So, I am thinking about getting a dog, a Golden Retriever to be exact (but am open to other suggestions). I would not be getting it until next spring at the earliest, so I have time to think on it.
The problem is that I am single and work full time. That means the dog would need to be home alone for 8+ hours a day. My work schedule is also never the same. I work 1st shift, 2nd shift, and midday shifts. So the dog will not be on a set schedule of her own.
I think I would like to get one as a puppy, but I know that leaving her alone all day is a problem.
So, I am not sure what to do. And advice would be great.
This should probably be in IMHO, so I’ll report it for a forum change. Meanwhile, my advice would be to not get a dog with your unpredictable schedule. If you must get one, hire someone to walk her at regular intervals, and really, not a puppy.
I suggest getting two. I suggest non-puppies - maybe 1-2 yrs old. They will be easier to house-train. I suggest you get dogs from a shelter, not a breeder, because there are so many dogs that need homes. Sometimes they have litter mates. And I suggest you get a doggie door to make it easier for them to go outside when they DO need to go.
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Requests for advice go in the “In My Humble Opinion” forum rather than “General Questions.” I have moved this thread accordingly.
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Important question: what is your housing situation? Apartment? House with fenced yard? A securely fenced yard, a doggy door, and a pair of adult dogs would work maybe. A puppy in an apartment all day, probably not.
Don’t get a dog if you can’t keep it on a consistent schedule. Don’t get a Golden if you can’t give it a lot of exercise. Don’t get a puppy if you can’t make the time to train it thoroughly.
OTOH, greyhounds are surprisingly low maintenance and there seem to be plenty that need rescue homes. Just don’t let it take off after a rabbit or squirrel.
Are you open to the idea of Doggy Day Care or having a mid-day dog walker come in to help? A young puppy absolutely cannot hold the bladder for 8 hours. You will be cleaning up messes as soon as you get home every day, and the puppy will not be learning housebreaking. The situation will be frustrating for both you and the pup.
Getting and older dog is more advisable. Leaving a dog for 8 hours is not abuse and an older dog can hold their bladder that long. Puppies are cute but they are a ton of work. The reason they are so cute is so we won’t kill them when they eat our shoes or tear up the furniture.
I don’t subscribe to the school of thought that it’s bad or cruel to have a single dog spending an 8-hour work day at home alone, nor do I think it’s super-important to have a dog on a rigid 9-5schedule (at least not a big dog like a golden or my own shepherd mix - if pooping is the concern, I feed and then give him the longest walk of his day whenever I come home from work, and he usually goes then but still has the other 16 hours of my time off to go again, if he has to). However, you will need to make up for that with quality time. Dogs do best with lots of exercise, not just a couple 20-minute walks per day but ideally hours of walking plus ample opportunities to run, and play with other dogs. This is great for both of you if you’re a good dog owner, you’ll end up spending much more of the time you’re not at work outdoors and being active. A tired dog is a happy dog, at home. Dog walkers and dog daycare are other options.
A puppy is definitely not workable with your schedule and you living alone. They need to go out every couple hours starting off and need a lot of love, training and attention in order to grow up well-adjusted and not make your life a living hell. You can get a vetted, well-trained adult purebred (or any sort of) dog from a variety of shelters and rescues and that’s definitely your best bet. Having two dogs is a lot of fun too and many times, those coming into rescues come along with a ‘friend’ they’re already bonded with. However, double the dogs is double the money and potential for trouble and that shouldn’t be taken lightly. I’ve had multiples my entire adult life and am finally down to just one (and one cat) and it’s quite a relief. Of course I’m extremely lucky with my dog now, he’s always been well-behaved and now he’s old and arthritic so can only take gentle exercise. The old age and decline of my late dog, who I euthanized this past December, was a nightmare. You never know what you’re going to get.
