Would I be an ok dog owner?

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Jenz

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I'm seriously thinking of rehoming a dog.

I work about 3-4 days a week (4th/5th day I work from home) so I know a puppy wouldn't be suitable, so that's why I was thinking of a rescue dog of about 3 or 4 yo. I don't have a huge house or garden, but it's not tiny. So thinking of a reasonaly small dog, ideally a rufty tufty terrier type.

Would it be cruel to even consider this, as they would be left for 8 hours about 3 days a week? The rest of the time I'm already quite active and would take dog training and more walking.

I've always had dogs in the past, but not since working these hours.
 
I would say yes as my dogs are left this long the days I work (10 a month) however I do get home at lunchtime to let them out.
Terriers are very active dogs so might not be suitable.
 
Could you or anyone else take the dog for a walk at lunchtime?

Henry normally comes to work with me but when he can't a kind neighbour takes him for walks (he works from home and adores spaniels). Mr H is fine with this, he has the radio on Classic FM and a kong full of yummies to occupy him.

ETA - you could look at two dogs of course! There is a site that rehomes greyhounds where they will send out two together to homes where people work, I thought about going for one myself but was Henry-ed first.

http://www.kerrygreyhounds.co.uk/
 
I'd love a beagle, but been told by many people I'd never be able to let it off the lead, which I'm not used to at all. So, medium/smaller dogs... collies far too energetic, same for labs (and looking for something a little smaller this time) and spaniels (I used to have a mental springer) I know that's not all the breeds there are, but what is less active but small or medium size?
 
my dog is sometimes left for that long, depending on my working schedule. and he is a perfectly happy, settled, healthy dog.
whilst it is only probably once a week at the mo, there was a time when i was much busier at work, and it was almost everyday.

i think it very much depends on the dog, i'm quite sure my one sleeps from the second i leave the house until i get home... he is a very laid back dog, and (for a boxer) exceptionally lay! perhaps you could request a lazy dog...? he usually has things to entertain him (I'm a fan of Kongs), but they are sometimes untouched!!

A friend of mine has a dog flap, which seems to work well. i can't do that as my dog likes to 'play' with our chickens...

one thing i'd say is rescue kennels may be reluctant to home dogs with people that are out all day, so if i were you, i'd say a neighbour will let him out at lunchtime or something...
 
Yea, I was thinking about maybe having two, you sometimes see ones that need to be rehomed together.

I suppose I could get a dogflap, if it was a small dog (don't want a human to be able to get in!)

Unfortunately I'm new to the neighbour hood, maybe need to befriend an retired neighbour!

Cheers, good advice
 
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I'd love a beagle, but been told by many people I'd never be able to let it off the lead, which I'm not used to at all. So, medium/smaller dogs... collies far too energetic, same for labs (and looking for something a little smaller this time) and spaniels (I used to have a mental springer) I know that's not all the breeds there are, but what is less active but small or medium size?

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Finnish Lapphunds are medium size with an average activity demand, plus if they get enough exercise and activation usually, they don't go mental if you have a day or more with less. The dogs have a lot more fur than the bitches, but once they get their adult coat they don't really get knots and doesn't require half the brushing than one might think from their looks. And they're not as "barky" as many other Spitz-type breeds.

The biggest heritage from their days as herding rein deers for Sami people, is that they're used to working on a distance from their owner and doesn't need to be next to you to feel close to you. So if I hide behind a bush during a walk in the forest, the dog might be sitting on the other side of the bush, feeling that they've found me, know where I am and now waits on what we'll do next, but not feeling any need to come around the bush and inform me about that I've been found!

Otherwise there's lots of small to medium breeds, how about Norwegian Buhund or Tibetan Spaniel?

http://www.finnishlapphund-club.co.uk/

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/norwegianbuhund.htm

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/tibetanspaniel.htm


About the being home alone, of course it's better if it's as little as possible, but I think that it matters more what you do when you're at home with the dog. And that if you've been gone for 9 hours one day (I included 1 hours travelling time to and from work), you can't leave it any more that day, to go out f. ex. to the pub or similar. And it matters if you in the middle of the winter, on a day with 9 hours being alone, your dog still have altogether been out walking (+ training?) for let's say two hours during the day, before you go to bed in the evening.

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Get yourself a dog walker for the days that you are out of the house all day - and I'd say you'd make a perfect owner.
 
Thanks for all your opinions, maybe I'll give it a month and see if I can get a walker, sounds like a good idea I hadn't really thought of.

Awww, YO's dogs have just had puppies, 10 choc labs, 6 golden retrievers, I saw them the other day but now their eyes are open and they're all very wiggly!

But I do know I can't have a puppy!!
 
It would really depend on the dog, if it was a rehomed dog and had a history of seperation anxiety then obviously this would be a no-go.

I've two retired greyhounds who are left at home alone 8 hours a day 5 days a week and are perfectly ok as long as they get a good run in the morning. I find they thrive better on routine and don't like any chop or changes in my work hours.
 
Jack is on his own during the day but has a dog walker at lunchtime. He was getting stressed out being in the house all day so I've now started putting him in the garden during the day and he's a different dog!

It's not ideal I guess leaving any dog all day (with a walk in between) but it's a better life than alot of rescues have to face.....
 
That's true. I thought I'd be ok going to see the rescue centre, I'm not particularly soppy, but it was really quite sad and some dogs had been there for a really long time. So hopefully I could offer them something better.

I'll have to be strong and keep visiting and see if something comes in or a different center has one that is suitable, as you say, with no anxiety issues.
 
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