How many of you work full days?

[Erica&Riley]

Hi everyone-

I'm currently working for a job that only requires me to work like 3-4 hours a day, however, I will soon be switching jobs to a more normal one where I will be working 40 hours a week. I feel SO guilty at the idea of leaving her all day long by herself! She is currently crated when I'm not home - she does okay out of the crate except for her barking issue (SA related). I will definitely have a pet sitter come in a couple of times a week mid-day to walk her, but I don't know if I can really afford to do it everyday (one of my best friends is a pet sitter and charges $16 a visit tho I don't know if she would give me a discount).

She'd be fine in the crate while I'm gone, but I hate leaving her!! How many of you leave your boxer babies alone for the day? Just knowing you all do it too would make me feel so much better!

 

[Barkley]

We're lucky enough to have pretty flexible schedules so that we're home quite a bit, but that's a mixed blessing because when we do both have to be away for a whole day, it's very much out of the norm for them. So, hate to tell ya...we have the pet sitter come in. DH has been away for 8 weeks M-F right now at the police academy, and we have spent a fortune...about $150/month (and that's with me only needing the sitter 3/4 times per week), but like you I would just feel too guilty leaving them all the time. I'd suggest, before you start the new gig, leaving her crated for longer and longer times gradually so she can get used to it, then it won't really be as big a deal. She'll get used to whatever you establish as the norm, so try not to worry too much. Also, don't know if this is available where you are, but there are several doggy day cares in our area and it is sometimes less expensive than in-home care, plus the benefits of socialization and wearing them out so they aren't another full time job for you when you come home at night! Something to think about...we use both (same sitter...she does in home and has a day care). Just make sure you check them out thoroughly first so you know they can be trusted.

 

[Laila63139]

Laila stays in her crate for 9-11 hours while BF and I work, and she does fine. On occasion when I take the day off, she sleeps most of the day. We've been doing this since she was about 16 weeks..

I guess we're lucky! Of course, she's spoiled rotten once we get home, we walk 30-45 minutes every night so she gets plenty of exercise and play.

 

[boscosmommy]

I can so relate to your problem. When we first got him, We both worked full time but it was in the late fall early winter and my husbands job is slower then. We took turns going home every 3-4 hours and letting him out b/c like you we also crate trained. Then we moved to a brand new house and that was a little traumatic. b/c of that, and the season changed. We both started working longer hours. It is hard b/c the longer he is crated the more hyper and worked up he will be when you get home. Now I have changed jobs and work for myself so I schedule to be home w/n 3-4 hours of him being in the crate. It is just very important to spend your good quality time with them when you are home as well as making sure they get a good amount of exercise. Every dog is different. We have just got to the point where if we are going to be gone all day and no way of getting home, we puppy proof our bedroom the best we can and leave him in there with his food and water. He has only chewed up a few things that were not his! We try to just tell ourselves that they are safer in the crate than anywhere else b/c by nature they get into soooo much! Hope this helps a little. Maybe you have kids in your neighborhood that could come and walk her if they are responsible enough. Good luck and know you are not alone in the "to crate or not to crate all day" battle!!!!


JB&Bosco flashy floppy fawn male DOB 8-17-04

 

[Julie P.]

I work full time. I wake extra early so that Deeg can have time out of his crate with me before I leave for work. Then at lunchtime, I race home and to spend time with him...I will either take him for a quick drive to eat out or I eat at home with him. Then he spends the rest of the after noon until 4:30 - 5:00 in his crate with a Kong filled full of treats. The hard part, for me, is if I want to go somewhere after work and I have to leave him behind...again! I feel so guilty! But, we finally solved this problem and got a truck with a canopy on it so he can cruise around with us. He just turned two this month, in time were hoping that we'll be able to trust him with out crating or leaving him in the back of the truck. So far, were up to 20 minutes without him doing destruction on stuff...which does give me a lot of hope. When we first got him from the rescue we couldn't leave him for a minute.

 

[AZ Boxer Boys]

Both of us work full time. During the summer the kids are home and they are out all of the time. During the school year, my husband tries to come home most days at lunch time to let them out to go potty. Occassionally he can't make it so they're in their crates until one of the kids get home from school - but sometimes they come home late too. Then the dogs are crated from 7:30 to 5:30 or so, they seem to do alright. We just feel so darn guilty and bad.

I agree with Barkley - - start crating her for longer and longer periods during the day, before for you start your new job, so she can get used to it.

Best of luck - I'm sure she'll do fine - it's just your guilt you'll have to deal with

Cindy

 

[Rufust]

My husband and I both work full time. I was worried about that at first but it didn't take long for Rufus to get used to the crate. Until recently when my mom moved in for a while, he was in his crate from 7am to 4 or 5 pm. I felt awful but it all worked out. In a few weeks I will be losing my job (company going out of business due to economy) and have just started my own accounting business. SO, I look forward to being home most of the day with him but am a little worried that I won't get any work done because I'll just want to play with my Roofie all day!!!

 

[Luvnmyboxer]

I work full time, but lucky for Titan I still live at home. His grandma (my mom) doesn't work so she is his full time sitter. This way Titan gets to sleep in bed until well past noon every day, which he loves!! The only time Titan stayed in a crate was the first night I had him. I got him at 9 months, and he showed me the second night that he wasn't going back in that crate and knocked me flat to the ground about three times until I gave up and said "ok no more crate then."

 

[Mama_Zookeeper]

I work full time as well as my husband. My mom lives in town and watches my 2 youngest sons & my pups. We have occasionally done the doggie daycare thing when she has appointments or else I take a day off so I don't have to worry about my babies. Good luck.

Dora

 

[LegendsLake]

King is home alone for 10hrs. But he has free run of the house and a doggie door out into the secure backyard. Of course I only work 8hrs but I have to drive aways to and from work. I also have security cameras inside and out and watch the videos before I go to bed at night, he's usually sleeping the whole time.