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 have 2 dogs .a pekingese and a sheltie.i work 3 12 hr shift a week and usually and extra 8 hr shift a week.they are fine on my 8 hrs i feed and let them out before i leave and then when i get home.i leave pads but they mostly play with it.they are gated so they have full access to my kitchen with tile ,stairs to my upstairs and a hallway.on my 12 hr shift i have a dog walker that is also a vet tech.she comes twice lets them out and gives them a 1/2 hr walk .i let them out before and after work they do fine .rare accident but no problems.the dog walker is an added expense but my dogs are my babies and i have had them 9 years.i can't give them up.they have crates with their blankets and toys so they have a place to rest.
Yup!! i do doggy daycare on days i work or days i need to sleep. Totally worth it...he comes home dead tired.
My neighbors also have a 10 year old son that adores my dog, so when i work night shifts i pay their son to watch him and he sleeps at their house. basically i have it worked out that my dog is never alone for more than 4-5 hours.
My fiance and i have a large yard and we plan on fencing the yard so he can spend a little more time outside if we need to get things done around the house.
It is good people are thinking about their dogs at home! it is not fair to a dog to leave them home alone for that amount of time.
P.S. i live in a small city and we have 4 doggy daycares. 3 out of the 4 are open 24/7.
Doggie Day care, or simply a pet walking service. For a small dog it should be no issue to find someone to walk her. You might even trade with another nurse who lives close to you and has a similar pet issue.
My dog did stay home for 12 hour shifts, but he is a very content lump. My adult dog sleeps about 12-15 hours a day, and my vet says this is very normal. (now he does not do it all at once) I made sure to get up in the morning and run 2 miles with him on work days. And then make the bold attempt to give him a long walk in the evening. He never really wanted the second walk. I now do the 8 hr thing, and I gotta admit, he seems happier.
When he was a puppy/young adult...I actually had a walker come in 2 times a day and a neighbor let him out at intervals. Since he was a big bouncy ball of golden fluff, not a problem to get the neighbour to check on him. The neighbor actually got irritated when I told him it was no longer needed when he was over 1 year! it was expensive, but helped with potty training.
I would feel cruel leaving them alone from 630 when I leave at night until 815 when I came home 3 days a week.
nuangel1, BSN, RN
707 Posts
i have 2 dogs .a pekingese and a sheltie.i work 3 12 hr shift a week and usually and extra 8 hr shift a week.they are fine on my 8 hrs i feed and let them out before i leave and then when i get home.i leave pads but they mostly play with it.they are gated so they have full access to my kitchen with tile ,stairs to my upstairs and a hallway.on my 12 hr shift i have a dog walker that is also a vet tech.she comes twice lets them out and gives them a 1/2 hr walk .i let them out before and after work they do fine .rare accident but no problems.the dog walker is an added expense but my dogs are my babies and i have had them 9 years.i can't give them up.they have crates with their blankets and toys so they have a place to rest.