Working 9-5 And Dog Walking

[JulesP]

How do people that work 9-5 with a commute manage walking their dogs everyday? Looking at a job change and have never actually done the 9-5 with an hour each way commute when I have had dogs. I did it when I first started working but didn't have any pets then.

[Two Best Dogs!]

I'll just list what works for us. I work 9-5 with a 70 minute commute.

I play brain games in the morning (flirt pole mostly), give her breakfast in a king wobbler with scrunchy paper added (thanks DOL, lasts about 30-45 minutes now) and then take her for walks/training straight after I get home. She's got various toys (50c salvos mostly) to play and destroy during the day if she gets bored.

Once a week, usually Thursdays but sometimes I switch it up, I have negotiated with my boss to leave home an hour early on that day to get a longer more hardcore training session in with her.

I'm currently in discussions around working a flexible 9 day fortnight. I'll work 9 hours for 9 days, then take the 10th day off. Possibly something you can talk about. Our workplace is also introducing the option of being able to work from home 1 day a week but I am unsure if I would do that. But something you can discuss perhaps?

Do you think separation anxiety might be an issue? I took a couple of weeks off when I got the dog so I could slowly introduce her to independent alone time.

[JulesP]

One of the dogs howls like a little wolf when I leave the house. She does it for less than a minute and currently the neighbours seem to think it is cute because it means she loves me. But I imagine they are not going to think it is so cute if she does it every morning at 7am!

I currently work full time from home.

The other dog issues are that one of the dog needs multiple feeds due to illness. Not to mention the constant trips to the vet!

[Two Best Dogs!]

Oh no, that adds complications. I believe there's a timed feeder you could get for your ill dog - assuming they're seperate when you're not there so the others can't get the food.

And I think some people hire pet carers to drop by? This isn't something I can do so I know very little about this. Same again for doggie day cares that could potentially be an option? Play and food can be managed. Or perhaps your neighbours might oblige.

For your howler, I guess you could start working on teaching her to be quiet when you leave. Does she settle down after you're gone? Could you give her breakfast or something high value to distract with when you're leaving?

Big life changes are not fun but hopefully you and your pups can work it out.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Thistle the dog

[JulesP]

She doesn't howl as I am leaving but waits a couple of minutes. I had no idea she did it until someone told me. She only does it for less than a minute. She displays no great distress that I am leaving and is always calm when I get home.

She is a border collie so knows that I am giving her stuff to distract her :laugh:

Mind you the neighbours could be exaggerating. After they told me (came up in convo about something else) I snuck back a couple of times and only caught her doing it once.

[Diva]

Your long commute makes it harder, I haven't had a commute longer than 30 mins since I moved here and that means the juggling is much easier. I walk in the morning, trying to go every evening doesn't work when I am tired from the day. Even so I have used a dog walker to break up their day, and having 3 dogs reduces the likelihood of loneliness and boredom. I know from the way the garden and toys look when I get home, and how they are on weekends, that they play together during the day. My working days are often much longer than 8 hours so I try to schedule those times to be days the dog walker comes, doesn't always work though.

For ill dogs I have dashed home at lunchtime, not really an option for you though.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Diva

[Canisbellum]

I get up at 4am and take them for roughly an hour walk every morning. 20 minutes on lead doing some training while walking to and from the arboretum and the rest off lead, With some recall training thrown in as well.

They get left at home with a couple of clamshells of water in summer and toys. Days I get called out for more than 1 night they go to the kennel.

[Scottsmum]

I'm doing 90 minutes each way + a 7 hour day at the moment. I'll preface this by saying Scottie has my parents at home but...for me...

A typical week

5:45 -6:15 am out of bed - quick lap around the block. If its going to be hot I get up earlier and we go play fetch.

7:00 - leave home

*I'm told lots of fetch and cuddles happen here***

18:30 - 19:00 - get home

between 18:30-20:30 - cuddles on back verandah, walk - long if I have the energy or we go hang out at the park.

Saturday

AM- Long free play session in the park

Longer walk in the PM

Sunday

2 x longer walks

+ usually one session of "dog school" per week- Nose work is finished for the year and we've dropped out of pet obedience but usually we do a 1 hour class.

+ multiple cuddle sessions when I can - eg I'll take a cup of tea or notes to read out side and just hang with him (he's not allowed in the house where we're staying).

Edited October 29, 2015 by Scottsmum

[JulesP]

Do people feel safe walking in the dark? I live in a 'nice' area but it is not a brightly lit up burb as it is more bushy.

[Vehs]

^^ I felt very safe with my GSD!

I used to run him in the mornings before work and then after work I'd immediately walk him and the on weekends we'd go swimming or have a big hike somewhere.

