Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 7:08 am Post subject: Really wamt to get a labrador but I work
For as long as I can remember I have wanted to get a labrador, I love their natures and in my mind they are the perfect family dog. I have put off getting one for many years until we were financially ok and now live in a village with lots of open space. However we both work full time and are out of the house from 8 til 4 Monday to Friday, we have 2 children aged 11 and almost 3.
Would a lab live outside happily? My parents had dogs and they worked longer hours and they were ok, or am i just being selfish?
Carol - I wouldnt recommend you leave any dog that long especially outside - I know lots of people do it including my parents when I was younger but I just wouldnt. Maybe if you could arange for someone to come home lunchtimes for an hour or so tospend some time with your dog then it will b ok but a little puppy needs feeding 4 times a day you need to consider that too.
Another option would be to look at daycare for puppy - thats what we did when we got Ruby. I work from home and hubby comes home for lunch but if all else fails we have identified a lady whom looks after dogs in the day - pricey at about a tenner a day but better than leaving them alone.
Sorry to sound so negative I hope you find a way round. We too waited years and years for a dog as my working pattern didnt allow.
Speak to someone at Labrador rescue,although they like you not to be away from home for longer then 4 hours at a time-they do have older dogs that have always lived outside.Someone there will advise you.
You would need someone to pop in at lunchtime to walk and entertain your dog, but when a puppy they need lots of toilet breaks as there bladders cannot hold much so someone would need to be around more often for the first few months
Hi carol,
Even with a secure garden I would be very worried about a dog being outside when no one is around to keep an eye. Dog theft is on the increase and a dog on its own would be very vulnerable. Is there any particular reason why you prefer the dog to be kenneled in the garden and not kept indoors?
There is no real reason for wanting the dog to be outside, other than the dogs my parents had had full use of their kennel and sectioned off garden whilst they were at work and that seemed ok, however in these days and the number of thefts I can see why it wouldn't be a good idea.
How can someone do that?
If the dog was inside would you let it have its crate open and full run of the kitchen? With paper down for accidents?
HI,
Crating a pup, apart from keeping the pup and your home safe when you aren't there to watch it, is based on making the crate the dog's 'den'. So for this, you need to work on the fact that dogs tend to avoid soiling in their 'den' and so they need to be let out (evry regularly as pups) to do their buisness in the appropriate place.
I wouldn't leave a young pup in a crate for more than an hour to 2 hours at first, but an older dog can normally hang on for 3-4 hours without needing to pee or poop.
Is there anyone locally you could ask to come in and let the pup out during the day and spend time with it? Then if you are able to come home at lunchtime too it could be workable
I could get home at lunchtime so puppy/dog would only be left for 4 hours, then have dinner and a walk each day.
OHH thats fine then. We crated Ruby from day one and she was left for 4 hours mornign and 4 hours afternoon from 9 weeks old - only twice a week mind you but there are people on here who do it everyday.
Sounds perfectly workable to me though - you need to get them used to it gradually I bookd 2 weeks off work when we first got ruby and left her 10 mins he first day and built it up gradually so the first day I went back to work she was fine. We de crated at about 10 months old but that is down to personal choice sme choose to crate the whole life.
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