# Going Back To Work



## Keeley (Apr 24, 2011)

Hi there,

Just wondering about what all you puppy mummy and daddies that work full-time do... both my partner and I work full-time, but he works 7-3, and I'm fortunate enough to have flexible working, so I can start work at 10, and take a lunchbreak to go home and take the dog out. 

Jarvis is 11 weeks old tomorrow, but for now I am taking week about of holiday with my partner to care for him. At the moment we can leave him on his own for around 2-3 hours to go to the shop etc, and he is fine, no crying, no accidents, and he sleeps all night in the kitchen from around 11-6:30/7ish without crying and accidents. 

I'd like to eventually go back to working a bit earlier again - I like to start early so I can get home again earlier, haha - but I obviously wouldn't do anything that would make my pup unhappy. Just wanted to see how you guys worked it! 

Thanks in advance.


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## Newbie (Feb 15, 2011)

I've taken the whole summer off - a break in between jobs. We basically waited to get a puppy until it was financially possible for me to take a long break so I could be at home to look after her. However, I'm going to try and work from home so I'm around for a while. 

You could always pop Jarvis in puppy daycare?


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Dont have the same issues Keeley. I work a couple of nights so they are nt left really... but it has been hard while Mables been little getting enough sleep during the day, its getting easy as she's getting older .. good luck Im sure you'll work it out x


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## Keeley (Apr 24, 2011)

Thanks guys. 
I'm lucky that I don't work too far from the house and I do get the option to work at home some days. I have a friend who is lucky enough that her husband can take the puppy to work as he's the manager of a bookshop... don't think they'd let me take Jarvs to work and keep him under my desk though. 

Couldn't leave him for 8/9 hours all week anyway; not much of a life for the dog.


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Yeh if I needed to do anything that needed longer than your "3 hour window" my hubby would take Wilf with him to work... he has nt taken Mable yet as she'd be too playful just yet and not sure he'd be ok taking 2 really ... might be pushing it a little x


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## Mrs Stevo (May 2, 2011)

I'm going to have the opposite problem! I am physically disabled so I do not work and I am concerned that I will be spending too much time with Holly. 

Have you thought about a dog walker so Jarvis has company if you feel he is left alone too long? It's never easy and each decision can feel like a mountain to climb, thank goodness for this site so we can canvas opinion
xx


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## Keeley (Apr 24, 2011)

Mrs Stevo said:


> Have you thought about a dog walker so Jarvis has company if you feel he is left alone too long? It's never easy and each decision can feel like a mountain to climb, thank goodness for this site so we can canvas opinion
> xx


That's a fab idea, Liz! Never thought of that. 
Sometimes I have to do things like go to Edinburgh for a meeting (about 140 miles away) so my partner would have to take time off etc, but a dog walker would solve that! Will look into it! Thank you. 

This site is a bit of a saviour, I have to say. 
I guess there is a possibility that an owner can spend too much time with the dog, but I wouldn't worry. They are so adaptable. I always make sure that we give Jarvis downtime where he is left to his own devices to get used to being alone. 
(Although, I always end up failing and going to speak to him! Haha.)
The dogs are very intelligent, they are not a clingy breed. Very affectionate, but independent.

Thanks for the idea!


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## weez74 (Feb 9, 2011)

I work 3 days a week but we have a nanny at home for the kids on those three days, she loves dogs and didn't mind us getting a puppy, so we went for it. But when the kids are both at school, I think I'm going to use doggy day care. There's one near my work apparently, so I'll drop the kids at school, then drop Rosie at day care and then go to work!


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## Keeley (Apr 24, 2011)

Is the doggy day care expensive, do you know?


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

I work 2 days a week. Leave the house at 7.35am and back about 3.40pm. At the moment my hubbie has been able to work from home for a few hours on the days I work so that Lolly is only in her crate for 4 hours or so. In my head (before we got Lolly) I thought as it's only 2 days I could just pop home in my lunch break (I'd have about 10 minutes at home) to feed her and let her out for a toilet break and all would be fine but in reality I think her getting out for 10 minutes and then going back in her crate is awful and I can't do it to her. 
So fingers crossed that hubbie can keep arranging his work diary to include some work from home time and I'm lucky to have a couple of friends who can have Lolly if we're really stuck.


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## weez74 (Feb 9, 2011)

I think it's about £16 a day.


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## weez74 (Feb 9, 2011)

There are also dog walkers who will come to your house and get your dog, then take them for a long walk and a play. It's a bit cheaper, I think.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I work from 8 till 4 as a teacher (I am getting Dexter at half term). My daughter does shift work so is at home a lot when I'm not. I work round the corner from school and intend to nip back at lunchtime or when I have the odd free. There is a doggy daycare very close to where I live for those days I can't get back and I may well also pay a dog-walker to come in too. This worked fine with my cavalier and he never complained about being left. He just got used to his routine of a walk early morning, sleeping in the morning, an hours excercise at lunchtime, sleeping in the afternoon again and another walk when I got home. He was very lively all evening and played a lot with my 3 children in the house and the garden which they loved.
I never used a crate and would have felt bad shutting him in for hours. He actually had free run of the house and used to go into all the rooms sleeping on all the beds (!). He used to like sitting high up on the sofa where he could see out of the window and bark at all the dogs and cats he saw outside. He was never destructive either and he would happily chew his bones and barely notice when I left for work.


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## caradunne (Nov 29, 2010)

I am at home with Izzy and she is quite clingy and was not at all socialised with other dogs when I got her even though the breeder had lots of dogs and cats. Izzy was very frightened of any dog we met and would run between my legs crying - crazy dog! Puppy classes helped a bit, but the opportunity to play and socialise was limited. We made friends with a cocker spaniel puppy who lives close by and the two dogs are happy playing and walking together. However on her own Izzy remained very frightened of other dogs. A local kennels offers day socialisation which Izzy has been going to for several months now. This has transformed her, she is gaining in confidence and is very happy to spend her day there. I pay £10 a day for this and the kennel also take day care dogs for people who work - some of the dogs go three days a week, some one and a couple go all week. They are all very happy there and well cared for, they spend most of the day in fenced large play areas. I have a friend that works full time and she has a dog walker that comes to her house (she has a key) and collects Ruby for a two hour walk with other dogs every day and that also works very well.
I am sure you will find a solution, it is good that you are concerned and not happy to leave your pup on its own every day! xx


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

Mrs Stevo said:


> I'm going to have the opposite problem! I am physically disabled so I do not work and I am concerned that I will be spending too much time with Holly.
> 
> xx


I don't think that spending too much time with your dog is really a problem. I'm with Dylan practically 24/7 - I work from home and often when I go out I will take him and leave him in the car to wait for me if it's only an hour (not in hot weather of course). You will just need to make sure that she comes to respect that you are not available for play all day. Dylan meets lots of other dogs when we are out walking and has learnt to socialise that way. I did realise, however, that we weren't taking him out on a lead to busy places enough, and he is difficult in that sort of environment, so we are trying to do that a bit more now.


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