I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

cantwait2bewed Posted: Mar 28, 2006 09:43 AM

I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

... I have been wanting a dog for awhile now i am just not able to take care of one b/c i get home between 10 and 11:30pm during the week.

I want a pomeranian dog so bad. How do you all take care of a dog while working?

M&S Sept12006 Posted: Mar 28, 2006 09:56 AM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

My advice to you is DON'T get a dog if you are not home all day...its not fair to the dog to be alone all the time. Trust me, its hard. Mike and I have a Boxer who requires a lot of time and attention, and even though I leave the house at 8am and MIke is home by 4pm, still the dog is home by himself most of the time...I would suggest waiting a little while until you're able to spend more time with the dog. They are a BIG responsibility after all.

ETA: And you want a Pomeranian that is SUCH A heavy maintenance dog with the grooming and all...you're going to have tons of hair all over the house...Im just trying to put things in perspective for you...look at the big picture.

cmastro25 Posted: Mar 28, 2006 10:15 AM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

I feel that dogs really need companionship and tend to have behaviour problems when they are left home all day, especially if you decide to cage them which many owners do to protect their belongings. Are you set with a dog? I've always been a dog lover, but FH got 2 cats about 2 years ago and I love them. Cats are much more self-sufficient and don't mind being left alone as much.

Having said that, I don't all that much about the different breeds, but you might want to do some research on dog sites to find a breed that requires the least maintenance in terms of grooming, etc...

hsacks23r Posted: Mar 28, 2006 10:17 AM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

we just got a puppy 1 month ago ALOT OF WORK

MrsR72806 Posted: Mar 28, 2006 10:26 AM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

I agree...if you don't have the time don't get a dog...especially a small dog like a pomy...my aunt has one and he is sooooooo demanding!
You are better off waiting till you can devote more time to the dog...Its like when you have a newborn baby, you don't bring it home and then leave it alone all day.

As hard as it is, wait...it will worth it!

july06bride Posted: Mar 28, 2006 11:32 AM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

we got a puppy in October and he stays in the crate while we are at work, but I dont come home too late and I have off summers and vacations etc...im a teacher... i am able to give him more time, also when we were training him I went home during lunch to take him out, it is a lot of work! Although I love my little boogie man and wouldnt trade him for the world...If I were you I would rethink it until you have more time to offer him/her

Blu-ize Posted: Mar 28, 2006 11:47 AM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

DH won't let me get a doggie for that reason. We are simply not home enough. I really want one too..

SuzBride Posted: Mar 28, 2006 11:51 AM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

Posted by SoontobeMrsR72806

I agree...if you don't have the time don't get a dog...especially a small dog like a pomy...my aunt has one and he is sooooooo demanding!
You are better off waiting till you can devote more time to the dog...Its like when you have a newborn baby, you don't bring it home and then leave it alone all day.

As hard as it is, wait...it will worth it!

I agree. Puppies need to be taken out ALOT - they say a 1 month old puppy needs to go out every hour (2 month is every 2 hours, so on). A puppy can't make it a whole day without being taken out to pee. Plus puppies need interaction to become properly socialized.

cantwait2bewed Posted: Mar 28, 2006 11:53 AM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

Posted by Blu-ize

DH won't let me get a doggie for that reason. We are simply not home enough. I really want one too..

This is why my FH wont let me have one.

roxyspark Posted: Mar 28, 2006 11:57 AM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

I adopted a dog last September, I had just moved to Los Angeles and I was lonely.

Of course my work schedule changed right after I got him and I had to hire a dog walker to come everyday when I was at work and a dog sitter for the days that I traveled. I also hired a dog trainer to help with some of his behavioral issues (He didn't like men and would try to bite any man that came near me, including FI)

I started feeling terrible because I didn't have enough time for my lil guy. After 6 months, I decided to give him to my dog walker's daughter. She had another dog and they got along really well. I still go see him at the dog park and he looks so happy with his new family.

It was really difficult to let him go, but it was the best thing for him.

So if you don't have the time to dedicate, please don't get a dog.

ML110 Posted: Mar 28, 2006 12:13 PM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

i totally agree! i've had dogs my whole life, and they need soo much time and companionship and training- it really would be unfair for you to get one with the schedule you have now... i would either get a cat ( they don't require as much companionship) or wiat until your schedule is a little less crazy and you hvae time to dedicate to a dog....
ETA: i work at a school, so i'm literally only gone frmo 8-4 and have a lot of ' breaks' and vacations... and my dog STILL goes nuts every time we come home and does crazy things to get our attention- you can tell he misses us, even though we spend a lot of time with him... so that just shows you how much they need human companionship....

EmberLynn Posted: Mar 28, 2006 01:26 PM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

My mom has a pom and she had another before him. They are cute, but they aren't the brightest. Buddy still loves to eat my moms shoes. He has expensive taste, he wont' even touch her payless stuff, only DSWs shoes espically with italian leather. His favorite.
The other dog we had Teddy we were planning to breed BUT that ment he LOVE to mark everything he came accross. Dogs are a lot of work. I suggest cats for someone with your schedual. Two cats only need their liter box cleaned once or twice a day, keep plenty of food and water and they'll be fine.

I knew a woman who had a golden reteriver. VERY sweet dog, great with kids too! All you need is plenty of water, a fenced yard, and a doggie door. Make sure you spend a lot of time with him or her when you come home. They are the sooooo sweet. My friend had to work all day but the dog was very tamed and was able to adapt to her schedual.

JUST WANTED TO ADD
If your willing to open your heart and your home to a larger dog than a pom, here me out. Their are dogs already trained in need of good homes. Theses are the dogs that failed to become see and eye dogs, police dogs, and handicap helper dogs. They are already house broken, they can do many tricks and are great family dogs. The problem is no one wants them because they aren't puppys. But they are great for someone with your schedual.

mtdr1106 Posted: Mar 28, 2006 01:29 PM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

Posted by M&S Sept12006

My advice to you is DON'T get a dog if you are not home all day...its not fair to the dog to be alone all the time. Trust me, its hard. Mike and I have a Boxer who requires a lot of time and attention, and even though I leave the house at 8am and MIke is home by 4pm, still the dog is home by himself most of the time...I would suggest waiting a little while until you're able to spend more time with the dog. They are a BIG responsibility after all.

ETA: And you want a Pomeranian that is SUCH A heavy maintenance dog with the grooming and all...you're going to have tons of hair all over the house...Im just trying to put things in perspective for you...look at the big picture.

i agree with this 100% - they are like children - sometimes worse than children - kids dont chew on table legs - i love my dog - but it is VERY demanding.
wait until you have the time to devote to this pet - youll be able to enjoy it more.

mbm750 Posted: Mar 28, 2006 07:32 PM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

Actually our schedules are why I won't even seriously consider getting a dog. Our neighbors have one and they're not home very much and when I'm home and they're not, boy do I know it. That poor dog cries the whole time. And our walls are not thin. This is the only time I've ever heard any of my neighbors. I really feel bad for the poor thing - please think twice before you do this to a helpless animal.

nickipa Posted: Mar 28, 2006 07:37 PM

Re: I so want to get a dog....advice from dog owners

my dog (see avatar pic) is a lot of work. im lucky that my schedule allows me to spend time with him because he needs a lot of exercise. its definetly a big responsibilty and if you are gone most of the day and night i would really think about holding off--a dog isn't going to be able to 'hold it' that long, plus he needs to be fed/walked.