Working all day

S

Stevewfr

New User
Joined
17 March 2020
Messages
1
Visit site
Hi, I work 4 days then get 4 days off. Then 4 nights. Each shift is 12 hour long.
I have always wanted a dog for many years, But due to my shift pattern it worries me how long the dog will be left alone. I live on my own, so no one will be at home when I’m working.
I hope I can get a dog, any information and advice much appreciated.
 
I think it would be very difficult and unfair on a dog to be left for such a long time, ok when you're on a day shift you can get a dog walker to come in but night shift would be harder. Getting a dog would be to please you, not the dog, so my advice would be to wait until you're in a situation where you can be home with it for longer.
 
Unless you can get doggy daycare or someone to care and spend a significant amount of time with your dog while your working shifts then don't take on a dog. It wouldn't be kind to the dog and you are likely to have behavioral issues from so much time home bored and alone in the vast majority of dogs. Kenneled dogs get more interaction then that daily so I cant even recommend a couch potato like a greyhound I'm afraid.
12 hours alone is no life for a dog.
Even without the logistics of toileting etc they are social creatures and need interaction.

With your work pattern, you could do something like relief fostering for the guide dogs? or help with short term foster placements of rescue dogs if you need a doggy fix.
 
I'd not only be concerned about the amount of time the dog would be alone, but also about the amount of time available to you to spend time with and exercise your dog. Sleep, socialising etc will all eat into the 12 hours you have off on your shift days and in Winter the dog may never see daylight. I too would leave things until your circumstances change, I'm sure a local rescue would bite your hand off if you offered to dog walk on your days off though.
 
There are ways round this. I'd find a good home boarder and see if they can work with you. If the dog is gong to the same person then it wont unsettle them if you get the right one. You could have a system were they spent 2 days and 2 nights with them and the rest of the time with you.

You would need to make sure you picked a placid easy going breed and found a home boarder you could really trust, but it could be done.
 
I will be honest, I wouldn't in your shoes.

My OH works the same shifts but I work Mon - Fri and can work my hours flexibly. At most ours are left 5 hours in the morning with OH coming home at lunch (he works 5 mins away) then 4 hours in the afternoon but I work from home when he's on shift as much as possible so it's normally at most twice a week they are left that long.
 
If you work 12 hours shifts then I imagine there's an hour before/after for you to get to and from work also.

I'm pretty lax about leaving dogs for long-ish periods but I definitely wouldn't for that amount of time, even if you got a walker in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top