# What would you do. . .?



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

If your job/life suddenly changed and you had to be out of the house for 10-12 hours, several days per week? Assume for the sake of argument that your dog doesn't do well in daycare, since many GSDs do not. 

How would you care for your dog(s)? I'm also interested in hearing from those who do have to be gone that long and are making it work.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

That must be extremely rough for you- and nerve wrecking! I'm sorry I don't have any personal advice (I am so fortunate to live within 3.4mi of work). However- I do recall that Castlemaid brings her dogs to work with her, and they hang out in the car. Since she's up in Canada where it can get very cold (I'd image you have the opposite problem) I'd still recommend PM'ing her to discuss dealing with temp extremes, and perhaps even basic car setup...

See here (read first sentence): http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ures/177210-hanging-out-work-helicopters.html


----------



## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

Well being that there is nothing in this world that would make me give my dog up, I would make it work.

A couple of years ago my husband took a job in Philly, coming home almost every weekend. I was working full time (8 hrs/day, gone 9 hrs with the drive to/from work- sometimes 10+ if I had to run errands) and I was going to grad school. I don't think my dog noticed at all. I took him for a walk in the morning, many times to a park by my house for some good squirrel chasing. Then, as soon as I got home I would take him for about an hour walk, once a week go to agility training, play fetch, etc and still have time to study, make dinner and watch TV. If I was gone for a few more hours a day, I wouldn't have had time to watch TV and maybe have to stay up a little later studying, but still could provide enough exercise and attention. 

Thankfully, Mikko is only home alone now three days a week, for about 8 hrs/day. But I know if I was gone for 10-12 hrs, I'd sacrifice my own relaxing time to make him happy. Giving him up would devastate him.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

We leave at 7am. Scott comes home at noon to let them out. BUT that was not always the case. That's only been the last year that he's worked close enough for that. We used to leave at 7am and not get home till 5-6pm. They do adjust and we never had a mess to come home too. Do you have the option of having someone come in at noon to let them out?


----------



## Greydusk (Mar 26, 2010)

I would try to get a dog walker (someone affordable) to let my dog out once or twice a day. Or like Wildo said, I would bring him with me to work weather permitting and walk him on my break (I have done this in the past with long days in school). I think it would be rough but doable, dogs can be pretty adaptable.


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I do sometimes have to work short term jobs that have very long hours (12 to 14 hour days). I have done a couple of different things. Weather permitting, I take my dog(s) with me and leave them in the truck. During my breaks I walk and play with the dogs. If that is not possible I ask a friend or neighbor to come in and walk and feed them. Sometimes I've been able to trade animal care and other times I have paid the person. 

I just did this two weeks ago. I had a two day symposium that I was running here in town. I had a nice young man who lives in the neighborhood and loves animals come and talk care of my animals.

ETA: When I lived in Albuquerque I was gone from 7:30am to 5:30pm and Massie did fine. When I got home I took her for an hour or two hike. This was a huge change for her b/c previously I had been able to take her to work with me.


----------



## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Might be a "controversial" opinion, but I would get some indoor/outdoor runs set up so the dogs can exercise themselves, go potty and still have shelter out of the elements till I came home. I would feel bad not letting them have potty breaks or a safe area to run for that long of a time span. Being a worst case scenario person, I would probably get a security system rigged up for the kennels with some good padlocks as well just to deter any opportunistic thieves. Then with any time that I had off, I would make sure to really up the quality time spent with my dogs to compensate for the time away. I would never give them up. I would have to find a way for it to work because no job is worth giving up my dogs.


----------



## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

For Abby's first 2 years we had a dog walker come at noon.
She was crated until she was 5-6 months (forget which).
She has a 'safe' room that she was/is comfortable in.
When she turned 2 I retired. Being home I noticed right away how
comfortable she was sleeping all morning and afternoon.


----------



## cshepherd9 (Feb 11, 2010)

I am gone every M-F from 7-5 (10 hours) and my dogs do fine at home alone. I have never had any problem with leaving them that long. The only issue I had was when Willow was a pup and then I had someone come over in the afternoon to let her out. 
If something comes up and I can't make it home straight from work (which happens maybe once every year) I just have a friend that lives close come over and let them out.


