to the bathroom, make sure she has fresh water, open a window for her, give her a treat, make sure she has a chewy bone etc etc. the other day she was at the groomers and i went to an appt and i was like WOW i remember this, just leaving the house and not worrying about anything but getting dressed and out the door. i do miss it but on the flip side, having a dog has been wonderful for us and we would never go back for the world!

 

[W2W]

We have 2 dogs and could not imagine life without them.

When we had one, I felt an overwhelming guilt leaving him home all day by himself. He was wee wee pad trained him and used to leave a pad for him when we were at work so walking him was not a problem (of course he is only 6 pounds so this would not be an option with a larger dog). Eventually, he could go the whole work day without going to the bathroom so again the issue was not really about walking him. My concerns were really about him being lonely and bored. Dogs really do need alot of attention and do much better when they are with you.

The solution... another dog. We now have a 7 month old puppy and they love each other so much that they are more concerned about each other than about us at times. It has made life alot easier. They keep each other company and I worry less about them being bored, afraid, etc. Recently, we travelled and I boarded them in the same doggy "suite." They also went to daycare each day so that they could play with other dogs. I really would not have the heart to board either of them alone and even the "doggy counselor" who was responsible them said that they would have been too nervous without each other.


I''ve gone on and on and I''m not sure this helps since you are looking to get one dog, not two. But I can say that if you think that this dog will be alone for long periods at a time due to work, travel etc., you should make sure that it is a more independant breed. Some dogs, like mine who are pomeranians, really thrive on human conatct and are not meant to be alone. They are constantly at your feet, in your lap and trying to get your attention. Of course that''s why I love poms so much.

You should also consider the expense of dog sitters, daycare, boarding and other options for "childcare" because it can be a great expense. Our long weekend cost us $310 in dog fees. And finally, you should think about all the sacrifices you may have to make. We travel less, socialize more at home, don''t stay out overnight. We also bought a house closer to where we work, not entirely for the dogs but it was a consideration.

Having our dogs is so rewarding and they are the loves of my life. They are a part of the family and I wouldn''t change anything that we''ve had to do to keep them happy, healthy and feeling loved. All that said, you haev to go into this with your eyes open so that their home with you is the only one they''ll ever need.

 

[glaucomflecken]

when we first got our pup, i was still living in another state while DH was living here outside DC. DH was the one who purchasedher and picked her up, so he cared for her solely until i moved out here. he worked 10 minutes from home and has a flex schedule so he would come home at lunch to let her out and feed her. when i moved here i didnt have ajob for 2months so I became the caregiver so it worked out well. when i found a job DH would come home still to take her out, but then she started to be able to hold it, and we cut her down to feedings twice a day. so she was ok. our neighbor now comes home to walk her dog and ours so i feel good knowing that.

i also think for our pup that she went through SO many changes in her early life that she has adapted to most situations. she lived with DH, then for a few weeks with his mom and dad while i was moving, then we had one place we were at, then we moved to where we are now. and she took it in stride. i feel bad for leaving her every morning but we give her so much love and play hard when we get home and she seems well adjusted.

 

[littlelysser]

Dogs are fantastic!

My FI and I have two dogs that are both entirely spoiled.

You''ve gotten some really good advice here.

Once you go back to work, I''d also suggest giving doggie day care a try. Our pups go on Mondays and Fridays...and they are entirely wiped out that night, which is wonderful. We also have a dogwalker that comes on Wednesdays and Thursdays...she takes them to the dog park for about an hour...and Tuesdays, well, Tuesdays they rest.

I guess the moral of the story is, if you are willing to spend a bit of money, you can find some great things for your dogs to do during the day.

And also, when your dog is at home by herself, she''ll sleep. That''s what ours do. Dogs have an AMAZING capacity for sleep. And as my mother said when I was freaking out about leaving Izzie and Cricket home for a full 8 hour day, "I know you love them, but they ARE just dogs..."

