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poptart

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Well all of you brilliant PSers, I have a question to ask all of you. Kind of out of the ordinary, but I need as much input as I can get. So DH and I are moving into a condo next month (so excited!), and we will finally be able to get a pet. The problem is, I worry a lot about properly taking care of an animal companion, and want to make sure I am making the right decision for us and them. I''m a little confused about all of it, so thought I would get your opinions. The condo allows a pet of up to 20 pounds, so obviously a something small is in order. I really REALLY want a cat, but my husband is terribly allergic to them, so that''s a no go
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. We were thinking of getting a small dog, but I worry about the amount of time it would spend at home alone. I work a normal 40 hour a week job, so I am gone a total of about 9 and a half hours a day, because of the half hour (about) commute from home to work. DH gets home at about 4 at the latest, so the dog would be alone for about 8 hours a day on weekdays. I don''t think this is very fair for a dog, plus I worry about a smaller dog being able to "hold it" until we got home. So... we were also considering a ferret, but I worry A LOT about the smell. We are very clean people, but even a descented ferret has an odor, and I don''t want my house to smell like an animal. Sorry this is so long winded and winding, but what do all of you think? Dog, ferret, or will we STILL not be able to have a pet? Thanks for your help!

*M*
 

Lorelei

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You could see if there is a doggy daycare nearby where your dog could stay while you were at work, would this be an option for you? That way you could perhaps adopt an older dog from a shelter which could adapt to this more readily than a puppy perhaps, if you were prepared to do this - I know some PSers use daycare and this seems to work well for those who work full time.

We have a house rabbit, if your Hubby is ok with rabbit fur - he is a blast and such a character! Rabbits are highly intelligent and very clean, they can be toilet trained too! Our bunny even jumps up on the bed and cuddles down with us, he is hilarious, so maybe a bunny may be a good choice for you!

Regarding ferrets, we do have Rfath who posts here who is a ferret owner and enthusiast, I haven't seen her around for a bit, but she may see this and chime in.

Pandora has 2 pet hedgehogs which she and her SO adore, they are nocturnal but it seems they are able to spend quite a lot of time with them!! Do a search for Mr Sticklebricks or Lego for more info if you haven't already seen the threads!
 

lyra

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What about a hairless cat?
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I think your schedules make it a bad match for a dog really. Dogs need a lot of training and companionship. A ferret? I dunno. The odor would bug me, and they can be destructive and bitey. I can''t think of anything else that offers what you''re looking for. We had a rabbit once, but she was not very friendly, and she chewed on things. We had birds too, which I loved, but my hubby hated because they always bonded with me and bit him.
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If you have your heart set on a dog, you might try adopting an adult small dog. You could look at petfinder.com for ideas there. Might work out for you, I know a lot of people who have adopted and loved the experience. BTW, I love all animals and couldn''t be without one, so I hope you can find some kind of pet.
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poptart

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Lorelei: If we do end up getting a dog, we have already agreed to get a rescued adult dog, since they seem to have a harder time getting adopted and deserve a good home. I didn't even THINK of a doggy day care! That's a really good idea, and I will look into that. I am not sure if DH is allergic to rabbits (wouldn't surprise me, lol... he's allergic to LIFE)but I had a rabbit once and we didn't get along to well, so I have always been wary of getting another.

Lyra: I actually thought about a hairless cat, haha! I really want a cat... don't know anyone with a hairless, though. We have friends with a Devon Rex and he does better with those. He can hold and pet the cat for about an hour before his face explodes, lol. I will have to research allergies and hairless breeds, like the sphynx. I also don't think our lifestyle bodes well for a dog right now, certainly not a puppy. Neither of us really want a bird, I always feel guilty caging them. Sigh... ferret seems the only cat-like alternative, but you sure are right about the smell. My little SIL has a very well trained and socialized ferret that is the sweetest thing ever, and he doesn't nibble on stuff really. However, he does smell. I have trouble stepping into her room without looking visibly phased!

