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Yes, it's yet another "can I leave my dog(s) home alone" thread. I would normally just consult an existing thread, but it seems every one I find has some critical difference in circumstances that renders it invalid for my case.
I'm in the process of getting a dog, or rather, in the process of deciding whether I can get a dog, and the main hurdle to overcome is the fact that I live alone and work during the day, so any dog I get will inevitably be left alone for long periods.
I've read a number of sources trying to figure out exactly how much of an obstacle this is, but I read ten different sources and get eleven different answers, ranging between "yes, it's fine" to "no, under no circumstances."
Anyway, a bit about the circumstances.
Context
I have to leave for work at about 8:00, and I usually get home at around 6:00, or sometime shortly after. I work Monday to Friday, and due to the commute I really don't have time to head home for a quick walk during lunch time (unless I somehow managed to renegotiate hours).
That gives me a rather unwieldy 10 hours for the dog to be alone.
The kinds of dogs I'm looking for are medium to large dogs. In rough order of my top picks:
I am absolutely not planning on getting a puppy. My sources may have been a bit contradictory, but every thing I've read is crystal clear on the fact that that's out of the question given my circumstances. No, the dog will be adopted, and already an adult.
I don't have a yard, unless you consider a small concrete area with a shed and cloths line to be a yard.
The Plan
So far I plan to take the dog for a long walk before work. Perhaps an hour, maybe more. And then another walk when I get home. Some of this time will also be spent training the dog, and doing other activities to address it's mental stimulation.
The dog would have plenty of toys around the house. I've read the kong toys and the like are good for keeping them entertained, but I'm not sure it would be enough for such a long period.
External Help
So, as for people who could walk the dog during the day.
Questions
With all of the circumstances well and truly laid bare, I have to ask, how plausible would it be for me to take care of the type of dog I'm looking at?
I'm in the process of getting a dog, or rather, in the process of deciding whether I can get a dog, and the main hurdle to overcome is the fact that I live alone and work during the day, so any dog I get will inevitably be left alone for long periods.
I've read a number of sources trying to figure out exactly how much of an obstacle this is, but I read ten different sources and get eleven different answers, ranging between "yes, it's fine" to "no, under no circumstances."
Anyway, a bit about the circumstances.
Context
I have to leave for work at about 8:00, and I usually get home at around 6:00, or sometime shortly after. I work Monday to Friday, and due to the commute I really don't have time to head home for a quick walk during lunch time (unless I somehow managed to renegotiate hours).
That gives me a rather unwieldy 10 hours for the dog to be alone.
The kinds of dogs I'm looking for are medium to large dogs. In rough order of my top picks:
- Border Collie
- German Shepherd
- Australian Shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- Husky
- etc.
I am absolutely not planning on getting a puppy. My sources may have been a bit contradictory, but every thing I've read is crystal clear on the fact that that's out of the question given my circumstances. No, the dog will be adopted, and already an adult.
I don't have a yard, unless you consider a small concrete area with a shed and cloths line to be a yard.
The Plan
So far I plan to take the dog for a long walk before work. Perhaps an hour, maybe more. And then another walk when I get home. Some of this time will also be spent training the dog, and doing other activities to address it's mental stimulation.
The dog would have plenty of toys around the house. I've read the kong toys and the like are good for keeping them entertained, but I'm not sure it would be enough for such a long period.
External Help
So, as for people who could walk the dog during the day.
Yeah ... about that whole human dating thing ...Wife or girlfriend?
No one who lives close enough and doesn't also have to work.Friends?
Everyone lives too far away to be able to pop by for a quick walk.Family?
I don't know my neighbors. What with this pandemic going on at the moment, and having just recently moved, I haven't interacted with them at all. Although, I didn't interact with any of my previous neighbors, so ...Neighbors?
Now we're getting closer to a plausible solution. However, I would consider this a last resort, as it's just another expense on top of the rest that a dog would bring (and from a very brief look at the services, not a particularly cheap one). However, if this is the only answer, then so be it.Doggy daycare or walking services?
Questions
With all of the circumstances well and truly laid bare, I have to ask, how plausible would it be for me to take care of the type of dog I'm looking at?
- Would it make a difference if I got two dogs? That seems to bump things up notch as far as care is concerned, but I do wonder whether two would be able to keep each other company during the day (as long as I make sure to get two that get along with other dogs).
- If i went with some kind of walking service or doggy daycare, would it be acceptable to only use such a service on certain days (eg, Tuesday and Thursday), or would the dog still go mad being left along on the remainder?
- If none of the dogs on my list can stand being alone like this, then are there any others that can? I've read that certain breeds (Greyhound, Akita, Shibu Inu, etc) do better left alone than many others, but I want to know how true that is, and whether 10 hours would still be too long. If it just comes down to getting a more appropriate breed, then that'll have to be it.
- Would crate training help out here? I would rather give my dog free reign of the house, and 10 hours seems like an awfully long time to be crated, but I wonder whether it could be used as a temporary measure to help the dog become accustomed before giving it free reign. I don't really know anything about crate training.