time for a dog?

[kodiak]

Hi,

Ive had a cats for many years, but recently really wanted to get a dog - but thought it would be unfair on my (old) cat.
unfortunately recently my cat has died :( ... now my house feels empty, and im starting to consider a dog again.

my question is simple though, do i really have the time to give a dog a happy life?

both my partner and i work fulltime (9-6pm) , but would both enjoy spending time with our dog - taking for walks in the morning/evening ... and also at the weekends (we like hiking in the mountains etc)

is this enough for a dog though? ive heard unlike cats they really can miss company during the day... and id far prefer not to have a dog, than have an unhappy dog!

does it depend on breed? we really would like a medium/large dog (and as mentioned one that would like long walks/hikes) ... something like a german shephard, labby or similar..

what do you think,
thanks for your comments

mark

[caseysmom]

If you rescue an older dog...say 4 or 5 it would not be as needy and would most likely sleep all day while your gone. At least thats what my 5 year old casey does.

[Muddy4paws]

Would it matter if the dog was an older dog or would you prefer a puppy? You should look around in the animal shelters i cant give you any links to them but loads of ppl here can, i think maybe an older dog would be more suitable seeing as you work and it will be left alone for a while during the day so it should be too hyper like a puppy would be, im not sure where you are from but theres lots of ppl here with links to different animal shelters i think the only one i know is petfinder :)

[Bigyummydog]

so sorry for your loss...:( ....yup, sounds like it's time for a dog....but i too would worry about the time thing...you will be so happy having a dog in your life, and he in yours...hope you work something out....:)

oh yeah! welcome to pet talk...:D

[animal_rescue]

just wondering do you think you could bring the dog to work with you or your partner?

[jesse_3]

I'm am so sorry for your loss:(.....I agree with caseysmom, you should get a dog that is older. I would not suggest a labby, sorry, but they almost need attention..I don't know about a German Shepherd though. Good Luck and Welcome to Pet Talk!!

[bckrazy]

:) I'm sure you could definitely work something out, maybe you could go home on your lunch break to let the dog out to potty and play for an hour during the day? Along with walks/exercise/play in the morning and evening, most adult dogs would be perfectly happy. Rescues are the BEST! You can find an adult dog with the personality you want, and you will already know their exercise requirements, get a house-trained dog, etc. There are always LOTS of Labs and GSD's or mixes of those breeds in shelters in the U.S., Im sure its the same in Europe. Good luck finding the perfect pup!!

[LauraT7]

Hi -

there are many dogs, of many breeds that would be perfectly content to stay home while you work, as long as you give them adequate attention when you ARE home.

Like the others above, I would highly recommend looking into rescue - and not just Shelters, but the breed rescue organizations - because they most often FOSTER HOME the dogs before they are placed with families, and the foster families KNOW the dog well and can make a good 'fit' between the dog and your lifestyle.

It may not be immediate - but many rescues put alot of effort into matching their dogs with just the right situation.

I am a golden retreiver lover - a young golden or lab DOES need alot of attention and excercise. If left on their own too long, they can get destructive, jumpy, mouthy, etc. On the other hand, there are many of them that are big couch potatoes, and perfectly content to snooze on the couch all day, go for a short walk or ball chase at before dinner, and go back to the couch with you for the rest of the evening! the BIG thing with goldens is that when you ARE home & available - they want to be WITH YOU - not in the yard, basement or crate - alone.

Research breeds. Talk to breed rescue people. If there is a breed you particularly like, talk to owners about breed personality traits vs. individual's traits. Chose the breed of dog baised on what they are bred to be - not on looks or size or 'cuteness' factor.

Be honest with yourself - Will you REALLY walk the dog EVERY day? or do you need a dog that's not THAT active? can you stand the hair? or do you need a dog that doesn't shed as much? How are you gong to deal with issues like pottying, etc if the dog is locked up all day? ( many dogs CAN 'hold it' - but would you want to 'hold it' for NINE LONG HOURS?) it means, at the least, that you can't stop somewhere on the way home from work, unless someone is going to be home to let the dog out. do you have a yard? some dogs like to be outside, but then they will be dirty, dusty and wet, according to the weather. Most dogs really don't belong outside all the time, anyway - and won't be happy there.

