Will a Lab be okay home alone(ish)........
Discussion
Hi Everyone, for over 10 years now i've been thinking of getting a lab. The time has come where i'm settled enough to have one.
My question is, I work all day leaving at 7.30 until 5.15, my partner is a nurse and as such works long days on shifts so a max of 3 days during the week. We have two cats who are at home already during the days we arent there, will a lab cope with being home alone for 3 days out of the week? I am able to go home at lunch but that would be for 15 mins max which i think may do more harm than good?
My question is, I work all day leaving at 7.30 until 5.15, my partner is a nurse and as such works long days on shifts so a max of 3 days during the week. We have two cats who are at home already during the days we arent there, will a lab cope with being home alone for 3 days out of the week? I am able to go home at lunch but that would be for 15 mins max which i think may do more harm than good?
If you're talking puppy then not great, there will be accidents, boredom and likely destruction unless crated which would also be wrong to do for so long.
If older dog then maybe, really depends on character of dog and most labs fall into either ultra laid back and love sleep or the hyper lets go out 5 times a day!
If you went to a rescue there'd be very few who'd let you have a dog with those working hours because of the risk of boredom for the dog causing problems.
My Parents have a 15yr old toy poodle they rescued him when he was 12 (via me!) now he does sometimes get left alone 10am-6pm (3 days a week) but he is elderly loves sleep and is deaf (and going a bit blind) so he copes fine with this, sometimes my Mum gets home and is in for 5 mins before Teddy realises she's back!
You could invest in a daily dog walker to break up the day for the dog.
If older dog then maybe, really depends on character of dog and most labs fall into either ultra laid back and love sleep or the hyper lets go out 5 times a day!
If you went to a rescue there'd be very few who'd let you have a dog with those working hours because of the risk of boredom for the dog causing problems.
My Parents have a 15yr old toy poodle they rescued him when he was 12 (via me!) now he does sometimes get left alone 10am-6pm (3 days a week) but he is elderly loves sleep and is deaf (and going a bit blind) so he copes fine with this, sometimes my Mum gets home and is in for 5 mins before Teddy realises she's back!
You could invest in a daily dog walker to break up the day for the dog.
I'd love a dog, and looked into the dog walker idea. I think it worked out about 70 quid a week, so it sure aint cheap.
Most adoption centres won't give you a dog (as Bex says), and it's with good reason. It's not fair on the animal to shut them up for 10 hours a day. Plenty of people do it without incident, doesn't mean it's right though.
One day I'll have a dog, but at this rate it looks like it might coincide with retirement
Most adoption centres won't give you a dog (as Bex says), and it's with good reason. It's not fair on the animal to shut them up for 10 hours a day. Plenty of people do it without incident, doesn't mean it's right though.
One day I'll have a dog, but at this rate it looks like it might coincide with retirement
TBH it's not so much the 'not fair' bit of leaving a dog alone all day, but it's because one of the main reasons for dogs being handed into rescue centres is that the dog is left alone all day, gets bored, makes its own entertainment or barks all day through boredom
Plenty of people work FT and have a dog, but it can be hard work. A walk before and after work, regardless of weather or what kind of a crap day you've had. This is where training has to be done too. People also have to either pop home at lunchtime or get in a dog walker.
Plenty of people work FT and have a dog, but it can be hard work. A walk before and after work, regardless of weather or what kind of a crap day you've had. This is where training has to be done too. People also have to either pop home at lunchtime or get in a dog walker.
I am already up at 6 so an hour in the morning is no problem and the same if not more in the evening is a a given. Most of the time my partner does weekend shifts or night shifts so three days a week is worse case. In the early moths/years I can nip home in the middle of the day as I live very close to work. So maybe 5 hours alone max per day for 3 days max is possible.
I work Mon, Weds and Fri every week and leave my Springer at home on those days, and I've always thought it was acceptable to do so as they're alternate days. I got him when he was about 4 years old so he was pretty sensible and I've never had any problems at all with chewing etc.
He gets a good walk as soon as I get home and used to in the morning too, although now he's older we only do 10 mins in the morning as he's a bit lazy before 10 o'clock or so (like me!).
