Would You Sell A Pup To A Fifo Worker?

[Cheyd]

I have a friend who is looking for another dog, she is currently a FIFO worker at the mines. The SWF she has at the moment is spending her time at kennels while my friend is working and she does have a long term arrangement with the kennels to look after her dog.

My friend is talking to a breeder about a pup and hasnt told her that she is a FIFO worker - would it make a difference if she did?

I dont like her lying to the breeder and I know if it was me - I wouldnt be happy about it if I found out but I am curious to see if I hold the same opinion as other in regards to this

FIFO - fly in, fly out workers

Edited May 18, 2012 by Hollys mummy

[Parkeyre]

What is FIFO?

[Gemelo]

Fly in fly out.

I wouldn't.

[Dame Aussie]

I don't breed but if I did I would not sell it to her. I'd prefer dogs to spend time with their owners not in kennels.

[Bjelkier]

How long is she away for at a time?

Weeks? Months?

I wouldn't sell her one, it would be a very unsettled life for a puppy.

I would suggest she is very honnest with her breeder and not lie about the situation her puppy goes into. It will cause all kinds of issues further down the track if the breeder finds out, I for one, would be furious if I found out someone had lied to me like that.

Edited May 18, 2012 by Bjelkier

[Alkhe]

Yeah, I'm really glad I don't have to make decisions like this. My initial reaction is no, I wouldn't, though perhaps that's unfair. The dog may well be looked after much better than many dogs aroudn the world who are confined to the backyard and basically forgotten about.

However, if I were a FIFO worker, I wouldn't get a dog, because I don't think that I would be able to look after it in the way that works best for me, and I consider works best for my dog (eg, time spent together, lifestyle, etc).

Also, it would make going to work and leaving the dog even more excruciating than leaving for work is every day anyway!

It would definitely depend on how long the stints away are, though. If it's month on, month off.. or a few months on, month off.. I wouldn't do it.

If I were a breeder, I'd be extremely upset that something as significant as that wasn't disclosed to me. And if I were approaching a breeder, I'd make sure it was one of the firs things I mentioned.

Edited May 18, 2012 by Alkhe

[Cheyd]

How long is she away for at a time?

Weeks? Months?

I wouldn't sell her one, it would be a very unsettled life for a puppy.

I would suggest she is very honnest with her breeder and not lie about the situation her puppy goes into. It will cause all kinds of issues further down the track if the breeder finds out, I for one, would be furious if I found out someone had lied to me like that.

At the moment she is doing one week onsite and one week at home - but she is looking at moving sites so not sure what she will be doing in the future

I too, would like her to be honest with the breeder but if I tell her it might put the pup in jeopardy she probably wont disclose her work situation

[Baileys mum]

I don't breed but if I did I would not sell it to her. I'd prefer dogs to spend time with their owners not in kennels.

That's the way I would feel about the situation too,I really don't think its fair on a puppy to be raised in this way....I wouldn't sell her a pup, & it isn't fair on the breeder if she's not honest with them.

[Salukifan]

No. Kennels 50% of the time is no life for a puppy

[Dogsfevr]

We board lots of FIFO dogs & have friends who own dogs with other arrangements that are FIFO workers & they are some of the best dog owners around .

We board & groom dogs owned by people who would tick the traditional owners box & they are some of the worst owners around ,

A good owners is one that does all for there dog no matter what there lifestyle maybe so no i wouldn't judge a FIFO worker solely on there job

Edited May 18, 2012 by showdog

[LizT]

No. Kennels 50% of the time is no life for a puppy

Agree. Most breeds wouldn't cope with it, but my breed the Cavalier KCS would be unhappy for a lot of the time. With other breeds I invisage at best a strong bond with the Kennel staff at worst confusion and irratic behaviour on the part of the dog.

As one of my sisters once put it. "I am a responsible pet owner, I don't have time for a dog in my life right now so responsibly I don't own one". She now has a family with older children and a lovely Schnauzer boy. :)

That said I once dog sat two dogs for a workmate of my ex husbands for 6 months while he went back to the U.S. He did not want to put his dogs in a kennel for that lenth of time and paid me extremely well to love and care for his 'boys'.

I got to be live with a Sheltie for a time. :) And his Kelpie/ACD was great company for my GSD.

That said I guess if it is a routine a dog can adapt to then it could work. So long as they are getting cared for and loved by both care givers that is important.

