Re: Should you get a Labrador if you work full-time? Just finished reading it, very well written . informative and non-judgemental. We both work full time, and have planned so that our pup well nearly 9 months old now, is never alone for more than 3 hours a day, and he gets plenty of mental and physical stimulation when we are around, and not, through our fantastic neighbours and dog walker. We have made sacrifices but now can't imagine life without him. Currently snoring beside me as I am working from home this morning Equally you can have a houseful of people during the day and still have a lonely dog. Popped round to see someone the other day, they have a large garden, but I noticed that there was a lot of dog poo..and all within 15 feet of the back door, which I thought strange wasn't until I saw why, and then I was saddened, the dog was called to the back door, a slip lead around her head, the lead was attached to a long rope/cord, and she was walked out the back door to do her business about 6 foot from the door... She is a beautiful ( and fat) black working line lab...
Re: Should you get a Labrador if you work full-time? That's really sad Kate. Good point that you can have an under-stimulated, badly-trained, fat and unhappy dog even if someone is home all day. It depends on the owner, and what accommodations they are prepared to make for their dog.
Re: Should you get a Labrador if you work full-time? Just thinking about it - we have neighbours with a Weimaraner and a Wire-haired German Pointer. The woman doesn't work or have children, and the dogs are her over-indulged baby substitutes. Whenever she goes out to the shops, you can hear both dogs howling the house down, even though she has only left them for an hour or two. Clearly they were NOT slowly introduced to the concept of being left alone! And since one of the dogs is aggressive, none of the neighbours would dare walk them. An example of how not to leave your dogs alone - they clearly believe that if they howl and bark, then eventually their owner comes back! I work full time. My partner works from home, but when he is away on business trips we have an army of friends and neighbours who step in to walk Poppy, or to take her over to their house for a 'play date' with another dog. Of course it takes a lot of organization, but as Pippa's article says - you need to organize regular child care if you go out to work, and the same goes for a dog that is left at home during the day. Anything else is shirking your responsibility, in my opinion.
Re: Should you get a Labrador if you work full-time? Really good article I actually notice a positive effect from not being around all the time. Perhaps a bit like a kenneled dog I suddenly become more interesting and exciting and training becomes easier as Riley is more focused on me. Mostly I work from home but when I am out and about I get a very enthusiastic dog to return to ;D
Re: Should you get a Labrador if you work full-time? [quote author=bbrown link=topic=6926.msg94149#msg94149 date=1404988897] Really good article I actually notice a positive effect from not being around all the time. Perhaps a bit like a kenneled dog I suddenly become more interesting and exciting and training becomes easier as Riley is more focused on me. Mostly I work from home but when I am out and about I get a very enthusiastic dog to return to ;D [/quote] Yes I have noticed that too, just love coming back from work, no matter how stressful the day has been, being met by a waggy tail, shrugging of my work suit to pull on an old pair of jeans and trainers and then straight out the door...actually not quite as simple as that...find clicker, find treat bag..where's his lead? oops need more sausage... ;D ;D
Re: Should you get a Labrador if you work full-time? [quote author=Karen link=topic=6926.msg94148#msg94148 date=1404988211] Just thinking about it - we have neighbours with a Weimaraner and a Wire-haired German Pointer. The woman doesn't work or have children, and the dogs are her over-indulged baby substitutes. Whenever she goes out to the shops, you can hear both dogs howling the house down, even though she has only left them for an hour or two. [/quote] I think there is a lot in this. I think it was Rachael that commented (on an earlier thread) how important it is to have dogs that can spend a few hours alone without getting themselves into a state. Charlie has company (through various routes - friends, family, myself and OH taking it in turns to work at home, leave late, get back early and so on) most of the time. But I don't regret the few afternoons he is on his own with kongs and a dog walker taking him out half way through. When I had to put him in rehabilitation for 6 weeks, I think he benefited from being a dog that was ok to be away from us, happy to adapt to others looking after him, and able to settle down alone in a crate for a few hours at a time. Other dogs there, not so, and they suffered quite badly I thought.
Re: Should you get a Labrador if you work full-time? I can see both sides of the argument. I have to start by saying I am retired and come and go as I like. From the first day I have always made a point of going out and leaving my dog at home. Only 10 minutes at first but escalating. My experience with dogs is that if there is no stimulation they curl up and go to sleep. I think, to a considerable extent time is immaterial to a dog. Perhaps this is because being left is the norm for my dogs. On the other hand I think it is totally unfair to use a dog like a library book, just take it out for a play/walk when it is convenient. They, and especially Labs need the company of people. Putting my other cap on I can see how difficult it is for today's woman. My daughter works full time and has a seven year boy, so time is at a premium (she's gone to the dark side and has cats) Dogs bring great joy to people, but they need a great deal of time and effort to turn them from a wild animal into a creature that you want to share your home and life with. Are they to become a thing that only the lucky few can have. Those like me who don't go out to work. Or those who can afford dog walkers etc. Apologies for keep 'keep changing my hat', but I try to see both sides of every story.
