forums: Home & Daycare

Can't afford dog walking

7 posts, 7 voices

	back to Home & Daycare topics
Participants in this thread:	LaurenUofM26 Chan Grace onthewater.3 A Jolly Bengali Raspberries vul104
LaurenUofM26 New York, NY 1 post	I LOVE dogs, and would love to get two dogs, but I live in New York city, work 10 hour days, and dog walkers are very expensive (about $15 for a 15 min walk which adds up to about $3,500 a year per dog). Is it inhumane to leave two dogs alone in the apartment for 10 hours? Are there other options besides dog walkers? Any ideas – I want to be a responsible dog owner, but I don’t think I can afford a dog walker or doggie daycare.
Chan Texas 3 posts	IMHO, it is cruel to leave dogs unattended for 10 hours on a routine basis, especially if they need to be walked in order to pee and poop. Having two would give them some companionship, and if you got small dogs and trained them to use pee pads or a litter box, it might not be as bad, but you’d have to take off work to train them to the pee pads or litter box because they’re not going to train themselves! Also, being left alone with each other that much might cause them to bond more closely with each other than humans and cause socialization problems. Are there any older, retired people in your neighborhood who could perhaps come by in the middle of the day to see about them? A lot of older people love dogs, but don’t feel that it’s fair to get one that might outlive them.
Grace 46 posts	I totally sympathize with the problem – and good for you for thinking about this stuff before you get the dog. But I agree with Chan, 10 hours is too much time alone. It’s too long for them to hold it, and even if you litter trained them, it’s bad for their mental health. You could wind up with a dog who chews your apartment to pieces out of boredom and frustration. Chan’s suggestion about the neighbor is a good one. Another option: if it’s possible to work at home or bring your dog to work a few days a week, you’d pay less for a walker or daycare. If it’s just not the right time, maybe you could volunteer for a local shelter or rescue instead of getting a dog. I did that when I couldn’t have dogs, and it’s very satisfying. You get some doggie time in, and they’re SOOOO happy for the walks and attention.
onthewater.3 22 posts	Here’s a fun quiz “Are you ready for a dog?” Answer the questions truthfully and see what happens! http://dogtime.com/ready-or-not/question/1
A Jolly Bengali Pittsburgh 1 post	Like Lauren, I also work long hours and couldn’t afford a daily dog walker or doggy daycare; not more than once a week at least. However, I own my house – so here’s what I was thinking – build a kennel run attached to back of the house (probably 10’x10’) with a doggy door so the dog could go out to do his business or stay in if he wants. He wouldn’t be confined outdoors; he’d be an indoor dog but have the option to go out while I’m gone. I’ve researched methods for making the kennel dig and jump-proof so I’m confident of those safety measures. And I’m not intending the kennel to be a substitute for daily walks. Do you folks think that would be sufficient?
Raspberries 38 posts	Hello my friend, I can understand how it feels to thrive for canine company. Unfortunatly, if you bought two dog and left them for 10 hours straight, they might become destructive. This is because, dogs are quite social animals, and can develope Seperation Anxiety. Seperation Anxiety is when a dog is becoming stressed due to lack of exercise and being seperated from their family for long periods of time. If Seperation Anxiety developes the dog can get agressive or extremly timid, detroy the household, and barking can become a habit. He can develope depression or can literally, eat himself up. So if you can not afford a dog watcher or at least find a trustworthy neighbor to help out, I don’t think a canine is an ideal pet. Although I do comfirm with Grace’s idea of helping out at a local shelter in your spare time. I personally think will feel good helping out those poor canines, and the help will be greatly appreciated. I hope I’ve insprired you, and good luck.
Jun 25, 2008 1:29pm vul104 1 post	i work at least 10 hrs per day in a las vegas mega casino in management…. i am originally from nyc so i know how hard it is sometimes. i have two jack russel terriers as well to boot! in spite of that, i still manage to have them trained to where i walk them before and after working. each walk is at least 30 minutes swift walking pace with lots of mental stimulation. ie: have them sit, stay out of the blue. i usually have them sit and stay and i walk a good 20 some odd feet and then call hem over…they love it…it keeps them physically and mentally active and soon drained. when at work, they are both crated. during my “weekend” if i have one, i take them out to the dog park for about 60+ minutes on top of the usual routine walks. i still have a social life too! it is still do-able but it takes a routine to walk them before and after you come home. both my JRTs are still very happy dogs. and i’m sure if anyone knows about JRTs, they are ridiculously full of energy. i’m in love with the breed and actually in looks of rescuing another too. but the main thing is to find time to take them out before and after work…
New User New Post	formatting help for bold: bold for italic: _italics_ You'll be asked to sign in or register on the next page. or cancel
	back to Home & Daycare topics