Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 2:00 pm Post subject: Going full-time temporarily and putting dog in day care?
I've been asking work for more than 6 months if they'd be able to give me any more hours and they've always said they don't have a big enough budget on my department to cover any overtime or bigger contracts. Then, 4.5 weeks ago I brought Jake home and they've suddenly decided to offer me almost full-time hours for 12 weeks if I want it because they need extra cover before and during the world cup to deal with the extra TV sales etc.
I'd love to do it because I could really do with the extra money. Over the 12 weeks it'll be nearly £1700 (less tax) on top of what i'd usually bring home and that would be so so useful because we've had to move twice in 6 months (through no fault of our own!) and we've had some unexpected garage expenses as both of our cars died in the same month.
At the moment i'm so far into my student overdraft that it's stupid and this would pull me out of it and cover our holiday costs aswell.
BUT, Jake is very important to me and I can't leave him on his own for the 7 or 8 hours a day whilst i'm at work. My options seem to be:
1) Turn the work down
2) Find a doggy day care
3) Find a sitter
So long as it works out better for me financially (ie. I don't end up spending so much on daycare that it's not worth me going to work) then I don't mind what I spend so long as Jake gets looked after.
But i'm not even sure how to find a doggy day care or if there's even one in my area
I don't have anybody i'd trust to keep an eye on Jake whilst i'm at work, everybody I know is either at work themselves, has no experience with dogs or wouldn't be reliable enough.
For 12 weeks, I'd look at asking someone to babysit him or as angel-77 suggested, someone to pop in twice a day for toilet and some brain training to keep him from getting bored (I guess he's around 12 weeks old now?).
It may be worth your while sending a PM to Luna-tic on here, she lives not too far from you and may be able to point you in the direction of someone who can help
He's 12 weeks on saturday. For the last couple of weeks I might be able to get my sister to do it as she's just around the corner and will have finished school, but before then everyone I know who i'd trust is working.
Just spotted this!
Luna says we could kidnap Jake and keep him entertained for 12 weeks!!!
We're a bit far away to pop in, unfortunately. And depending on where you work we might be a bit far away for daycare drop off? Hope your sister can help. I don't know any dogwalkers up in that area.
I have to travel down to London for a Christening on Sunday morning As it is a family event all my usual dog sitters are travelling down as well . Luna is going to spend 24hours with her best friend pooch and family, old neighbours. I'm going to owe them lots of babysitting nights in exchange as I've a feeling she could have a 24hour rave
I'm wanting to ask Cat (with Truffle) about the scheme she seems to have found where they match up your dog with people willing to dog care in their own home for you in your area. She used it when they needed someone to look after Truffle I think. Remind me on Saturday! She's in Nottm. I don't know how far the scheme spreads but it sounds useful!
Thanks for that Laura, I did mean to PM you but then my internet connection died (boo!) and I totally forgot! I don't think I could cope without Jake for a whole 12 weeks , but thanks for the offer Definitely too far to drop him off aswell as i'll be starting work at 8am I'm not a morning person on the best of days!
I think before I decide anything i'll have to see what hours/days they'd have me doing. I know the shifts they have going are 12pm - 8pm and 8am - 5pm and I won't be allowed to do more than 36.5 hours (because that's when my pay goes to time and a half ). I'll have to do my usual hours too and then the extra hours on top and at the moment I do a full day on Saturday/Sunday and a half day on Friday and that gives me 15 hours after breaks deducted...so I imagine they'd have me doing a full day on friday, the usual on Sat/Sun and then 2 extra days.
If that's the case i'll only need dog sitter on friday and the 2 extra days because other half is home Sat/Sun. I've asked my sister and she finishes school later than I thought so definitely no good!
If I get the 8am - 5pm shifts then i'll have an hour and a half of breaks and if I can persuade them to let me take it all at once i'd have time to come and spend 45 mins with him in the middle of the day but he'd still be alone for 4 maybe 4.5 hours either side, which is too long.
If I get the 12pm - 8pm shifts then chris will be in at 5.45pm, but that's nearly 6 hours on his own Definitely need someone to check in or something.
I'd go with finding doggie-day-care whilst you work. It might only be for 12 weeks but he's just a baby. It's such an important time in his development and training - not to mention his settling in period. Someone just popping in a couple of times during the day isn't really going to cover his needs; and if he's bored when you do come home you could get some behaviour to deal with as a result. Of course, the cost of doggy-day care could well eat into the financial benefit of taking on the extra work; so you'll have to look at the options and make a decision as to wether it's a viable option. Of course, that doesn't mean to say that the doggy-day-care will consider it their responsibility to uphold your training and rules, and of course, Jake will be spending time with the other day-care dogs. It could be good for him, but he's also going to be prone to picking up any naughty tricks from them too!
____________ Jane - Rosie, Frank, Suki, Lily, Lewis
Yeah, I completely understand what you're saying and i'd prefer a day care if I can find one (or somebody that'd have him for the day) but I've not found a day care round here yet though so i'm not sure if its an option.
I've just had a quick chat with my line-manager on facebook (who thinks its hilarious that i'm trying to find doggy day care ) and she says that I have to at least take an extra day on and i've checked my contract and she's right. It does say i'll be flexible to take on up to 36.5 hours a week should the need arise - obviously when I signed that though I was hoping for the hours because I didn't have Jake.
I'll sort something i'm sure. Hopefully Cat will have some advice for me at the meet on saturday about who she used.
I've found this website because the people recommended to me are registered with them. It's a shame you have to pay to get the info but I can understand why.
http://www.paws4thoughtolddalby.co.uk/index.htm
These are the people recommended to me. I haven't had to use them yet.
I guess you could email them to see if they know of anyone your way or if they do range that far north?
It does seem more manageable when you break it down especially if you can have your breaks altogether. I'm looking to go back to work in September whether full or part-time. Loon is older and can cope with being left for 4hours but even so I can see some jiggling is going to
be needed. It's worse than making childcare arrangements I'm sure!
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. Luna is going to spend 24hours with her best friend pooch and family, old neighbours. I'm going to owe them lots of babysitting nights in exchange as I've a feeling she could have a 24hour rave 
, but thanks for the offer 
I'm not a morning person on the best of days!
). I'll have to do my usual hours too and then the extra hours on top and at the moment I do a full day on Saturday/Sunday and a half day on Friday and that gives me 15 hours after breaks deducted...so I imagine they'd have me doing a full day on friday, the usual on Sat/Sun and then 2 extra days.