Finally - Just think of it this way...she''s in a shelter now...I''m sure she''d be 1000x happier in your home, even if she had to be a alone for part of the day...

 

[moon river]

Date: 4/9/2006 12:05:15 PM
Author: widget
Also...I''ve always had dogs and cats...with no problems...I do have ''dog-savvy'' cats, however.

In my experience it''s been the cat that has taught the dogs how to behave. When I first brought Widget home, she took off after the cat the moment she saw her. Tinker stood her ground, administered one big swipe across Widget''s nose, and sent her running in the opposite direction howling in fear!

They get along fine, now.

In fact here''s a picture I took of them this morning. Mara''s new thread got me busy with my camera!

AAWWW, see we CAN all get along. That''s so sweet.

 

[justjulia]

Not long after we married, we acquired a golden lab. She was our first "child." (I think that the yearning for a puppy is a sign that mother nature is testing you for parenthood..) We moved into a house a built a deck. She chewed the deck to pieces (from the yard side-and we tried chew toys, and I was home a lot-in school at the time). We ended up giving her to a family out on a farm with a little boy who loved her. We now have 4 chihuahuas and a rotty-lab mix and 5 cats. All were acquired very young-which is the secret. The cats actually came before the dogs and taught the dogs how to act--to this day, the cats come up and rub on the dogs and generally they honor each other. We do have one huge cat, Tori, who scares the dickens out of the chi''s just by entering the room. We got two of those dog doors from a pet store and installed them in the kitchen door, which leads to a fenced yard. Those doors are GREAT. They come and go, at will. I work most week days, dh full time, so they are basically on their own. Now, if I could just train them to cook dinner....

 

[gailrmv]

I have 2 dogs, a 1.5 year old and a 3 year old, both rescued (as young adults) from the shelter. My husband and I are both gone all day, usually about 10 hours, and the dogs do OK. The younger one stays in a large crate with water and toys (she gets into trouble when left out) and the older one stays out, she doesn''t bother anything. We sometimes put them outside in our fenced yard with access to shade and water, but they seem happier inside honestly. They just don''t drink water while we are gone and they go out immediately when we get back. If we have a real long day planned we ask a neighbor to let them out for a pee break. It is not ideal, and I hope to someday have more flexibility with my job where they won''t have to hold it all day. But until then, they are doing fine! The real inconveniences are when we have evening plans, someone has to trek home and take care of them and spend time with them before getting to our evening plans, or when we go out of town - they board at the kennel, and it breaks our hearts (and wallets), but they always seem fine when we get them back! We don''t travel as much as we used to, but they are such good companions, it is worth it for us.

 

[firebirdgold]

I work from home alot, but I am gone for 10 hours at a time two days a week. If the weather isn''t too bad I just shove Beau outside with food and water, and leave the mud-room open for him as shelter. He squeals a lot when I get home, but seems no worse for wear.
I do leave him inside sometimes, but I''m more confident of doing that if I''ve taken him for a little walk beforehand. He''s part Chow and they are very good about being housebroken, so I don''t worry as much as I would with a dog with a smaller bladder.

Of course, I''ve also panicked and called my dad to come and check on Beau.
Being able to spend a lot of time with the dog as a puppy really helps in bonding and with housetraining. (Just don''t get a puppy until it stops snowing, that was miserable!) But I don''t think it''s as important with a grown dog as long as they get their walk and playtime later. And it''s not a very needy breed of dog, naturally.

As for cats and dogs..
Oscar the cat had spent time with my parent''s old dog and actually seemed to want his own dog. He just looked so disappointed when the old dog ignored him. Of course, Oscar wasn''t that keen when I brought home an enthusiastic puppy who quickly developed a tongue the size of the cat''s head! But now they greet each other and Oscar rubs against the dog as Beau licks and snuffles the cat. Beau is also being very friendly to one of my bf''s cat. The other one he''s still scared of because she''s ''puffy''.

