# Working full time? What do you do with your dogs?



## Orla (Jul 5, 2009)

I am finishing college in May, and will begin to look for a full time job. I've lived at home until now, as my college is very close to my parents house. I've worked part time, but with my parents and my younger siblings living here, Milo was pretty much never left alone. There are not many jobs in my area, so more than likely I will have to move a bit away, which means I won't have the option of my parents minding him during the day  Daycare is not an option, there are very few in Ireland, and from what I've seen, they don't separate big and small dogs :blink:
My Mom said I could just leave him here and visit at weekends - no way!

How do you manage?


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## IzzysBellasMom (Jan 16, 2013)

Oh Orla, us working women know how you feel. It breaks my heart to leave mine every day. They get kenneled. We tried for a while to not kennel them, we have cameras and were watching them, but Jojo started marking again, and we can't leave him out by himself with his belly band because he figures a way to move it or get it off. But on the other side, like others here have said, they do sleep most of the day. I have watched them some on the cameras and besides the occasional barking at something they hear outside, they pretty much just sleep all day. So with that, I don't feel like I am keeping them from being active or playing. If they weren't in the kennel, they would be sleeping on the bench in front of the window.


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## cherrycola (Nov 23, 2013)

I live alone, work full time and have two dogs.

I'm lucky - I can take my dogs to work with me 2 days a week, so they're only left home alone for 3 days (I am off the other two).

On the days that I leave them home alone - they have a good brisk onlead walk in the morning before I go and are left with their breakfast stuffed in Kongs. They're left 7.30am until 4.30pm. When I get home again, they're given another walk - this time for around 40 minutes offlead and then we have the whole evening together - we play games, do indoor agility, do some training and then we cuddle up on the sofa together to watch the telly. 

Is it ideal? Probably not. But I have to work full time to pay my rent and to pay to keep them! I figure they're better off here, where they're left alone three days a week yet loved, well fed, exercised and cared for in all ways possible, than in a rescue shelter.


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## ladodd (Jan 8, 2012)

My dh and I work fulltime as well. I have two college age sons, one that lives at home, so he helps (sometimes). I leave later, DH gets home earlier. They are sometimes on their own for 6-7 hours. I have three, so they have each other for company. I know they spend quite a bit of time patrolling the windows, they can see out of all of our windows. I close off most of the bedrooms that I don't want them in when I'm not there. Jack is a marker, so he does wear a belly band(proudly as he thinks it's special since the girls don't wear them). I've been fortunate to not have any issues. I do make sure that they don't have any chewey type stuff, etc that they could get hurt with. It's hard to leave them, but they know that someone is going to come back.


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## hoaloha (Jan 27, 2012)

Orla, it will be an adjustment period for sure. Will Milo be alone or also with Amber? I work full time but I have a modified schedule where I work 12 shifts a month, each twelve hours. I do half/half day and night shifts. My husband works days. For the months that we are both on days, we have my mother in law come by to take the dogs out during the day and play with them a little. I keep them confined to a safe area with water, crate, and pee pad. Obi used to have free roam of the home but Owen is much too mischievous so we setup an area when he joined us. We also have cameras set up so I can peek on them through the daytime. I can check on them through my smartphone. All they do is basically sleep all day long! Here's a snapshot from a few days ago of what I see from my phone 









Can you hire a dog walker to come by during your work? I would highly recommend the cameras (dropcam and Foscam are the two most popular among those I know). I'm sure Milo will be able to adjust but I know it's a bit nerve wrecking to change anything in the routine. Keep us updated!


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## LovelyLily (Mar 26, 2013)

I also live alone and work full time. I am fortunate that I live a five minute drive from my work, so I go home every day for a lunch break and take her out to potty and play. I always go immediately home when the work day is done. She is alone for three to four hours tops this way.