The next time you go to work, try not peeing for 8 hours and see how things go because this is what you expect from a dog. As the animal ages, bladder control can become more difficult. If you have a single family home with a fenced yard, a doggie door would solve that issue. Otherwise, there may be problems with this and as an aside, most of my dogs have suffered from an occasional bout of diarrhea.
Personally, I have a similar sounding schedule, and I would never get a dog. But my disposable income is a little wanting, and if I had more cash I might get an adult or two with a daily walker to take them out while I’m gone. I’ve always explained to people I have cats instead of dogs (though I love doggies!) because dogs need at least one of either time or money - time for long walks, training, attention, or money to pay someone to do it for me while I’m away. I have neither, so no doggies for me.
A puppy really would not work out very well. Not just house training, but in regards to socialization, too. I would look into breed-specific rescues, or maybe even fostering for a rescue to see if it’s even a good idea.
Hearing about what kind of home the dog would be in would help - a doggy door with fenced yard might be most ideal if a daily walker stopping by isn’t in the cards.
Puppies need to be house trained, it doesn’t happen by magic, sadly. Someone has to be on hand to take them out every hour, then every two hours, then every three, you get the picture. Leave them alone and they will never be housetrained.
What’s more, socialisation is really important for young dogs. They need your constant attention and to meet other people and dogs regularly. Leaving them alone all day from day one can cause serious behavioural issues, such as separation anxiety and destructive or aggressive behaviour. They need to be trained to be alone, leaving them for 5 mins, then 10, then 20, then an hour, then 2. And so on.
Then routine. Routine is important for a happy, settled dog. Changing your schedule constantly will increase the anxiety in the dog, as he won’t know when or if you are coming home.
If you want a dog but can’t be home for it, please get a dog sitter to spend at least part of the day with the dog. Otherwise, I think it’s just cruel, really.
I had two dogs while we both worked outside the home. They went to their crates and my wife at the time and I had our schedules slightly staggered so that they were in their crates for only about 6 hours. Then I went to the park, and did my level best to tire them out for roughly two hours a day. Every day. Thank God both of them loved to retrieve in the water.
It’s my own fault for having a Weimaraner, otherwise known as “an exercise machine with fur.” While the other dog was a 3 month old puppy, I came home at every lunch time to let her out, have her eliminate, play ball, etc… So, I don’t recommend a puppy in your situation.
It’ll be a challenge, but if you’re willing to make time for them every day, I don’t see an insurmountable problem, IMHO. Breed rescue is a great idea. It’s where I got my dog.
I am open to getting dogs a few years old. And I actually was thinking of getting 2 dogs (but forgot to put it in the OP). Actually, getting older dogs could work out because I could get a 1 year old and maybe a 3 year old, so when one eventually passes, I will still have the other to help me deal with the loss (I’m a big softy, it will kill me when one dies).
To answer some questions, it is a house. The yard is not fenced in, nor is a fence really practical. And a main street runes next to the yard on one side. Two sides are side streets that aren’t used much, and the last side is a neighbor. This brings the question, are those invisible fences something to think about?
Just throwing this out there, I also have a large 2 car garage. It is not attached to the house though.
I had cats growing up, and I love them. But I want a companion that I could bring along on hiking and camping trips.
As far as dog sitters and dog walkers, that is out.
How well do dogs of different breeds and ages usually get along (and I knew this is a general thing)?
If I can’t give them a good home, I won’t get them. Thats why I’m not going to actually make the leap until the spring.
You might want to think about how much shedding and brushing you want to add to your life. Just as some breeds hang out and lay around more than others, some shed and need brushing more than others.
I don’t know where Goldens hit on the shedding scale, but I’m guessing they’re not low shedders.
It is feasible to have dogs without a fenced yard, as long as you are industrious about walks. It’s a LOT easier to do this if there’s two or more people to share the load, though, including when you have the flu.
Be upfront with any rescue/shelter about what you are looking for in a dog or dogs – the camping thing is a great example. Most dogs would love to go camping with you, but some will not. The more you share, the more info they’ll have to assess the best fit among various dogs.