*M*

ETA: Such terribly bad manners on my part... I forgot to thank both of you! Thank you!
 

ericad

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I would say rescue an older dog. Here''s why. My husband and I also work full time. I disagree about leaving the dog alone during the day - let''s be realistic, these are dogs and my feeling is that it''s perfectly fine for them to be left alone during the day within reason - it''s sure better than being put to sleep at the shelter, which may otherwise be his fate
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Because puppies have so much energy and really need your time and attention so that they don''t turn that energy into destructive behavior, I would say it''s not a good idea to leave a young dog home alone. An older shelter dog that is already potty trained and mature will spend most of the day snoring on your sofa and doesn''t require the same amount of activity (depends on breed, of course). And you will have spared him from the fate of many older shelter dogs who don''t find homes. I don''t think it''s unkind at all - you will provide a loving home and in exchange will receive a grateful companion.

Just do your homework and take your time choosing a dog from a shelter so that you know you have a dog that''s not aggressive and is well behaved and potty trained. Also look at local rescue organizations as well as ads on craigslist from folks who need to find good homes for their pets - you may have better insight as to the dog''s temperament and behavior with these options.

Good luck!
 

Lorelei

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Date: 9/14/2007 10:49:01 AM
Author: poptart
Lorelei: If we do end up getting a dog, we have already agreed to get a rescued adult dog, since they seem to have a harder time getting adopted and deserve a good home. I didn't even THINK of a doggy day care! That's a really good idea, and I will look into that.
Glad to have helped!! Or you could do what my SIL does and have someone come in at lunchtime to let the dog out and see to his needs that way, there might be a family member who could do this for you or perhaps you know of someone who is reliable and would appreciate a little extra income? There are ways to do it - also it seems the doggy daycare option works well!
 

Dogmom

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Poptart, an adult rescue would be a great match for your sitation. I''ve adopted two older dogs and they are fine alone all day. One was already housebroken and the other caught on very quickly. I sometime work late and don''t worry about them at all if I am gone 9-10 hours. (I don''t like to do that often, though.) Keep in mind that might not be the situation for you initially, but one worth exploring.

Good luck!!
 

poptart

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ericad: Thanks for your reply. My DH feels the same way as you about leaving an older dog alone at the house. I just worry about them having accidents, especially if they are smaller. Is there any way to know how long a dog can go without being let out without trial and error. For instance, I know puppies need to be let out about every hour. I guess I will have to research that. Thanks for mentioning craigslist as well. I hadn''t thought of that. I looked at Petfinder.com and they didn''t have any smaller adult dogs in our area.

Lorelei: I thought about having someone come in during lunch to let the dog out. I have a friend who lives in the same complex as we will, but she is often traveling for work, although she does come home for lunch many days when she is in the office. We have no family around, though. Thank you for your suggestions.

Dogmom: Thanks for your posting! I wish I could put a doggie door in the house so then I would have to worry about them being inside all day, but that isn''t possible. It''s good to hear that your dogs do well inside during the work day.

Thanks all!

*M*
 

Samantha Red

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I am so sorry to say this but I am truly horrified at how many people are advocating leaving dogs alone for up to 10 hours per day. In this case you have to ask yourselves whether you have a dog for their benefit or your own. I now have three dogs, but when I got my first one over 12 years ago, I dropped my working hours to four per day. Yes it means financially we can''t do the things we might always want to, but to my mind the sacrifice is appropriate and worth it for their benefit. Would any human be expected to hold on to bodily functions for 10 hours? I dog walk for a lady who works full time and that works really well so that could be something worth considering.

I am sorry to sound so harsh, but I worry that we humans can be so selfish sometimes and forget what needs animals have. If you can''t meet them adequately don''t have the animals. Unfortunately we can''t always have everything we want. Here in the UK rescue centres won''t re-home dogs with people who work full-time.

Sorry about the rant, but it is a subject I feel very strongly about
 

DivaDiamond007

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Date: 9/14/2007 10:59:27 AM
Author: ericad
I would say rescue an older dog. Here''s why. My husband and I also work full time. I disagree about leaving the dog alone during the day - let''s be realistic, these are dogs and my feeling is that it''s perfectly fine for them to be left alone during the day within reason - it''s sure better than being put to sleep at the shelter, which may otherwise be his fate
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Because puppies have so much energy and really need your time and attention so that they don''t turn that energy into destructive behavior, I would say it''s not a good idea to leave a young dog home alone. An older shelter dog that is already potty trained and mature will spend most of the day snoring on your sofa and doesn''t require the same amount of activity (depends on breed, of course). And you will have spared him from the fate of many older shelter dogs who don''t find homes. I don''t think it''s unkind at all - you will provide a loving home and in exchange will receive a grateful companion.