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## Orla (Jul 5, 2009)

Thanks for all the replies 



hoaloha said:


> Orla, it will be an adjustment period for sure. *Will Milo be alone or also with Amber?* I work full time but I have a modified schedule where I work 12 shifts a month, each twelve hours. I do half/half day and night shifts. My husband works days. For the months that we are both on days, we have my mother in law come by to take the dogs out during the day and play with them a little. I keep them confined to a safe area with water, crate, and pee pad. Obi used to have free roam of the home but Owen is much too mischievous so we setup an area when he joined us. We also have cameras set up so I can peek on them through the daytime. I can check on them through my smartphone. All they do is basically sleep all day long! Here's a snapshot from a few days ago of what I see from my phone
> 
> *
> Can you hire a dog walker to come by during your work? * I would highly recommend the cameras (dropcam and Foscam are the two most popular among those I know). I'm sure Milo will be able to adjust but I know it's a bit nerve wrecking to change anything in the routine. Keep us updated!
> ...


Milo will be alone - Amber is a family dog, but Milo is mine. 
I had planned on getting another malt before the time came to move, but that didn't work out and I can't see it happening before summer now. 

The dog walker thing would be an issue - Milo does not like strangers in "his" place - even people he knows them. It takes him months of the person seeing him regularly to actually accept them. But, outside of his on space - he loves everyone.

The camera idea is great!


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## IzzysBellasMom (Jan 16, 2013)

Maybe you will find someone in your own apartment building or neighborhood that can come by and check on him if you find that you are away for too long. Unfortunately I know exactly what you are going through with Izzy not liking anyone either. I have an Uncle who lives across the street from us. For the 10 years we have been in the house there he was the one who checked on my cat, then cat and Jojo and then just Jojo. He kept them while we were on vacation too. Izzy does not like my uncle. He talks very loudly and moves his hands and arms when he talks and smells of mothballs, LOL. I think that is why, so he cannot come over and check on them any more. 

Hopefully you will figure something out.


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

Orla, I am retired but we are having to face a whole new way of life, we left the girls home for a few hours when we would go do errands daily, but since Miss Bow going to the bridge, Matilda is fearful to be alone, we are taking her with us with one of sitting in the car while the other does the errands, eventually we are going to have to leave Matilda alone, I am trying to figure out what we are going to do.
I wish I lived close I would babysit Milo I love your little man:wub: and it would solve both our problem.
Let me know what you are going to do, it might help us with knowing what to do with Matilda


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Oh shoot, just start a doggy daycare.  

You could hire a dog walker. I work full time and so does DH and we work close to the same hours. If you can come home for lunch that's great, if not, he will get use to it. Put a cam on him, you'll find he mostly sleeps when you aren't there.

Our lives sort of revolve around the dogs-when we are home, we are with them and doing things with them. They still get plenty of love and attention.


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## sassy's mommy (Aug 29, 2005)

I can't imagine what you must be feeling like knowing that your little one is facing such a lifestyle change. But as the others have said, maybe you can find a new friend or neighbor that can help you out when you are at work. My DH is retired and I don't work outside of our home so we are normally around here most of the time. Some days we do decide to go out for a few hours. Sassy seems to know that we will be back soon and she is fine being home alone. I think it is often harder on us as parents than for the little one. I think Sassy probably sleeps most of the time when she is alone. I always get nervous if we are out and a thunderstom comes up. Sassy normally does fine during storms, but it still makes me nervous that she may become frightened. DH worries if we are out and Sassy's meals are going to be delayed. :wub:


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## spookiesmom (Mar 28, 2010)

I'm retired now, when I was working it was a split shift. DH worked too, so I contained her in the kitchen. She had pee pads, toys, water, and a blanket. And a sliding glass door to keep an eye on her yard. She was a baby then, but was fine.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Soda stays home by himself these days...he doesn't care to go out the door in the morning. He has a pee pad and he's just fine. Roo goes to work with me. I would start getting him use to being left alone. I think most adult dogs do fine home alone as long as they get lots of attention and exercise otherwise.


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## =supermanskivvies= (Aug 7, 2008)

Tiffany stays home while I'm at work. I sometimes set up a webcam to see what she's doing...I used the camera built in to my MacBook and Ustream ? The leading HD streaming video platform to stream it online for free. All she does is sleep! She will occasionally get up, but it's usually just to find a more comfortable position.


