I really want to have a dog but was brought up to believe that it's unfair to have a dog and leave him alone. I'm away at work from 8-6 Monday to Friday, and my husband works from about 10-7 but usually has two week days off (He works weekends).
I would walk the dog in the morning and at night and would be with him all weekend. Right now he's in a rescue center and my logic is that it's better he have a good home and be left alone for a few hours than be killed.
What do you think...Am I being selfish!!
2007-01-04 06:36:51 · 16 answers · asked by jackiemm 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
The first thing you need to do is look at your current schedule. Do you honestly have time to feed a dog, walk a dog, play with a dog, and train a dog. If most of your free time is spent away from home then I would really suggest not getting a dog.
A lot of people don't realize the amount of time it takes to care for a dog. Dogs left alone all day often become a nuissance because of their lack of physical contact with their owners. A lot of dogs resort to barking, some can develop separation anxiety and some may resort to aggression or become too hyper to deal with,
Make sure you have time to invest in the training of the dog. Lack of training is the number one reason why so many dogs end up in shelters and pounds. If you aren't going to take the time to train the dog with positive methods, then don't bother getting one.
I suggest tracking how much time you are at home for an entire week before making the decision to get a dog. Don't make an impulsive decision about another beings life without doing your research!
2007-01-04 06:49:53 · answer #1 · answered by bluealiens4erin 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your intentions are in the right direction, which is good. I would have to agree that providing a dog with a loving home is better than the dog being left alone in the shelter.
Many people work and have dogs and find ways for their dogs to not be lonely during the weekday: pet sitters, doggie day care, dog walkers. If you are willing to provide one of these services to your dog while you and your husband or at work, or willing to come home during lunch hour or whatnot then that is an indication that perhaps owning a dog is good.
Out of the seven days, your dog will be with someone 4 days a week as to the 3 to which you both are working, and during this time like I said you can get a pet sitter or dog walker.
It also depends how old the dog is. If the dog is an older dog then they require a lot less attention compared to a puppy. They are also to be more trustworthy in a house alone than a puppy. If you are adopting out an older dog then that's another way to look at it.
One other thing is time, energy, patience. When you get home from work will you be willing to spend time/energy playing with the dog, keeping the dog company, caring for the dog. If yes then that's another thing to look at.
You should really look at this and look at all the options that are available as well as the future of the pet and your lifestyle and make a decision. Good Luck.
2007-01-04 06:56:03 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it's not selfish or cruel to rescue a shelter dog; it's great! Kudos to you!
A small, neutered, well-trained dog will be just fine staying home while you're at work. Leave a talk-radio station playing softly when you're out, and make sure to have a few chew-toys lying around. The best solution is to get a second dog (or even a cat) as soon as possible, so your pet(s) will always have company. DON'T get a large breed, or one that needs lots of exercise, like a Border Collie, or else their pent-up energy will find destructive outlets.
2007-01-04 07:05:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
well, the very fact that you are thinking about what's best for the dog - in my mind - precludes you from being selfish.
I agree with you that a loving home is probably better than a shelter.. Few people can afford to be home all day with their dog anyway.. so don't feel TOO bad.
You should consider the type of dog: some are more needy than others.. for instance, a lot of toys, and high energy breeds like border collies mightn't do too well alone.
maybe you can take your dog to doggie daycare once and a while. Maybe friends or family might get involved: I work at home - so in the past I have made friends in the neighbourhood dog park, and ended up with keys to pop in and walk or visit their dogs while they are at work..
before you go to, and when you come home from work - will you be available to dedicate the necessary time, energy and attention to your dog?
Despite common myths - cats and dogs can and do in fact get along pretty well, maybe a companion would keep your new buddy company (and assuage your feelings of guilt)
good luck!
2007-01-04 06:45:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
No your dog will be fine. Even if you can put up a runner outside where while 2 leave for work and ur husband is there put her outside and when he leaves bring her in and she should be fine and the second you come home bring her for a long walk to reward her beign so good. You may want to consider a crate, for all you know is your dog can't handle being in a house all and may get board and thats when dogs start chewing the house apart. And if you do end up getting a crate she will be fine in it and it is not cruel, dogs are considered den animals and a crate is like their den where they can feel safe from everything. Like say for instance your dog is wandering around the condo heres someone come or go it will bark if it hears construction out side or sirens its going to bark which can lead to distructive behavior which you don't want, especially for 8 hours! Now please do keep in mind that your dog will be confind for 8 hours which means you wouldnt have much time to run a errand after work you would ahve to go home to take the dog out. One more way you can do it is baby gates and closed doors to rooms you don't want her to go then you can confine her in a bigger area but i would highly suggest pee pee pad training so you don't have any accidents with a free roamer! good luck with your decision i think you make the right one . .keep in mind you would be saving a life!
2007-01-04 06:46:57 · answer #5 · answered by tluckie313 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A lot of it depends on the breed. If you are getting a dog like a Shih Tzu that is a companion breed, it really wouldn't be good to leave it alone for that long, unless you got it a "friend" to keep it company.
If you are dealing with a different breed that does not require as much "together" time, it should be fine.
Do a little research on the different breeds on AKC.org and then maybe you can see what type (or mix of types) would work for your schedule. If you can't find one at your local shelter, the AKC website has a list of breed specific rescues that you can choose from.
Good luck!
2007-01-04 06:49:14 · answer #6 · answered by Katslookup - a Fostering Fool! 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so... many people work all day and have dogs. I have 2 and both my husband and myself work all day. He does go home at lunch and let them out of the cage to take them out and get a snack... but I don't see this as cruel at all. If you have plenty of time to be with them in the afternoon and weekends I think that is much better than shelter life where they are almost always in cages.
I'm sure you will have your advocates who say this is cruel behavior but TONS of people have very happy, healthy dogs and they work.
Hope this eases your mind a bit =P
2007-01-04 06:42:49 · answer #7 · answered by dcVixen 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
If it is a puppy, then you have to train them and be with them for quite a bit of time so that they do not go into a depressed state! If it is a bit older, it is okay to leave it at home as long as you show it lots of love when you get home! Make sure to leave it with lots of water.
It also depends on what kind of dog it is. Some dogs are not good inside dogs and some are not good to be left alone for long amounts of time so make sure to do some research.
2007-01-04 06:46:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it's an issue about life or death as much as quality of life issue. Have you heard the term cage crazy? We have a rescue dog that is a hunting breed and was left home alone all day before we got him. He was a little crazy when we first got him...bored out of his mind and destructive in his previous situation. Personally, in our house we don't get a dog if he has to just sit and wait. A couple of walks a day is not going to be enough excersise to release tension etc. Dogs need to be a part of a pack and participate in the family. You should also consider the fact that you will not want to leave a bored dog alone to have the run of the house all day....My neighbor keeps getting dogs from the shelter to "rescue them". right now they have 2 Rotties in the same pen and I don't think they have been out of the pen in months ....this is a young family and they just don't have the time to commit to these dogs. We can hear them either fighting or barking all the time. things to consider
2007-01-04 06:46:25 · answer #9 · answered by mups mom 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Quality is more important than quantity.
I wouldn't expect a pup to be able to go 8 hrs without a bathroom break though.
If only people that were home 24/7 had dogs, hardly anyone would.
2007-01-04 13:02:01 · answer #10 · answered by whpptwmn 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