Just do your homework and take your time choosing a dog from a shelter so that you know you have a dog that''s not aggressive and is well behaved and potty trained. Also look at local rescue organizations as well as ads on craigslist from folks who need to find good homes for their pets - you may have better insight as to the dog''s temperament and behavior with these options.

Good luck!
I totally agree with this. Most dogs will sleep all day while you are at work and if you worry about accidents then get a crate. My DH and I have 2 pugs that are crate trained and they are fine during the day while we are at work. We got one as a puppy that took a bit of effort and patience to potty train but rescued the other (she''s 5) and we''ve had no problems with her at all. I think that an adult dog would fit your situation perfectly.

You can do an extensive search on petfinder.com or check with your local humane society for dogs available for adoption. Also, there may be breeders in your area that have older dogs available for adoption - usually if they had a litter and didn''t sell all of the puppies. Good luck and post pics when you get your friend!
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Jess
 

ericad

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That''s so hard to say. My neighbor''s shih tsu is like a camel, that little guy can hold it all day long. My girlfriend has a jack russell who still can''t hold it for more than a few hours.

What would be great is if you find a dog that''s currently in a foster home or an owner who needs to find a new home for his dog, as they can give you insight into the dog''s abilities.

I would suggest that you and your husband each take a few days vacation once you get the doggie so you can determine what his abilities are. And perhaps if you find one who is in foster care, the organization might be willing to do a trial period to ensure the dog is a good fit for you.
 

DivaDiamond007

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Date: 9/14/2007 11:50:22 AM
Author: Samantha Red
I am so sorry to say this but I am truly horrified at how many people are advocating leaving dogs alone for up to 10 hours per day. In this case you have to ask yourselves whether you have a dog for their benefit or your own. I now have three dogs, but when I got my first one over 12 years ago, I dropped my working hours to four per day. Yes it means financially we can''t do the things we might always want to, but to my mind the sacrifice is appropriate and worth it for their benefit. Would any human be expected to hold on to bodily functions for 10 hours? I dog walk for a lady who works full time and that works really well so that could be something worth considering.

I am sorry to sound so harsh, but I worry that we humans can be so selfish sometimes and forget what needs animals have. If you can''t meet them adequately don''t have the animals. Unfortunately we can''t always have everything we want. Here in the UK rescue centres won''t re-home dogs with people who work full-time.

Sorry about the rant, but it is a subject I feel very strongly about
I''ve had dogs since the day I was born (I''m 25) and my parents have always worked full time and my husband and I work full time and we''ve never had any problems with any of our dogs (cats, horses, birds, fish). They are well cared for, well fed, well mannered (except for Chewie, but he''s a pup) and LOVED and SPOILED ROTTEN. Sure, there are bad pet parents out there, but just because someone has to work to get by doesn''t make them a bad pet parent (or bad human parent at that).

Jess
 

AmberGretchen

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poptart - I think the previous posters'' suggestions about a dog walker and/or doggie daycare are great. In your case, a mix of both might be ideal. Doggie daycare perhaps 2-3 days a week, where dogs can have a lot of fun playing with other dogs and will generally come home very worn out and very happy (and a tired dog is a good dog). Then the other 2-3 days per week you could have a dog walker come in 1-2 times per day and take the dog out for a walk.

Petfinder is actually a MUCH better place than Craigslist to find pet listings. Some legitimate rescues post on Craigslist but there are a lot of scam artists and/or people who are just looking to get rid of their own pets, and it could be really tough to know how honest they are being. A reputable rescue or shelter, on the other hand, will have you sign a contract saying that if it doesn''t work out you have to bring the dog back to them, which means that they have a vested interest in being honest about all the issues the dog may have and thus you have a much better chance of finding a dog who is truly a good fit for you. Many rescue groups also have dogs in foster home situations, which can be nice because then you''ll have more information about how the dog behaves in a home environment.

In addition to shelters, you could consider breed-specific rescues in your area for small dogs. If there are breeds you''re drawn to, maybe research them a bit more and then just google for "(breed name) rescue (your area)" and you should hopefully get some hits, especially for popular breeds.