----------



## &RIGGS (Nov 30, 2011)

I'm about to find myself in this very situation. I have a 6.5 month old pup and just took a job that will require me to be out of the house for 9-10 hours a day. I have 2 weeks to prepare.

My boyfriend works close enough to come home a couple days a week at lunch and a friend has offered to help out one or two days a week as well...at least for a while until I feel comfortable with leaving him for 9 hours. (I'm assuming - using the # of months + 1 rule - that in another couple of months 9 hours won't be a problem assuming he's getting proper exercise/stimulation before and after). Here's to hoping it's not too much of a struggle to make the switch.


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

wildo said:


> That must be extremely rough for you- and nerve wrecking!


I'm not going through it now.  Just thinking because it may come up in the near future. Thanks though. :hugs:


----------



## LaneyB (Feb 5, 2012)

I would hire somebody to let them out around noon. 

With our foster dog, my daughter was in sports after school so Holli would have been in her crate from 7am through 5 or 5:30pm. I was able to hire a high school senior who I trusted to let her out at 2:30pm and stay with her until we got home. I would have rather let her out around noon, but we lived in the middle of nowhere at that time, and dog walkers weren't easy to find. The good thing was the senior was very inexpensive - I just had to also make sure I had some snacks for her to eat since she was hungry after school.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I was going to post, then I see that Willy already posted for me.  

Though I can often bring the dogs, I do at times leave them at home for 10 - 11 hours at a time: in deep winter when the cold is extreme, or high summer when the heat is scorching (though scorching heat here is relative since you live in Texas). 

I leave them loose in the house, but separated by a baby gate (baby gate*s*), on on top of the other, as Gryffie can jump a baby gate like it wasn't even there). I separate them just for extra safety - they get along really well, but who knows what can happen when you have a young male that is maturing and coming into his own and an older bullying wanna-be alpha. 

I have been critiziced for the length of time I leave them home without a bathroom break, but I have been doing it for years, and never had any issues. When I get home, they aren't too much in a hurry to relieve themselves, too excited to greet me, greet each other (because, being separated by the baby gate, they act like they haven't even seen each other all day), too interested in finding the other dog's bone to streal it, too excited to grab a ball and do a fetch-with-me dance, too excited to go and sniff the area outside in case any stray dogs have visited. We have to go and walk a bit for them to start thinking about relieving themselfs, which all makes me think that they aren't suffering any from being not allowed out for that length of time. 

Though both Gryff and Keeta can be fully trusted out loose, I wouldn't have any problems crating them for that long if I needed to. The thing too about bringing my dogs to work with me, is that the parking lot at work is remote away from traffic and not much comings and goings. I don't know if I would be comfortable having in the car all day if I worked downtown, for example, and parked on a street or a car-park.


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

There's a lot of ways to 'think outside the box', I've seen adopters set up a small pen in their garage, for instance, with a dog door, or just a dog door in and out of the house.
After having our cat dragging in all manner of wildlife in various stages of death and dying, my husband is adamant he doesn't want a dog door again.
The foster home we utilize has a dog door and the fosters acclimatize to it, but it's not for dogs that may escape. We had one that did, and she lost it a few times (eek!) and then brought it back to swap for another dog that didn't escape like that. 

Other ideas are a full outdoor run, or a bring the "outdoor" run inside, in a basement for instance. 
Take the dog with you to work. 
Have a friend or relative stop by daily to let dog out. 

We're very country and I would probably leave one dog out during the day (secure yard) but if I had to be gone up to 10hrs. a day I would have to look at something different because the rest of the dogs don't all get along, plus there is a size discrepancy which could lead to an injury if all were left out together.


----------



## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

I did it for a number of years after my divorce. Eventually I got physical custody of my children and then my dog only had about 6hrs. to be alone.

For the time that I was single before my kids came to live with me I had the situation you describe.

My dog stayed in the yard. The yard had six foot fencing but if not I would have made a kennel. My dog had shade trees and a covered patio. I live in California so the weather was not a problem. My dog was not a barker unless someone came up to the property, nor was she destructive so honestly it wasn't all that hard. My time off she was pretty much with me the whole time.

