night shift with a 3yo lab and a 14wk puppy

[fiveofpeep]

I'm heading back to night shift and when I last worked nights my boyfriend wasn't working so attending to the dogs wasn't a problem.

For those of you who have dogs, how do you get sleep during the day?

Doggie day care would be $3,000+/year if I needed them three days a week. There are also problems with the puppy not being neutered yet and not being complete with his vaccinations for six more weeks.

I was thinking I could use our second bedroom which is pretty large and empty except for a computer desk and puppy proof it, paper it, and put their kennels and toys in there so they can just rough house like they usually do all day when I'm awake.

I can't really just leave them in their kennels because if the bf and I are working concurrent days, they would have to be back in the kennel again for two hours until he got home.

The puppy is relatively potty-trained and has few accidents. They are both very high energy dog breeds that usually walk for an hour/day and go to the dog park for 1-2hrs/day. Will exercising them for an hour before I go to bed and and hour when I wake up be enough?

Any other tips for me? Thanks :)

[fiveofpeep]

Oh and it's unrealistic for the bf and I to coordinate shifts. We will try as much as we can but I want to be prepared for the worst.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

Doggie door if you have a house or a backyard. I would never be without one again. The dogs can come and go on their own.

[fiveofpeep]

I live in an apartment. God it would be nice to have a backyard. Then I could throw them out there when they drive me nuts with their wrestling.

[Perpetual Student]

Wow, that's gonna be tough. Your idea of exercising and toileting (grassing?) them before going to bed seems prudent. I have nothing more to offer other than wishing you good luck.

[Marshall1]

What about hiring someone to come in during the day? Like a dog walker/pet sitting person - one that is licensed etc not someone off craigslist you know nothing about..around where I live they charge about $8-10/visit. Long term I don't know what that would add up to or do they have any "grandparents" they could stay with during the day? I know someone who has one dog and she drops her dog off at her parents on the way to work and picks him up on the way home. Glad you are trying to work something out instead of finding a new place for them though :)