One other note - for dogs who are left alone for any period of time in the house, especially when housetraining is still a concern, crate training is a fantastic tool to use. You can find a lot of good information on this by googling it, and there have been some threads about it on here as well. It really makes for a happier dog and a better relationship between dog and owner, as it gives the dog their own space that feels safe, and discourages house-soiling.
 

DivaDiamond007

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Date: 9/14/2007 11:57:56 AM
Author: ericad
That''s so hard to say. My neighbor''s shih tsu is like a camel, that little guy can hold it all day long. My girlfriend has a jack russell who still can''t hold it for more than a few hours.

What would be great is if you find a dog that''s currently in a foster home or an owner who needs to find a new home for his dog, as they can give you insight into the dog''s abilities.

I would suggest that you and your husband each take a few days vacation once you get the doggie so you can determine what his abilities are. And perhaps if you find one who is in foster care, the organization might be willing to do a trial period to ensure the dog is a good fit for you.
Excellent idea! DH and I both took a few days off of work when we got our animals to make sure they could adjust and to spend some time with them in their new environment.

Every dog is different, too, with potty training. Some dogs can hold it all day and some can''t. You certainly cannot expect a young puppy to hold it for much longer than about an hour but a middle aged dog should not have too many problems. Chewie (our 1.5 year old pug) had accidents in his crate until he was about 6 months old but he''s fine now. It takes time though.

When we adoped Nessa (our 5 year old pug) the lady said we could take her back if she didn''t work out for our family. Luckily she was a great fit and we enjoy her companionship so much.
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Jess
 

ericad

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Samantha, to be frank I believe that any shelter dog would say he''d rather be home alone than killed. And I also need to point out that I have 2 dogs and on the weekends when I am home with them they ask to go out once in the morning and don''t even want to go out again until late in the afternoon - even when I offer to take them. 8 hours is fine for them - not cruel or inhumane, but in keeping with their needs. They spend their days sleeping - not drinking 6-packs of beer, for pete''s sake! Your argument is based on the assumption that the dog''s bladder is constantly full and therefore he is being asked to live in discomfort. That''s ridiculous.

Are you suggesting that anyone who adopt a dog become a stay at home dog-mom? That''s awfully extreme! If we all had to do that in order to keep dogs, well there would be a lot more euthanised pets in the world. And I resent the implication that I am less than a responsible and loving pet owner simply because my dogs spend time alone. That''s very judgmental of you!
 

poptart

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Wow, lots of responses!

Samantha Red: I respect your opinion, although I don''t agree that people who work full time are somehow being unkowingly cruel to their dogs. My aunt is an animal lover EXTREME and both she and her husband work full time. All of their animals seem very happy as they are all rescued, and enjoy a safe and loving home. I understand where you are coming from though, as all too often people don''t think things through enough before they act. May I ask, now that you have more than one dog, do you work full time now?


I have also been thinking that I could get two small dogs and that way they really wouldn''t be alone all day. I have been leaning toward shih tzu rescue, and found a great website with lots of information and very strict guidelines.

I will reply a little later to everyone, as it seems I have run out of time at the moment. Thank you all for your responses, I''ll write later!

*M*
 

ericad

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A day in the life of Joey, my 7 year old shelter rescue pup:

7AM - wake up, run around, eat breakfast (we make our own dog food, btw), chase the baby around the house for 5 minutes, go outside and disappear into the woods after a squirrel, return 10 minutes later to a cranky mom who was convinced he''d been eaten by a yeti.

7:30AM - collapse on mom and dad''s bed, panting from the squirrel chase, pass out on top of the down comforter.

Sleep...snore...dream about the squirrel that got away...snore...snore...

Noon - jump up and race to the door to growl ferociously at the UPS man, then curl up on the "Joey chair" by the window (yes, he has his own big stuffy chair, from our old sofa set), guard the house with one eye open for the next 15 minutes, pass out.

Snore...sleep...snore...snore...

4:30PM - wake up cuz mom''s home, run around, chase the baby again, take off into the woods to find a new victim while mom screams empty threats at him from the back deck. Come home and eat dinner. Pass out...


What an awful life...poor Joey...
 

musey

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One of my neighbors has her two little papillons trained like housecats: they have a "litter" that they go in, so don''t need to be taken outside. She still allows them outside sometimes, but I think not often at all because I rarely see them.