I know many are against yards and give a zillion things that can happen. All my dogs for many years including now were indoor out door dogs and nothing awful ever happened.
The worst thing that ever happened to me was with my first GSD many years ago. She decided she wanted to go with me to work or somewhere and jumped through a bedroom window. Right through the glass. She hit it so hard that she really only had a few scratches, thankfully.

I personally would not crate a dog for that many hours day after day. I would find another solution or rehome them.
Not suggesting that you would do that.
Anyway it worked for me.
If you would be in an apt. I have no clue other than having a friend or hiring someone to come in.


----------



## LaneyB (Feb 5, 2012)

the dog doors are a good idea if you are confident your dogs won't escape. I had two lazy dogs (lab and bulldog), and we had a dog door for them. They really only went in the yard to use the bathroom. 

I like the idea about confining them in different parts of the house. That is what I plan to do once my new puppy is a few years old (assuming my old lab is still alive). I cannot let them use the dog door anymore though, because my lab is blind and I doubt my german shepherd will be lazy.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I don't think the alone time is as important as the time we actually spend with our animals. It would be very easy after working a rough 12 hours to want to crash and relax before we have to get up and do it all over again.


----------



## kiya (May 3, 2010)

Lilie said:


> I don't think the alone time is as important as the time we actually spend with our animals. *It would be very easy after working a rough 12 hours to want to crash and relax before we have to get up and do it all over again*.


Thats why I get up so early, so no matter what or how tired I am I took the dogs out for a good walk. When I get home from work there isn't much time or engery for much more.
I am fortunate to have a secure yard for the dogs. Everyone in my neighborhood has dogs. During the day its quiet, my dogs sleep for the most part. The later part of the afternoon thru evening guarantee there is a dog or dogs barking somewhere. 
When the weather is bad, my dogs have been in the house for almost 9.5 hours if hubby is working late. I always feel horrible leaving them so long, except for the occasional accident hasn't been a problem.
I think 12 hours is way too long without a potty break.


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Lilie said:


> I don't think the alone time is as important as the time we actually spend with our animals. It would be very easy after working a rough 12 hours to want to crash and relax before we have to get up and do it all over again.


I def. agree with this, I'm just thinking about the implications of leaving a senior alone for 12 hrs (incontinence?) and young WL pup alone for 12 hrs (bouncing off the walls? Driving the senior bonkers?)

I'm thinking a dog door might be a good idea, especially as Rocky ages.

Whether I get to stay in school or end up having to find a job, these days of only leaving them alone for 4-5 hours at a stretch are coming to an end.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Emoore said:


> I def. agree with this, I'm just thinking about the implications of leaving a senior alone for 12 hrs (incontinence?) and young WL pup alone for 12 hrs (bouncing off the walls? Driving the senior bonkers?)


I agree, 12 hours every day would be pushing it. I have a nearly 12 year old Golden Retriever (I've mentioned before of his adverse reactions to being inside) who due to an injury is being contained in a large kennel about 16' long during the day. He refuses to use the bathroom while in the kennel. I didn't see that one coming. I don't know what I would have done if I wasn't able to go home during lunch to provide him with a potty break. Could be, he'd just go ahead and potty in the kennel. But I just don't know.


----------



## lq2011 (Mar 10, 2011)

I work 4 10 hour days each week and I have what I consider an ideal set up for us. My dogs each have a 12x15 kennel outside, with a dog door into our heated garage. Inside the garage they have 5x7 pens with their food, water and beds. In the summer, the garage is cool and in the winter I don't have to worry they will be cold since the garage is heated. Granted, this won't work for everyone, but I love it. I have no worries. The kennels have tops on them to keep my "houdini" female in and anything else out. I have locks on the outer gates and only use them for cleaning up and use the doors inside the garage for daily use.


----------



## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

Emoore said:


> I def. agree with this, I'm just thinking about the implications of leaving a senior alone for 12 hrs (incontinence?) and young WL pup alone for 12 hrs (bouncing off the walls? Driving the senior bonkers?)
> 
> I'm thinking a dog door might be a good idea, especially as Rocky ages.
> 
> Whether I get to stay in school or end up having to find a job, these days of only leaving them alone for 4-5 hours at a stretch are coming to an end.


