Anyone have dogs and work 12hr shifts?

cajrio · Jun 27, 2006

I have two gsd, who stay in and outdoor run when I work 7p-7a. I will give them some treats for chewing and special doggie run toys and I have had no problems.

ParrotHeadRN · Jun 27, 2006

You've got a good thing going in that you have two dogs, they won't be lonely. If you can trust them to be uncrated in the basement while you are gone, they will be fine. Just make sure you put up anything you don't want them to decimate! If you feel they need to be crated, they should be okay. Give them something to chew on, and don't crate them together if you think they might fight. They should have fresh water, of course. But if they are very young, water will make them pee so try to have an area you can paper for that.

Just try a couple different things and see what works best for you and for them. And don't feel guilty. The fact that they have you to care enough about them to even worry about it makes them a lot luckier than most dogs. They will be fine and they'll get used to it, even if they do act out at first.

Good luck! Let us know how things work for you.

bekah79il · Jun 27, 2006

I see you are in Chicago. I know there are lots of dog walking services, I am sure some of them provide evening care, could let the dogs out at 10 or so for a half hour and would probably cost you about 15 bucks a day. If you can't find one that does, search craigslist or make a post, and do a background check. All of these reputable companies are insured, bonded, etc and won't let just anyone take care of your babies.

goats'r'us, ASN, RN · Jun 27, 2006

like someone before me said, having two is a good thing, because they can amuse each other, and having the run of the entire basement is also good - many dogs would just have to stay outdoors (which isn't so bad anyway, dogs are, after all, just domesticated wild animals!).

beagles though, as you may have noticed, can be a pretty intelligent breed and can get bored and destructive easily, so it's important that there's plenty for them to do while you're away. i think those dog toys that you put the food into the centre of are pretty cool, and they keep the dog interested by dropping the occasional treat.

i noticed you're asking in case leaving them with your boyfriend stops being an option - is everything all right there?

anyway, hope this helps. perhaps you could ask your neighbours if they hear the dogs howling or barking while your out. that's a pretty good indicator of whether they're happy and well-occupied.

Lovebeagles · Jun 27, 2006

I really need some advice.
I have two dogs (beagles) and I wonder if anyone else has dogs and works 12 hour shifts. I do the night shift, right now the dogs stay with my boyfriend but if that were to no longer be an option ~ I would feel cruel leaving them alone from 630 when I leave at night until 815 when I came home 3 days a week.
Does anyone else have this dilemma and find a way to work it out. Normally if I was at home they sleep from 9pm until 7am. They have free rein of my finished basement, but occasionally are crated for short amounts of time. I would just feel so guilty. I don't have family close by to really help.
Is it possible to have my dogs and still work12 hour shifts. Thanks for any advice.

I too work 12 hour shifts and have two beagles. I have a lot of family members and the dogs are never left alone. Beagles are very social animals and they also can have seperation anxiety and crave love and attention. They do best when in the home with people. If they are left for long periods of time they either bark and howl constantly or they get destructive. It is good that you have two dogs to keep eachother company but, you are right...it is cruel to leave them home alone for so long. If you work 12 hours they are probaly going to be alone even longer than 12 hours at a time and how do they get outside to go to the bathroom? My suggestion is to either get a job with shorter shifts or keep the boyfriend but the dogs deserve your love and attention. they need to be walked, played with and given time and attention. Maybe you could hire a teenager or a retired senior to come in for those 3 days and play with them and take them for a walk? If you can't provide this, I strongly urge you to contact your local beagle rescue society. Good luck to you and your dogs.

xokelly2 · Jun 27, 2006

....Lovebeagles, please understand my dogs are my babies. I would never want to give them up, let alone consider beagle rescues. On my days off we spend four hours a day at the dog park, they are far from neglected and I would rather quit work then think I was doing so.

I am possibly thinking maybe a dog walker or such to at least not have them be alone for more then 8 hours at a time. I don't know it is just a preliminary concern before I do anything drastic. Thanks for the advice everyone!

xoxokell

TXRN02 · Jun 27, 2006

I have indoor dogs, and have no problems whatsoever working long shifts. When I worked night shift, I gated them in the kitchen, still no problem!

DONN · Jun 27, 2006

My Chesapeake bay retriever is alone for 12+ hours 3 days per week and he never has a problem with an accident in the house. I would never give my dog up! I would quit my job before the dog goes. As far as giving the dogs up for rescue I think thats the sleazy way out and it says a lot about people now days: when the going gets tough........just bail. Not the solution in my book but its amazing when you go to a pet rescue site you will see the nature of people who had a pet for years then just dumped it on rescue because they can no longer deal with the pet. Keep your dogs, they are better off with you than without you.

OhioMTCRN07 · Jun 27, 2006

PLEASE be careful giving them something to chew on unsupervised. My vet has told me many times not to do that because if they choke, no one is there to help the dog. Apparently this happens more often than one thinks. I have 2 dogs, a golden and a schnauzer and they are fine 12+ hours together w/o accidents. They have the run of the house. :paw:

Guest717236 · Jun 27, 2006

PLEASE be careful giving them something to chew on unsupervised. My vet has told me many times not to do that because if they choke, no one is there to help the dog. Apparently this happens more often than one thinks. I :paw:

Good advice, and many folks have had big trouble with Greenies.

smilin_gp · Jun 27, 2006

Sometimes breed rescue groups have lists of available resources for dogsitters familiar with the breed. On days when my greyhound would otherwise be alone for over 8 hours, she stays with a lady who has 4 greyhounds and is great with the breed. This has worked out for over a year, for only $15/day. She is walked, fed and has the run of an acre of fenced yard, with constant indoor access if the weather is bad. It feels like taking a kid to daycare when I have to wake her up and load her into the Forester :).