I really have no knowledge of this method other than that I know she does it, so I''m not really advocating it per se... more just something you could look into as an option, I guess
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Oh, and I think your idea of having two dogs is a good one. I often wish we had the money to devote to a second dog, because our little guy would be SO happy to have a playmate!
 

musey

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Date: 9/14/2007 12:31:43 PM
Author: ericad

What an awful life...poor Joey...
LOL, ericad! Lucky pup
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I wish I could spend my days dreaming of squirrels!
 

poshpepper

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Just wanted to give some first hand advice on the ferret...

I had a ferret for a couple of years (developed an allergy to him recently which is why he had to go to a different home, I couldn''t even touch him anymore
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)

1) Yes they do smell, but if you clean their litter boxes daily and bathe them once a week or bi-weekly they really do not smell.

2) They LOVE playing. If you are looking for an interactive pet this is a great one!

3) The allergy thing... If your husband is allergic to cats I would worry about his allergy to a ferret. You said your sister has a ferret... has your husband been around the ferret long enough to know if he is allergic or not? When I got my ferret I didn''t have any problems with him at all (I could play with him for hours and let him run around my bed and touch my face and nothing). When my FI moved in with his dogs (which I am allergic to) I became TERRIBLY allergic to the ferret (more so than the dogs!) It got to the point that I could barley clean him (not even touch him) without going into an allergic fit
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It was so sad.

I loved my ferret and it was so sad to see him go... I would vote for the ferret or the hairless cat... especially if you are worried about leaving a doggy alone all day.
 

Gypsy

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Samantha I respectfully disagree with most of your post.

Poptart, I agree with an older shelter dog. Also, old dogs can be taught new tricks, and if you are talking about a dog under 20 pounds... you might be able to litter train them. I know of a few litter trained toy dogs, works fine for them. Make sure you adopt from a good rescue that has REALLY good information on their pets so that you are informed on their personality quirks... abandonment issues, prefers to have a playmate, etc. I think it''s wonderful you guys are saving a life, and improving your own witha pet. Best of luck.
 

DMBsGirl

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Date: 9/14/2007 10:40:25 AM
Author: Lorelei
You could see if there is a doggy daycare nearby where your dog could stay while you were at work, would this be an option for you? That way you could perhaps adopt an older dog from a shelter which could adapt to this more readily than a puppy perhaps, if you were prepared to do this - I know some PSers use daycare and this seems to work well for those who work full time.

We have a house rabbit, if your Hubby is ok with rabbit fur - he is a blast and such a character! Rabbits are highly intelligent and very clean, they can be toilet trained too! Our bunny even jumps up on the bed and cuddles down with us, he is hilarious, so maybe a bunny may be a good choice for you!

Regarding ferrets, we do have Rfath who posts here who is a ferret owner and enthusiast, I haven''t seen her around for a bit, but she may see this and chime in.

Pandora has 2 pet hedgehogs which she and her SO adore, they are nocturnal but it seems they are able to spend quite a lot of time with them!! Do a search for Mr Sticklebricks or Lego for more info if you haven''t already seen the threads!
Bunnies are totally fun pets! They do ok in a large cage, but you do need to let them out for several hours a day and WATCH them because they do like to bite things (like electrical cords!). They are very clean, and don''t have a smell. Ours goes in a litter box we keep in a corner of his cage, we clean that once a day and have NO odor problems. When he''s roaming he will jump back in his cage if he needs to go to the bathroom. They are very funny and entertaining pets not to mention CUTE AS PIE!
 

Lynn B

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Poptart, do you know that it isn't the FUR of a cat that people are generally allergic to? That's a common misconception. It's actually a protein in the cat's saliva that is the most common allergen for humans. The cats groom themselves and the saliva gets ON their fur, then dries, and the particles become airborne. That means that even hairless cats like the Sphynx (Mr. Bigglesworth?!
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) will likely give an allergic person symptoms.