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## chicklet and simba (Mar 19, 2013)

Simba stays home alone in a penned area with things he needs during work hours but I have the flexibility of doing some work from home days or working less than a full shift (so long as I'm not too busy) so it's not too bad. If I have to stay long at work my boyfriend visits him. He works earlier so he can easily get to him earlier than I can. At first I was worried too because he might get lonely but I have found (through a camera) that he mostly sleeps and eats the biscuits I leave him. One time i had to work from home and he even stayed in his penned area and slept almost the entire time I was in the living room working. Like he knew it was his nap time and I was being crazy for staying and interrupting his peace.

It will be an adjustment for sure, but I don't think it can't be done. Good luck!


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## StevieB (Feb 2, 2012)

Orla, I know it is so stressful thinking about it. I'm in a different situation/stage of life than you, but I think about that often. I stay home right now, but I think what will happen if I get a job outside the home, it will be a big change for Steve. But you know what, they will be ok. In my experience (pre-kids, when I was single and working), my dog just slept all day when I was gone. So don't let it worry you too much. And even though he doesn't like strangers, you could still hire someone to come in and walk him that can tolerate him "not liking" them, just to get him out for a bit. You just do what you gotta do! It will all work out I promise.


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

I work all day too. I do have two dogs, so they are together. I have my house gated so that they have an area that is OK and safe for them to be in. They have food, water and bedding and the potty area. What I have discovered is that they pretty much adjust their schedule to our comings and goings. Mine sleep alot during the day and get active when we come home.


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## eiksaa (Jun 8, 2012)

Orla, I work full time but my husband WFH so the dogs are not alone. But there are days when he has to work at the clients' site and the dogs do just fine. I agree with others who say the dogs adjust and just sleep all day. 

Just be ready for Milo ready to go go go once you return. You must be very excited for this new phase of life. Good luck!


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## Orla (Jul 5, 2009)

Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences 
Luckily I have 4 months left in college, and chances are I won't find a job straight away, but this has been on my mind for a good while now.

I'm not as worried about it now


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

Hi Orla, I think it will work out and my experience was with a puppy vs. an adult dog. As a puppy Jodi was in a gated kitchen, and he eventually got used to being left alone. Later on as he got older, he didn't want a walk at lunchtimes, he often wanted to be picked up when I took him for a walk, so I could tell that during the day he didn't want to be active. Jodi adjusted to being at home and sometimes I woke him up at lunchtimes, so I stopped coming home and disturbing him.

 He definitely had separation anxiety as a puppy but maybe Milo will adjust quickly. If you have opportunities to leave Milo home alone now, you could do that when you can, even for an hour or two, to help him get used to it.


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## BeautifulMaltese (Dec 4, 2013)

Such an awful dilemma! I am lucky ... in the past I had a job where I could take my Zoe to work and I also have the option of my mom who is retired and lives very close. I now work for a state university so I don't think I will have that option but I still have my mom! I also live pretty close to where I work so on days she can't, for whatever reason, take care of my soon to be new puppy, I can come home. My boyfriend also owns his own business so that helps! I also have a trusted dog walker from when I had Zoe so she can help in a pinch.

You have to find multiple options to accomodate! I use every resource I can! Good luck! (And I agree, doggy day care would not be an option for me, ever....btw, your pup is adorable!


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## .13124 (Jun 1, 2012)

I'm going to be in the exact same situation as you pretty soon. I'm moving during the fall and Cici will have to stay home by herself. She has stayed home alone before, but not consecutively, just maybe once a month. I also do the webcams like everyone else has mentioned, for those times I go out to see how she does. She just sleeps! She gets to roam the house free, except rooms are closed. I think our dogs will do fine, some need a little more adjustment time than others, but as soon as they get to workout a schedule themselves I think it gets easier for them and becomes a routine. 

When I move I'm going to do it a few months before needed, so I have some time to get her adjusted to her new home and do some training before leaving her on her own, I think you might want to consider that. Help him find his favorite new spot where he enjoys taking naps, and practice leaving him alone for short periods of time and slowly increasing the time. 


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