Generally it''s up to the cat wether or not the two will get along. Cats that retreat to a safe distance/height but will watch the dog will pretty much always eventually get along well with a dog. If you get the dog as a puppy, he''ll probably bond with the cat.. they are pack animals afterall. It doesn''t even have to be a puppy if the dog is young and happy-tempered.
My sister and her two prissy cats moved in with a young lab-hound mix. The younger, more adventurous cat is now getting chased (in a nice way) and licked all the time, and the other one who hides will probably learn to tolerate but ignore the dog. The fact that no damage has been done to the first cat is reassuring him, so he''s now starting to watch the dog from safety rather than wedging himself behind the bed!
There is a strong caveat to this! Terriers do not tend to get along well with cats. Anything that''s been bred to specifically hunt and kill small animals has a good chance of seeing a cat as prey. There are, of course, exceptions, but generally it''s not a hot idea. My bf''s parents have a partitioned house with two terriers on one side and two cats on the other.

So to summarize: Go for it!

 

[fire&ice]

Puppies require constant care. You need to save them from the world. They do not have the capacity to hold their pee & need to be feed several times a day.

Dogs are an entirely differently story. The capacity for sleep is amazing. I work at home most of the time; but, have no problem leaving them alone for 8 hours. They get walked & feed in the morning. Go for a pee pee run just before I leave & go back out when I return & they get feed after that. Right before bed, they go for a pee pee run before retiring to their crate. Been working O.K. since 1985 ish or so. Weve had two dogs for most of that time. We also have cats. We had two cats before we got our first dog. One cat adjusted fine & became buddies. Another cat lived on top of the refridgerator during the day & came out at night when the dog went into his crate. That cat was always a little off though.

Currently we have an eight year old male & a 4 year old female. Our male was raised around the cats - no issues. The female was 3 years old when she came to us. Since Standard Schnauzers have strong prey drives, we were concerned with how she was going to get along with the cats (she came from a home with no cats). We introduced them outside on the closed in porch. I held the cat, put is down and stroked it. Carly was mildly interested in what that thing was. She came over and I made it known that these cats were MINE & to be left alone. When she stroked it or licked it gentle she was rewarded. I didn''t leave them alone together until a few weeks passed. No issues now.

Dogs are great companions. Though they do require "thought" - as Mara said you just can''t pick up and go w/o a care, they give back in spades. If the dogs are at the groomer, the house isn''t whole. It''s empty.

 

[firebirdgold]

Date: 4/10/2006 1:47:14 PM
Author: fire&ice
Dogs are great companions. Though they do require 'thought' - as Mara said you just can't pick up and go w/o a care, they give back in spades. If the dogs are at the groomer, the house isn't whole. It's empty.

G yes, leper dog is at the groomer right now and my house feels very large and empty! (And may I recommend against a dog that molts in the spring? ) You'll never regret having a dog in your life. Nothing beats the way a dog greets you when you come home. Plus I feel more secure having leper dog around. Although right now he's more likely to injure an intruder by shedding on them.

ETA: my sis's new stepdog in D.C. has a dog walker who stops by midday.

 

[maddie80]

 

[maddie80]

Sorry, for some reason my original reply got erased! Hate that!

Thank you SO much for all of your advice and encouragement. I feel reassured that you can indeed have a job and still be a responsible puppy parent. We decided to take the plunge this morning and picked up our new baby! She''s a tiny lab mix (we don''t know what she''s mixed with), but they don''t think she''ll be much bigger than 30 pounds. I had to go back to work, but she is at home with my FI right now exploring and meeting the cats.

I''m so excited, and a little scared! I''m sure I will be coming back to all of you for even more advice in the next weeks.

 

[maddie80]

Mara - By the way, when we went to pick up our puppy, they had just brought in a young male Westie! He was absolutely adorable. Someone had dropped him off at the shelter, and they had to crop all of his fur very short because he had a skin infection! Poor thing. But he was getting tons of attention, I think he''ll have a good home in no time.