HOWEVER, that being said, my husband is also allergic to cats... but we have found that one cat (Boo!) is actually quite doable for him. When we go to my sister's house (she has 3 cats) he gets very stuffed up, wheezy, etc... apparently (as his doctor explained to us), that is over his "threshhold". There is even research that seems to indicate that it is quite possible for a person to build up a type of "immunity" to a pet he/she lives with. I honestly think that has happened with my husband and Boo... every month it seems to be less and less of an issue.
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I know this may not be very practical... and it also sounds potentially heartwrenching, but would it be possible for you to get a cat with a back-up plan in mind? Maybe a friend or family member would be willing to take the kitty if your DH truly couldn't tolerate it? I dunno, maybe this is a lousy idea... but it just sounds like you want a pet so bad, and your lifestyle may lend itself better to a cat than a dog (JMVHO, of course)... maybe it's worth a shot?!

There ARE those ALLERCA cats, specially bred to be allergy-free (without the protein)... but they are like $6,000 and have a 2 year waiting list!!!
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ETA... I just re-read this post and OY! I'm not sure how HELPFUL it actually is... I am half tempted to just delete the whole darn thing!!!
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Mara

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i wanted a dog for years but put it off year after year because i felt like i didn't have the time or finances to really give a pet a great life. when we got our pup, i was not working for a bit, then working from home 1/2 time so she grew up with me in that situation and was used to having companionship. so she does like having people around...but in reality she is also a very solitary dog. when i was working from home or when i do sometimes...she basically just lays around and sleeps. she doesn't come to me and ask to play or really do much else than stare out the window and nap in the sun. so knowing that about her and her personality, i don't feel badly leaving her alone for like 4-5 hours a day. HOWEVER, my days are not 4-5 hours. so she ends up going to daycare for like 4-5 hours and then my mom picks her up and takes her home so she can sleep and relax for 3-4 hours til someone comes home. it works out really well, and i would feel really guilty leaving her alone for 8 or 9 hour days, even though i know she can hold her bathroom as we have had to leave her alone for 8 hours once or twice before and she's been fine. but yeah definitely not what i'd do daily or really ever if it was up to me. dogs ARE pack animals and even though she doesn't need me around all the time... she does like companionship and getting out and playing with friends and walking around kind of thing. so i feel much better having her do 1/2 days at the doggie daycare and then coming home to relax on her own before we come home. typically after she gets home from dd she just sleeps.

my bottom line is that sometimes i feel like gosh i wish we could spend more time with portia. we adore her and we love spending time with her. but life is not always like that. our life would not be as rich without her in it (though we'd have way more $$ hahaha). and she has a wonderful life with us. it consists basically of eating, sleeping, playing, sleeping, eating, playing, cuddling, etc. i don't feel like people who work a lot shouldn't have pets, they just should make sure to care for the pet like you'd want to be cared for if you were the pet. i believe in things like doggie daycare of having a dog walker come once a day or something. i have a friend who works about 9 hour days and she has a dog walker come twice a day to take her dog out for 15 min walks and it works wonderfully. i have another friend who has a dog sitter who sits only 3 dogs at once, they all get along, she comes and picks up the dogs in the morning and takes them to parks, to the beach, to her house, whatever...they get all sorts of companionship and exercise etc.

on the flip side i know people with perfectly happy dogs who leave them alone for up to 8 hours a day...usually with a doggie door or something to the yard where they can go out and go to the bathroom, but not always. and those dogs seem really happy and well adjusted as well. so it's tough to just say 'oh if you work 8-9 hours a day you shouldn't have a dog'. everyone who i know adores their dog and feels like their dog has a great life, in all types of these situations.

lynn, what i have been told is that dogs or cats with fur are not as great for allergic people as those with HAIR. portia has hair and westies are considered more hypo allergenic and don't shed. i am really allergic to cats and some dogs with a lot of fur but not other dogs. kind of interesting.
 

MustangGal

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 18, 2004
Messages
2,029
What about a bird? I had a conure (small parrot type) for 3 years, and they can be just as lovable and cuddly as a dog/cat, and they live longer.
 

Elmorton

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Messages
3,998
If cost of adoption is no object, I vote in favor of a hairless cat (or two).
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rainbowtrout

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 2, 2005
Messages
2,105
I think puppies need someone (or another puppy) around most of the day. However an older dog can be left alone, although in my opinion only alone in a YARD with a well-built doghouse and available food and water. Preferably with another dog.


