Handling long shifts and pets

Sis123 · Jun 23, 2006

In the Seattle area, we have a thing called "Doggy Daycare" for situations just like yours. Some folks leave them home in the backyard all day, and some folks take their doggy to doggy daycare, so that doggy can have fun, play and socialize.

Now all we need is Birdy daycare....

NanSeeH · Jun 23, 2006

In my current home, we have a dog door for our pets. We're about to move to the "city" and will not have a yard. I have researched area "doggie day-cares", there are several. I was actually surprised by the options available. Some will even pick up and deliver?! Good luck with your move and in your efforts...

Guest717236 · Jun 23, 2006

In my current home, we have a dog door for our pets. We're about to move to the "city" and will not have a yard. I have researched area "doggie day-cares", there are several. I was actually surprised by the options available. Some will even pick up and deliver?! Good luck with your move and in your efforts...

Doggie day care is a nice option, but many in my are are open

only during the day 6 am to 6 pm. They consider the dogs

to be boarding if it is after 6 pm.

Another option is a dog walker-these are services where someone

comes to your home and lets the dogs out and takes them for a

walk. Some of these folks are more flexible with their schedule.

If you consider this option, you might be able to negotiate

a better fee with someone who works on their own and not with an

agency.

The dog door is a great idea if it leads to a enclosed area outside.

Good luck and congratulatons on your new job!

Bumashes, MSN, APRN, NP · Jun 23, 2006

Dog walkers are great! Much cheaper usually, too. And they can be of just about any age. There's an 11 year old that walks mine who lives at my apartment complex. The first thing he does when he gets off the school bus is come over and walk my two pups for about 10-20 minutes. I give him $10 per day for this service. Younger people like him are cheaper, but you have to make sure they are responsible enough to be depended upon. Just to be sure, I always have something small for him to do in the apartment, too, so I can be sure he was in there. Like turn on the dishwasher or turn on the porch light. If I had an adult doing it, they would probably expect a little more pay for the constraint on their time if they didn't have such a compatible schedule as this boy's school. Just be careful, and take care of your pups. Good luck.

SophiaRN · Jun 23, 2006

I feel so fortunate to work in LTC. My dog comes with me to work most of the time. He follows me around so it's easy to keep an eye on him and the residents love him!! They barely say good morning to me, it's, "where's Chester?" :)

Cheyenne RN,BSHS · Jun 23, 2006

hi all,
i'm an international nurse about to work as an rn here in the usa later on. i have already passed my nclex and will get a job trough a recruiting agency. i've seen threads here about managing long shifts and family/children, and my question is sort of similar....just concerning pets, more specifically dogs.
i have 2 dogs and i'm wondering how do you single people with dogs manage long shifts? i don't yet know how will my shifts be (8-hr, or 12-hr), but assuming i'd do 12-hr shifts, i assume my dogs would spend slightly too long on their own. taking into consideration i might have to spend some time on travelling to work, it might be something like 13 hrs together. luckily, if doing 12-hr shifts, you'd get more time off a week and would have full days off with your dogs. if there's anyone like me, do you just leave your dog/s at home, or have you ever done anything such as day care or something like that... in my home country, the norm was 8-hr shifts, except for the night shift which was 10 hrs (from 9.15pm till 7.15am.) they did okay when i did occassional nights, so i guess 12 hr would be okay too...(i hope).
any opinions, advice... anyone in the "same boat"? :)

first off, welcome to the usa and thank you for coming and bringing your input here.

i have two dogs, italian greyhounds, and work 12 hour shifts 3 days a week. the dogs have actually gotten used to my schedule and keep each other company.

the night before i go in to work the next day i have a ritual of cleaning all my nursing things. stethoscope, b/p cuff, pulse ox, etc. the dogs watch and i think they know that it means "tomorrow mom goes to work."

i leave newspapers down in an area in the house and they usually use that for any "buisness" they need to do and i come home and let them run in the yard after work to their hearts content.

i also leave little chew rawhides for them when i leave to occupy their day so they see my going to work as treat day. so far they seem to be fine and with it only being 3 days out of the week it's okay.

DogWalk · Jun 23, 2006

Thanks everyone for your good replies! I will certainly seek and find out about those options you mentioned.

Thanks!:balloons:

PattyD404 · Jun 23, 2006

My dog is wonderful in his indoor kennel for 10-11 hours. I have not had him in there longer than that so 13 might be pushing it. If you have an area where you can have an outdoor kennel where they would have a fenced in area and be able to have a dog house where they could get out of the weather if they needed to, this would be a great option. Maybe you could have a neighbor kid do some dog sitting for you & let them out 1/2 way through. I don't know where you will be working but a worse situation might be that you would get mandated to stay and 12 HR turns to 16. Another option may be doggie day care. A couple of people that I work with take their dogs there a couple times a week just to be with other dogs and get exercise that they are lacking. They said that it is wonderful & they love it and the dogs are so tired that they don't get up until 2:00 the next afternoon. Good luck