Falko is 9 yrs, ill and can no longer wait all day while I am at work. He has full house privileges and he has chosen a "spot" and so I keep newspapers there and all is well. I accept that it is not his fault, and he seems to sense that I do.

Tybor just turned 1 year old today. (Happy Birthday little buddy)! He is too rough with Falko and the cats, so no house privileges, but he has full run of the cellar. If he has an accident, I let it go. 

I feel more comfortable knowing that both of them know that if they have to go, they do not have to suffer. They both try to wait, but it does not always happen. So I clean up and let it go.

Another thing you may want to consider is working second shift. That would leave you a lot more quality time to spend with them and help make sure their needs are taken care of before you go to work.


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

If the dog door doesn't work, I'd try to get a neighbor to put him out a couple times a day while you're gone. If that's impossible I'd hire someone who could let him out, take him for a walk, whatever you feel would be important for him while you're at work. GOOD LUCK!!!


----------



## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

Since I chose nursing as my profession, it is likely that I will be working 12 hour shifts if I ever find a job. If not, 8 hour shifts, which would make me out of the house for 9 hours. Luckily for me, Ditto does GREAT alone! At this time, she wouldn't be alone because I live with my family, but in the past I have left her for 9 hours a few days a week for school and she was fine (unless she has digestive issues.) If I didn't think they could hold their bladder (or in Ditto's case, her bowels), I would ask a neighbor to let her out. If I couldn't find someone to let her out, I would just leave her and she would go in the house. It isn't ideal, but, if it HAD to be done, its better than nothing. I would never put her in 'daycare' even though she would like it, because I don't trust people to care for my animals as well as I do.


----------



## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Emoore said:


> If your job/life suddenly changed and you had to be out of the house for 10-12 hours, several days per week? Assume for the sake of argument that your dog doesn't do well in daycare, since many GSDs do not.
> 
> How would you care for your dog(s)? I'm also interested in hearing from those who do have to be gone that long and are making it work.


Welcome to the club. 

I come home at lunch. I've done so since July of last year. I don't enjoy the drive, nor giving up my lunch hour, but the dogs must be let out, so it is what it is. 

I either make my lunch ahead of time or pick it up at the convenience store (sandwich of some kind), in the morning because work is 20+ minutes from home and I only have an hour for lunch. I eat in the car on the way.

I'm on the verge of breakup with the bf, so I'm going to need to change the plan here. Currently, bf goes to work late two days per week, so I don't have to come home those days. Once bf goes, I'll have to come home those days as well. That just won't work. I'm going to start checking into dog walkers. It'll cost a penny or a hundred, but again, it just is what it is. I don't actually need a "walker," I just need someone to let the kids out for a short time, let them potty and get them properly back into their crates. (the ones that are crated.)

Ideal, no, but it just is what it is and has to be done.


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Castlemaid said:


> The thing too about bringing my dogs to work with me, is that the parking lot at work is remote away from traffic and not much comings and goings. I don't know if I would be comfortable having in the car all day if I worked downtown, for example, and parked on a street or a car-park.


In Nevada there are laws about leaving a dog in the car, I'm not sure about other states but OP should probably check local laws.


----------



## ColoradoVDGS (Mar 16, 2012)

I used to work for a company called Fetch!Pet care.( Dog Walking, Dog Boarding, Pet Care, Pet Sitting, Cat Care - Dog Walking, Pet Sitting, Dog Boarding, Cat Sitting by Fetch! Pet Care) I had several clients that just needed the dogs walked because they were busy or couldn't physically do it anymore. (age/disabilities) Reasonable prices and if they are in your area I would check them out.


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

msvette2u said:


> There's a lot of ways to 'think outside the box', I've seen adopters set up a small pen in their garage, for instance, with a dog door, or just a dog door in and out of the house.


That's what we do. I work 4 days a week and am gone between 9-1/2 and 10 hours those days. My husband is a general contractor with a home office, and with construction slow right now he's home a lot, but there have been jobs where he was gone as many hours a day as me or even more. The garage pen with dog door to an outside run has been our solution for 12 years and it's worked just fine.


----------