When we had ours this was their schedule:

7AM--dog walk 1
7AM-9AM--dogs eat, chill out
9AM-3PM--dogs out in yard
3PM-5PM--(in summer) my brother or I bring in dogs from heat (california)
5 or 6PM--dog walk 2
6PM--dog dinner
7-10PM-dogs in yard
10pm--dog walk 3.

I think as long as they get PLENTY of excercize (note all the walks!) and human company (they stayed in the house at night with us) they were fine. When they were younger we also played with them out in the yard a lot. Its worth noting that they were Akitas which require a lot of company and the above worked fine for them.

3 walks a day are manegable if you're willing to commit to getting up a little earlier I think. You said a condo--does this mean no yard? Not sure..you could also hire a dogwalker for a midday walk.

RE: ferrets. I agree that if you bathe them it helps. I bathe my cat once every 2 weeks and it keeps him smelling nice (started habit when he had ringworm).
 

poptart

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
1,899
Well it''s been a long weekend already, and it''s not even over yet! It''s taken me a while to get back here because my mom is in from out of town, DH is gone for a couple weeks, I am starting packing for our big move to a condo in three weeks, AND I start my new job (yay!) Monday. So... it''s taken some finagling to slip away long enough to write this (please note how much I ramble
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). ANYWAY, thank you all for your responses!!

I went on the internet and looked at a few websites on litter box training dogs... it seems to be quite popular with the papillion, as Musey noted. I think this would be a great idea if we could find adult dogs that were trained for both the box and outside. I am not quite sure how common it is to find an older dog that has been taught like this, so that could take some time. And I haven''t noticed anything about shih tzu''s being litter box trained, although I am guessing it is possible? Shih tzu''s just seem to have such a calm and loving demeanor, so I was thinking they would be great for a condo.

Just to clarify some questions that arose:

RE: DH being allergic to ferrets... his sister (my SIL) has a ferret and he has held him, petted him, etc. with no allergic reaction. However, the contact has been fairly isolated and limited, so long term exposure might cause a problem, as it did with poor PoshPepper
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.

RE: Saliva usually being the cause of allergies... I didn''t know that! I thought it was dander and fur, so that is unfortunate since maybe a hairless won''t work, as Elmorton suggested, although I would love an opportunity to try it out.

RE: Getting a cat on a "trial basis"... I think that would be a GREAT idea, and would love to try it out for a while. I don''t know how long the allergies would take to die down, or if they even would. I have also mentioned to DH that many of our friends who were allergic to cats have become immune to their own, as Lynn B mentioned. He seems... less than convinced.

RE: Yard space... we do have a small (as in a few feet) of high fenced yard, but we live 5 minutes from the beach and have a kids park and doggie park nearby, so exercise for the dog would be ample when we got home.

RE: Getting a bird... DH is terribly afraid of birds, and I feel badly caging them up. Plus, my favorite little parakeet flew out the door once when I was ten. I never saw Petey again and it kind of put a damper on getting another bird. I was so devastated because he was such a great little thing!

And on another note... I also passed a doggie day care center today and was very excited about that, as it is (or can be) on my route to work! So that is also a definite possibility, although I want to see if anyone has tried them out and supervise them for a bit before I agree to put my possible doggies in there!

I wanted to end this by saying that all of your pets sound spoiled rotten (in the best possible way!). I would love to be pampered like that! I am off to do some more research and will let you all know what I come up with in a bit. Thanks so much for your help! I know all of this MAY seem like overkill, but I worry about providing a good quality of life for an animal, so thanks for your input, insight, and suggestions.

Back soon
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*M*
 

Dogmom

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
307
In an ideal world, I would be home more with my dogs like Samantha. As I am on my own and need to support myself, that is not realistic. Mine sleep all day whether I am here or not, and I HIGHLY doubt they know I''m not arould while they nap. They do go to work with me quite frequently when I''m not out for meetings, etc.
 

AmberGretchen

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 6, 2005
Messages
7,770
Pandora - many doggie daycares have webcams where you can watch their facilities and see your doggie playing, napping, etc... during the day. Might be worth asking about/searching for a facility in your area that has this, since its pretty common and to me it certainly suggests they don''t have much to hide.

Also, re: the saliva, I can confirm that that''s absolutely true. I actually didn''t know that until we learned it in graduate-level immunology a few years ago, but one of my friends who does research on pet allergies confirmed its true.
 
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