# Having a dog and a full job



## DesertDoll (Mar 22, 2011)

I'm just curious how you guys deal with having dogs and a full time job. What do you for the dogs during the day? Do you crate them, or let them wonder around the house? 



My boyfriend brought that topic up to me and it made me worry... What do I do when I go to work?


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

I am happy to tell you how we do it. We did this for years and years with our boy who passed away, at age 13, last fall and with our 2 new girls who we got in November and January.

My husband and I both work outside the home. We have for 25+ years. During the day, our babies stay in this:
Amazon.com: Superyard XT Play Yard: Baby

We got the rubber puzzle type floor like they have in gyms. Ours is black. Some child care centers have it in bright colors. Their bed, blankets, water, potty pad and toys are in it. We have the heat up (or the air conditioner really warm) and the television is turned on the the Disney Channel. 

Once we are home, the attention is theirs. We rarely do anything that does not involve them and we take them everywhere. They also sleep with us. I figure it is a reverse schedule of many other dogs who are in a crate/play yard during the night. They are not placed in this area as punishment. If we do have a wedding or dinner that cannot be carry out, then they are in it for that time. 

Sure, if I was a stay at home mom or did not work outside my home I might do things differently, but that is not the case. My dogs are still happy, social well adjusted and spoiled!


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## DesertDoll (Mar 22, 2011)

Thank you so much!!! I was really worried about leaving my future baby home alone. I'm sure I can find a nice play pin of sorts. What kind of toys do you use to keep them busy? I hear kongs work really well.


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## Finn (Sep 14, 2010)

Finn is out all day when I'm at work--he uses an "indoor park." That product has really worked for us, and fortunately he uses it. With my long commute, I am usually gone 12 hours each day (which is why I don't have puppies--just adult rescue dogs). Annie is in a good sized playpen (like the previous post) with her bed, toys, and bully stick. They can see each other, but no romping together when Mom's not home. If Finn and Annie were left out together, there is no telling what I'd come home to! When i'm home, Annie is out. They are both very, very happy dogs--maybe because their backgrounds were so horrible, they are happy to have a loving home, even without a stay at home mom.


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## DesertDoll (Mar 22, 2011)

That's a good idea. Bully sticks sound like a good idea.


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## Lace914 (Mar 23, 2011)

My husband and I also work full time. When we first got out pup, we kept him in a playpen for puppies that we found at PetSmart for 80 dollars or so. He very quickly learned how to get out of that by pulling down the zippers! 
After he was completely potty trained, we decided to let him wander around the house. He seems much more content that way and less anxious when we leave.
It is important to make sure your pup can't get into anything if you leave him out. We close the doors to the rooms and put a baby gate up so he stays out of the kitchen.


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## DesertDoll (Mar 22, 2011)

My boyfriend and I are computer nerds. We have something like 10 computers plus plenty of computer parts. We're putting away anything lose, but there are lots of wires. I like the play pin idea so far.


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## kimr (Nov 14, 2010)

I leave home at 6:30 a.m., my husband doesn't leave until 7:30 a.m.. 

Gracie is crated, mainly because she's still a pup (10 months) and even though she's never chewed a thing up, I'm terrified that she might do something to hurt herself if left unsupervised loose in the house. She's 100% housetrained, but I still won't take the risk - I had a dachsund puppy electrocute himself by chewing into an electrical cord when I was a kid, and I'm a little overprotective.

Pedro is free in the house. He's an adult - 3 years old. 

My husband comes home at noon and takes them outside, then I usually get home around 2 or 3 p.m. 

They do just fine! Our staggered schedules made housetraining/crate training easier for us, and my husband is ALOT of help with both of them, so that's a plus. He has no reservations about stomping around outside with a tiny little dog in a dress!

They both sleep with us at night.


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## DesertDoll (Mar 22, 2011)

LOL You should post a pic of that!


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## Gingersmom (Mar 12, 2009)

they have free reign with three doors with walk through gates which they can't get through, 12 beds, two body pillows, water and pee pads... access to all their toys, oh and two pup tents...we have heat pumps, so we set and leave alone. They do fine. Mia at 8 months will occasionally miss the pee pad but otherwise no problems... They have about 1200 sq feet to run and play in...LOL


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

Gingersmom said:


> they have free reign with three doors with walk through gates which they can't get through, 12 beds, two body pillows, water and pee pads... access to all their toys, oh and two pup tents...we have heat pumps, so we set and leave alone. They do fine. Mia at 8 months will occasionally miss the pee pad but otherwise no problems... They have about 1200 sq feet to run and play in...LOL


Now that is the life!!
Mine are too young yet to try leaving on their own. One is a naughty chewer and the other a climber (as in on the back of the couch or high on the back of a chair). Our boy, bless him, could only be left out 2 hours at a time (like lunch and grocery store or church and lunch) or he pottied inside. He was a go out boy, no potty pad training. Oh, how I hope mine can become like yours when they get a bit older!!


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## omguthrie (Oct 13, 2009)

My girl is crated in a small crate with just bedding while I'm gone which can be anywhere from 7:30am to 3:00pm or 4:30pm. When I'm home she is out and about in the house with the rest of the dogs. She sleeps in her crate at night. The border collies are allowed free run of the house while I'm gone. Lilo is crated because I don't quite trust her not to potty in the house if I'm gone for long periods and I will absolutely not use potty pads and because I want to keep her safe. When she gets a little more trustworthy I'll start leaving her out for short times and start extending it.


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## DesertDoll (Mar 22, 2011)

Ever wonder what dogs do while their humans are away? I always imagined them laying on furniture when they're not supposed to.