If I work a Thursday too I drop him off at my folks' house - is there anyone who could have a dog of yours on occasion?
He gets a good walk as soon as I get home and used to in the morning too, although now he's older we only do 10 mins in the morning as he's a bit lazy before 10 o'clock or so (like me!).
If I work a Thursday too I drop him off at my folks' house - is there anyone who could have a dog of yours on occasion?
TBH allot of people will have dogs and work full time but I've never had a pup and worked full time and as others have said a rescue kennel may be reluctant to give you a dog based on your circumstances. We have a lab but I've had him as a resuce since he was ~8 months, I work 0700hrs to 1500hrs unless I'm working shifts and my other half works 9-5 and comes home for her lunch for 45 mins. We have a big house and has the run of it excluding living areas and bedrooms while we're out and an enclosed garden. The funny thing is when it comes to walkies time he's the most energetic nutter of a dog, but when I'm home if I've been working shifts through the day or at weekends he just sleeps are lies in his bed.
I've been thinking of getting another rescue Lab of late.
I've been thinking of getting another rescue Lab of late.
We don't leave our lab more than 4/5 hours at a time even though I know he'd be fine for a lot longer. I work from home a lot anyway and the rest of the time the old girl picks him up lunchtime.
He's like a camel with his toilet habits though, he went from 10 in the evening to 4pm the next day once, all because he doesn't like the rain!
He's like a camel with his toilet habits though, he went from 10 in the evening to 4pm the next day once, all because he doesn't like the rain!
We leave dog alone all day for most of the working week. He is fine and if I am brutally honest he gets in a bit of a huff if I am working from home and in the house all day. He seems to enjoy his time in the house alone. I guess it means he can sleep on the chairs when no one is looking of even sneak into the bedroom for a bit of a nap on the bed.
See he seems happy enough. THis is his usual "you got a biscuit?" look on his face.
See he seems happy enough. THis is his usual "you got a biscuit?" look on his face.
Edited by carl carlson on Monday 13th June 12:08
I am in an almost identical position with me working from 630 till 530 daily and my mrs is a nurse working various shifts. Our lab has just reached 1 year old and to be honest had I fully appreciated how hard it would be working full time and looking after a pup then I think I would have had a rethink. Dont get me wrong I love him to bits and he has mellowed into a great dog but its been hard work. We are fortunate to have family close by and a brilliant 'creche' that look after him if we are unable to be at home for extended periods of 4+ hours. Otherwise he is more than happy with a bone in this crate which he will even sleep in while we are home.
If you take my job you can always work shifts and all will be amazing!!
Seriously though - we've just got a puppy (now 10 w/o) and if the missus wasn't home during the day it would be a nightmare! So far she's pissing and s
tting in the right place and not being destructive although she is a Chihuahua which aren't as destructive (or boisterous!) as Labradors.
I would have preferred a Labrador though! Although the little rat is pretty cute and very obedient!! Can't wait to take her for walkies!
Seriously though - we've just got a puppy (now 10 w/o) and if the missus wasn't home during the day it would be a nightmare! So far she's pissing and s
tting in the right place and not being destructive although she is a Chihuahua which aren't as destructive (or boisterous!) as Labradors. I would have preferred a Labrador though! Although the little rat is pretty cute and very obedient!! Can't wait to take her for walkies!
We had the wee man for 13 years and most of them he spent in the house during the day. My old man was in and out couple of times a day to let him out and give him water etc if he needed it.
As happy as he seemed, looking back on it, i'd not do it like that myself.
I will have dogs again but if they're gonna have to spend a lot of time alone then i'd get 2 of them. That's in fact my plan, would hate to have a dog at home on his own all day.
I know it would drive me mental, even if i managed to sleep for most of it.
As happy as he seemed, looking back on it, i'd not do it like that myself.
I will have dogs again but if they're gonna have to spend a lot of time alone then i'd get 2 of them. That's in fact my plan, would hate to have a dog at home on his own all day.
I know it would drive me mental, even if i managed to sleep for most of it.
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