I guess the bottom line is that she should tell the breeder her situation. Although I can understand why she is hesitant to.

Edited May 18, 2012 by LizT

[espinay2]

An adult dog may adapt. But I would be concerned about a pup on a number of levels.

Socialisation and training for one during the important formative weeks and months (Kennel staff are good, but they simply dont have the time to devote to a pup - this is not their job) and the switching and changing would be very unsettling in particular for one so young. House training may not be easy and the pup may find settling into a routine difficult. There is also the possibility of bad habits being learnt at the kennel (barking etc) at a formative age. Going from an environment with lots of dogs to one where they are the only dog each week may potentially set the pup up for problems with anxiety etc. This sort of chopping and changing may prove a real challenge when trying to give the pup a good start and is not a situation I would want a young pup going into.

Exposure to illness while young is another - is she going to take holidays for the first month or two while the pup is at its most vulnerable? (kennel environments with their changing population are far from ideal for young vulnerable pups and some kennels may not even accept a young pup). the risk of contracting kennel cough/parvo etc will be considerably greater in a kennel environment for a pup.

Edited May 18, 2012 by espinay2

[OzzieLioness]

I have seen some HORRIBLE 'regular' job, dog owners who I would not give a mouse to look after.

People who FIFO for work generally speaking, only do so for a short time, to make enough money for whatever purpose - and if they can have a brilliant *other* care giver for a dog, I see no reason to discriminate against them.

I truly think it depends on the person - I would not do a blanket ban, as everyone's different.

[gone]

if she already has a dog in the kennel while she is on site for a week at a time, why on earth is she wanting another one?

cant she wait till she is settled somewhere permanently?

Makes me really frustrated- the " I want , I want " culture now, presuming shes fairly young person?

IMO I would tell her to stop being so silly.

if you are FIFO you cannot guarantee your roster forever, some I know have had to go to 3 weeks on 1 week off or 4 weeks on 1 week off.

have a look at any advertising website for Perth - gumtree etc the amount of dogs that are up for sale or free to good home because of FIFO is very very sad.

[Dame Aussie]

Just because there are horrible owners who have normal 9-5 jobs does not mean that this breeder should just sell her puppy to someone who is going to have it kennelled 50% of the time. How good can that really be for a young puppy?

[Maxiewolf]

I think I would be honest about it, I mean there are also some kennels out there who are fantastic and some who are not. Admittedly settling a puppy into this routine could be hard, but it does have a companion as a "constant" stability.

I don't think a FIFO worker having a dog is any worse than someone who has a dog and sticks them in doggie daycare all day every day from 9-5. At least when a FIFO worker is Home, they are home... not going to work all over again.

Hard decision, but I think honesty would be more appreciated.

[Greytmate]

No.

FIFOs demonstrate an ethic where cash is valued much more highly than community or home life.

No puppy for them. :)

[mita]

I think I would be honest about it, I mean there are also some kennels out there who are fantastic and some who are not. Admittedly settling a puppy into this routine could be hard, but it does have a companion as a "constant" stability.

I don't think a FIFO worker having a dog is any worse than someone who has a dog and sticks them in doggie daycare all day every day from 9-5. At least when a FIFO worker is Home, they are home... not going to work all over again.

Hard decision, but I think honesty would be more appreciated.

I honestly couldn't come up with a 'yes' or 'no' answer, because I don't know the circumstances.

But you've made some fair points.

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Is it different to breeders who have a large number of dogs and as such keep their dogs in kennels and rotate them through being the "house dog"? The dogs in the kennels wouldn't necessarily see a lot of the owner/breeder during that time, but then they get some intensive house time.

I'm genuinely asking this as I'm still currently grappling working longer hours than I used to (mind you its only an hour or so more per day she's without me!). But when I'm home I'm with my dog and we do things around her.

And is it different to the family that said they had time for the dog and they are home every day but the dog is in the backyard on its own except for when they come out to feed it?

I don't breed so I don't have a strong opinion as I don't know enough about it all. But I think that possibly there are a lot worse lifestyles that a dog could be living. But I do agree with what some have said about a pup maybe not being a good idea and maybe an older dog might cope with it better.

[flame ryder]

is it possible she could leave the dog in her own home during the time away at work rather than a kennel? What about getting a trustworthy, dog loving housemate? Kennel stays would be expensive and also unsettling for the dog. But if the dog could stay on it's own territory it would be a happier situation for the dog.