Now with the littlies in a regular 9-5 week (which is RARE) we just walk them after work or take them to the oval so the older dog can potter around and the young ones can chase balls etc

[Scottsmum]

Do people feel safe walking in the dark? I live in a 'nice' area but it is not a brightly lit up burb as it is more bushy.

It's a 50/50 thing.

At my last house we had a bike path which was great to walk along but we had someone exposing himself there. So I quit that pretty fast - the up side was that I could drive to the tennis courts and play in the "extra light" around the courts for as long as we wanted to.

Then we had a place where we had dog park with lights - so same thing. Felt safe, had light.

Currently- no light but a very safe place and I just don't go places I don't feel comfy.

Someone always knows where I am & I drive somewhere well lit if I am uncomfortable.

[megan_]

I leave the house at 7am and get back at 7pm. I walk him early in the morning and have dogs walkers 3 times a week.

[Scottsmum]

I leave the house at 7am and get back at 7pm. I walk him early in the morning and have dogs walkers 3 times a week.

Oh - I totally forgot about the dog walker... LOL.

I used to have one who was exceptionally reliable and came 2 x 1 hour - often kept him longer. He adored her - then we moved.

Now I have the kid across the road. He's supposed to do up to 2 hours a week.... Sometimes (rarely) that's 4 x 30 mins. more often it's 45ish minute walks 2-3 times a week... it kind of evens out over the course of the fortnight ... He's an honest kid :)

[ness]

Just me here - and one is a puppy. I work 7:45 - 4:30 ish. We are lucky in that we can be a little flexible in our time so long as we do set the required number of hours a week.

I would wake up around 6:15am and drive dogs to an oval so they could have a run. Normally half an hour or so.

The minute I got home we would again head out somewhere for a run or walk.

Not easy to juggle but bareable just.

Currently back looking for work and the dogs are certainly enjoying some extra training time.

[cowanbree]

I find dogs adapt. I currently leave home at 7.30 and am seldom home before 6, sometimes 7pm. It would be great not to have to work those hours but we must pay our bills. Obviously the dogs would prefer I worked less hours but they still lead a pretty good life in comparison to most.

What has suffered is my life outside dogs and work. I seldom have the time or energy to do anything else and considering how long the dogs are home alone I try to spend most of the weekend with them. I also have one very special needs boy and have a friend I pay to come in daily to medicate and check on him when required. I also do this when I have a litter, not a cheap option but you do what you have too.

Edited October 30, 2015 by cowanbree

[juice]

Can you ride a bike?

I started riding this year, i hadn't been on a bike since i was a kid, so was very wobbly, and fell off twice :laugh: but i can cover way more ground than walking and its better for me as i have stuffed my knee's.

Ozz is way more relaxed and flakes out allday afterwards.

[mackiemad]

I get up at 7 (or a little before) and head straight out for a 30min no stops walk (he can toilet in the first 2 mins and the last 2) then I get home about 6 and head straight out (unless hot then it's after dinner, closer to 9pm) to an off lead area where he can run/play/toilet/sniff and I can meander around. I actually find both of these walks necessary - the first one gets ms going and kick starts my brain and the evening one helps me switch off and slow down my brain. And the dog isn't complaining about to walks either :)

I live inner eastern Melbourne in a safe suburb but I actually prefer streets without lights as I think I can see shadows better. I'm not too worried about safety but I do carry the lead in a way that could be a weapon mostly unconsciously.

Edited to say that we do 15 mins training incorporated into the feeding ritual of an evening.

Edited October 30, 2015 by mackiemad

[MadWoofter]

One of the benefits of having an older dog and not needing as much exercise.

I leave between 7 and 8 and get home anywhere from 5.30 to 7.30. Fleming goes out every morning with me for 10 minutes for a sniff & a widdle (literally just the little section of 3-4 houses between mine), then of an evening we go for a walk around the block. About twice a week the evening walk is extended to either a longer walk, or a short walk and 15 minutes off-leash in the park. Now it's daylight savings we do the short walk & park a lot more often, and the longer walk when it's dark.

On weekends he gets a longer play in the park, and every couple of weeks we go for a drive to a big dog park where I meet a friend and we walk and stop for coffee. We're out for well over an hour and he sleeps all weekend after that !

I also 'play' with him every evening - throwing toys, playing tug, hiding toys and getting him to find them. I'll do this over the course of the evening so he may not be getting much 'exercise' but he's getting brain activity.

[dee lee]

I'm starting back to 5 days 9-5 & getting mummy guilt, for both the kids and the dog!! :laugh:

My dog gets a 5-6km early morning (6am) jog about 3 times a week, a short run & fetch the other 2 days. I am lucky kids get home between 4 & 5 & I'm thinking of getting a dog walker a couple of days. Honey is getting on now (9 in feb), so seems ok with things.

[Malamum]

We just walk of an evening but I have never been bothered by walking in the dark.