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## LostLakeLua (Sep 6, 2009)

I took the easy way out. I quit my job. =P Okay okay so economically that's not the best suggestion for most people and I'm not suggesting anyone do that, but I literally (and yes I mean ME) have separation anxiety if I'm away from my Kahlua. I do have a job now technically, but it's working with friends and usually not even 8 hours in a week so it doesn't stress me out like having a normal job.

Previously, Rob and I worked pretty much alternating schedules. When we leave the house to run errands or something we can't take the dogs with, they get left in our bedroom which is puppy proofed and basically a playpen like the others have mentioned. Has a 2ft x 4ft grass patch potty area if they need to go, and a water. I leave out chew toys, but never anything TOO 'high value' as I don't want to encourage any possession-aggression and I don't let them have bones or anything unsupervised anyway. I'm very paranoid though. There was a time years ago when I was VERY naive when it came to leaving dogs alone together and wasn't very careful; and my dog, the love of my life, ended up paying the price.. which was HER life. =( I'll never forgive myself for it... so in turn I've become very cautious to make sure there's nothing potentially dangerous. Definitely the hard way to learn a lesson, but one I learned nonetheless...


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## DesertDoll (Mar 22, 2011)

Oh i'm so sorry Kitty! I have that same fear about leaving my future dog at home.


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## rocky scotland (Jun 15, 2008)

I work full time and my partner is on a 4 on 4 off rotation offshore so when he is away its just me and Rocky and he manages fine, I have always worked full time. I am lucky enough to get home for an hour break at lunchtime so it breaks his day.

Rocky has the run of the whole house, he is 3 now tho. We have an indoor potty system and he has toys etc around for him. I often find him sleeping in our bed rather than his own lol.

Rocky has always been used to being on his own during the day, when he was a tiny pup he used to drag the laundry basket across so it was right next to his bed, I think so he could get our smell, he haqs grown out of this.

I just make sure the house is warm for him and he always gets a wee treat before I leave the house so its a good thing. I make sure that he gets plenty walks/playtime and exercise when I am at home.


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## hershey109 (Jan 11, 2011)

I am at work full time too and at home by 6pm. Hershey stays in a playpen same as Karen's (superyard) with her peepad, toys, food, water and a small tent-like sleeping area in one corner. There are times that she pees outside of the pad. I just learned to live with that and hope it gets better when she gets older. 

As soon as I get home, we go out to the grass so she can do her business and go for a short work around the neighborhood. She's free to roam around the house all night and she sleeps in my bed. I have a foam puppy stairs from bed to the floor so she can get to her pee pad if she needs to.

Hopefully when she gets a little bigger I can leave her outside of the playpen with my other 2 cats.


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

hershey109 said:


> I am at work full time too and at home by 6pm. Hershey stays in a playpen same as Karen's (superyard) with her peepad, toys, food, water and a small tent-like sleeping area in one corner. There are times that she pees outside of the pad. I just learned to live with that and hope it gets better when she gets older.
> 
> As soon as I get home, we go out to the grass so she can do her business and go for a short work around the neighborhood. She's free to roam around the house all night and she sleeps in my bed. I have a foam puppy stairs from bed to the floor so she can get to her pee pad if she needs to.
> 
> Hopefully when she gets a little bigger I can leave her outside of the playpen with my other 2 cats.


I just LOVE her! What is her actual birthday? She and my girls are close in age!


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## hershey109 (Jan 11, 2011)

jesuschick said:


> I just LOVE her! What is her actual birthday? She and my girls are close in age!


Hershey was born October 9, 2010. We got her Dec 18, and she was my first dog pet - loving it!!

I loooove seeing pictures of your girls Ruby and Hope! They are sooo cute!! I don't post as much, but I do stalk all the chis here!


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## Amandarose531 (Aug 9, 2010)

Ours manage just fine with me working full time and my OH working fulltime + school, but I saw someone says she leaves hers with bully sticks? I personally have had horrible experience not watching mine while having snacks, Godric choking, so I definitely say don't leave any treats down or collars on etc. Just too many things that could happen, toys are fine of course but anything they're going to attempt to ingest is definitely a bad idea.


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## DesertDoll (Mar 22, 2011)

I'm very happy to hear all of your opinions and advice. Today I rearranged my livingroom so that my future baby has lots of play space and all the dangerous wires are hidden. I'm excited! Next pay check I will start getting supplies.


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## Tink (Oct 14, 2009)

I work all day. Tango (3 1/2 years old) is 100% potty trained so I leave him out with free run of the upstairs (my roommate and I share a house, she's primarily downstairs and I'm primarily up.) There a any number of beds and toys, and two separate potty pads, but typically he will just sleep till I get home. There's no evidence he's done anything other than snooze the day away. That includes going potty. He seems to save that till I get home too. 

I crate Jazz during the day, because she's not reliably house trained yet. She's 1 1/2 years old. There are times I know I'm going to be gone longer than a regular day. In that case rather than using a playpen I just gate Jazz in the bathroom. That way she has a potty pad if she needs it, free access to water, some toys, and a nice comfy bed. The floor's tiled so if she has any kind of accident it's easy to clean up. Usually though she will just sleep the day away too, just like she does in her crate. Even if I'm gone 12 - 14 hours I'll often come home to the pee pads not having been used. 

They both seem to just want to sleep when I'm not here. I don't EVER leave them with chewies, bully sticks, dental sticks, bones, whatever. They don't wear collars either when I'm not around. The only toys they have access to when I'm not here are the ones they've already played with a LOT, so I know they're not going to be able to chew them up or shred them, or do whatever to them that may be a danger.


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