As I said above - i love goldens - but they are 'people' dogs and while I find them delightful, and don't mind the large amount of hair that they shed, (constantly!), or their extra-long 'puppy-hood', other people find them to be too demanding. Goldens LIVE to be with their families, and are very unhappy if they are not part of everything you do. I take my dogs with me almost everywhere ( everywhere that i CAN take them) and they are the best companions I've ever known.

I have always been a 'dog person', and while I like cats, never had one. I just didn't think we could provide the best home to keep a cat truly happy. Some of my big concerns with getting a cat were that I had a history of cat allergies with some cats, I really couldn't see us being good about keeping up a litter box & I hated the smell of one in the house, yet I would be afraid to let a cat run loose, for fear he'd get injured, not knowing the neighborhood. I couldn't see any satisfactory way around those obstacles - and still have a happy cat and a happy home.

Recently, we were 'adopted' by a stray cat who managed to solve all those problems on his own. Because he was a neighborhood stray, he already knew the neighborhood. HE wandered into our garage during the winter, we fed him and he warmed up to us, didn't bother my allergies, and didn't freak out at the dog. when it turned REALLY cold, we invited him into the house. I never intended to KEEP him inside, but he kept coming back. He taught HIMSELF how to use the doggie door - so he and the dog use the large dog run/ sandbox off the back of the garage - we don't have to keep a litter box at all. Once he decided to stick around, we had him 'fixed', chipped and vetted - he's become a total housecat - except for pottying and relaxing in the yard on nice days. We could not have possibly found a better cat to suit our lifestyle - he found us. And judging by the smug and contented look on Pixels face as he snuggles in next to me each night - he's a VERY happy and contented kitty!

so a dog IS out there to fit you - you just have to do your research and keep your eyes open to FINDING it!

Good luck!

laura

[Dixieland Dancer]

Basically, you need to research what breed you would like and determine if it would fit into your lifestyle. Consider the activity level of the dog and if you can provide what it needs and it can provide what you need. It's a two way street.

If you do your homework, there is no reason you can't have a dog just because you work.

[jackie]

i hope you find your perfect match, and thank you for considering a rescue dog. :D :D :D :D

[Thandi]

My rescue Mika (lab/boxer/Rhodie) is more than content to lie on the sofa or chair from 7:30 a.m. until we get home, often after 5:30. She can come and go into the back garden, and occasionally empties the used tissues out of the bins in the bedrooms. Other than that, she's never been destructive. My departed Rhodie was the same, she'd just lie around all day quite contentedly. Mika would love to play all day, but she's adapted to our lifestyles. She only gets a good(ish) walk in the evening, and we play with her in the morning and before bed. She goes to the dog park minimum once a week, more if we have time. We work full days and many evenings/weekends too.

I remember the trainers and vet always telling me that any dog can adapt to your lifestyle. Mine always have.

[kodiak]

thank you all for your comments,
sounds like its all about finding the right dog, the ideas about an older rescue i will definitely look into... as many have said, the homes will also have a good idea about what thier dogs needs

alternatively, perhaps i should find the right job to fit my dog :)

thanks again,

[Panda]

I adopted my Elvis (greyhound) when he was 3 1/2, and myself and DBF both work an 8 hour day. I know I could not handle a puppy right now, but an adult dog I believe can cope better. I did research for 2 years before deciding on a grey (narrowed it to a greyhound and a Great Dane). As above poster mentioned, Breed Rescue is a great way to go, because most will evaluate your lifestyle to see if that particular breed is well suited.

Good luck!

[Vette]

I rescued my Toy Poodle almost 4 years ago the age of 2 and a half. at first he was scared. didnt want to come out the crate at first when he got to his new home,, but i sat down on the floor near the crate and called his name in a soft voice and patted my lap and he came to me after a few minutes and sat in my lap.

i cant tell you how rewarding it is to rescue a dog and feelings you get from that...

so i agree with everyone else about aopting a older dog. :D