I know lots of you have pets. I'm thinking about settling full time into one job (geez, I'm a recruiters dream at the moment) and also settling down for me means, pets again. I live alone and have always had dogs, but my dogs were the geriatric type that did well with my crazy schedule.
I'm thinking about getting another geriatric dog, but I'm wondering if thats advisable, as I'll be doing 12's. Should I stick to a cat??
What do you do, especially those who like me, are single and such...
I know lots of you have pets. I'm thinking about settling full time into one job (geez, I'm a recruiters dream at the moment) and also settling down for me means, pets again. I live alone and have always had dogs, but my dogs were the geriatric type that did well with my crazy schedule.
I'm thinking about getting another geriatric dog, but I'm wondering if thats advisable, as I'll be doing 12's. Should I stick to a cat??
What do you do, especially those who like me, are single and such...
The light of my life in dogs is a Shih Tzu. I absolutely adore them. They are kick back, friendly, stupid, sweet, and usually one person dogs. They don't shed much, don't eat much, don't poop much. At least not compared to a St. Bernard!
I have a mentally retarded Shih Tzu (brain damage before birth) and an OCD 3 pound, 3 y/o male poodle. Did I mention he has OCD. LOL If you don't think a dog can have OCD you are mistaken. I'm not a poodle person by ANY stretch! But I went to a rescue place to look at a Shih Tzu and saw this poor pathetic thing and could not possibly leave him there. He's THREE pounds!!! He's full grown. The other dogs were attacking him and just plain being mean.
So I have him now, (get this, he's on 1.4mg Prozac daily! What a dose! Too bad it isn't working!) and he's settling in finally after a year. I would NEVER suggest such a dog for a person that works 12's. I have neighbor kids that have a key to my house and if I am going to be late I can call them and they come over, let the dogs out, and play with them. It's rare I have to do that but sometimes I do.
Point being, I have a hyper OCD dog on Prozac and a dog that could use a little caffeine to get her moving sometimes. Find out what your shifts will REALLY be like THEN get a kick-back kinda dog. (SHIH TZU!!!)
I could never deal with an OCD type dog. You surely have a lot of patience!
Those are some lucky dogs.
I'm definitely not going to recommend you move into a new place, and then get a dog the next day and go to my first day at work...
But it doesn't hurt to start thinking about it and planning ahead...
As far as Pierre,
seems like it would make your life easier if you took an obedience class with Pierre-so he can learn to walk on a leash and other fun things. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding.
BTW... If you will be gone for 12 hours at a time, get two dogs, they always have someone to play with. Works GREAT!
I agree... especially if you are getting a poodle or other animal that craves companionship. I agree with everyone else about getting settled into a job first. I just got a puppy, so I am running on little sleep due to the dog wanting to wake up anywhere from 3:45-5:30 to play, eat, go to the bathroom and to greet the day. Plus my puppy has to be watched every second or he gets into lots trouble!
I could never deal with an OCD type dog. You surely have a lot of patience!
YES I DO! I have more patience than a saint! I have patience galore! I have more patience than I ever knew was possible.
While I fully admit I had no clue what I was getting myself into, a year later he is much better. My vet wanted me to take him to a doggy neuro guy. Not as a client, but just to show him how bad OCD can be. My vet had a dinasour for a pet when he was a kid and he has never seen a dog as bad as mine. I have EARNED the title of "person with lots of patience" and I believe there should be something after my name, Bipley, BSN, PWLP (Person with lottsa patience).
In all honesty there are some days I just can't take it anymore. A dog with problems will behave similar to a person with problems. They cycle. They are good for a few weeks and then BAMMO! They are off their rocker. That's Mr. Benson. When he cycles he will spin in circles and bark a monotone bark for HOURS. Or he will lick the air for hours. Licking me is absolutely off limits. When I took him to the vet for the first time the vet let him lick his arm. When the vet tried to pull his arm away my dog freaked because he had nothing to lick and tried to bite his arm to hold it still so he could keep licking. It's as though he just HAS to do it, he can't quit. He paces, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. He can't quit.
I have learned little tips and tricks over the last year and they do make huge differences except for when he cycles and nothing helps. We wait it out. Lucky for us, that usually lasts only a couple of days.
You know, all this tiny itty bitty little dog wants in life is a person to love, a person to love him back, little bitty food, and itty bitty cookies. That's all he wants out of life. He doesn't want a lot of toys, he doesn't want any toys. Just being loved has made a huge difference in him. We went from OCD behaviors 24/7 to now it's a few days a month. He'll only eat his Taco Bell soft tacos if they have hot sauce on them (the dog can and wants hotter food than me! He can out "hot and spicy" me any 'ol day) and his burgers MUST be plain. NO cheese (that's for tacos only), no ketchup, nada. Just burger.
Dogs deserve a good life too and he will get it. His life before coming here was an absolute horror, likely what made him OCD to begin with. This is a dog that was debarked in someone's kitchen sink and nope, not kidding. His throat is so scarred he can never be intubated. All surgery has to be done by a specialist with a mask only. Kinda freaky, really.
But he's a good little guy and deserves to have a good life. A good life he will get.
I agree... especially if you are getting a poodle or other animal that craves companionship. I agree with everyone else about getting settled into a job first. I just got a puppy, so I am running on little sleep due to the dog wanting to wake up anywhere from 3:45-5:30 to play, eat, go to the bathroom and to greet the day. Plus my puppy has to be watched every second or he gets into lots trouble!
A baby "anything" typically decides how the house will run, when someone will be awake to feed, go outside, play, whatever. Amazing what a few ounces of fur can do to a household.
i agree see how your schedule is first then decide. if you do get a dog i would recommend a lap dog like a chihuahua, maltese, shih-tzu, toy poodle, etc. anything small just NOT a terrier. terrier's like yorkie's and jack russells have alot more energy than other small dogs meaning they will require more attention and exercise and are usually harder to train...this is just due to their original purpose as being rat catchers/ hunters. other small dogs like the toy poodle and chihuahua i mentioned are more laid back and "most" act more like cats than dogs. my chihuahua is like that she usually just watches TV with me and if i'm reading or something she just lays in my lap. Also small dogs can be trained to use the bathroom on a wee wee pad so you don't have to walk them or take them out to use the bathroom. also on the days you work you work long shifts so why not get a kitten when you get your dog? that's what i did and they love each other and keep each other company when i'm in school because they grew up together. dogs and cats only dislike each other if they become adults without socializing with each other. i'm suggesting a kitten because it's much easier to have a cat and a dog than two dogs in terms of training. also i'm just putting in my two cents because i was a dog walker in NYC and worked at a high end pet boutique when i was younger. my last suggestion would be do NOT get a dog from a pet store. they are ALL from puppy mills and are inbred. if they tell you otherwise they are just flat out lying. reputable breeders don't sell their dogs to pet shops only puppy mills do and that means dogs in pet stores are inbred high strung and usually in poor health. if you want to get a rescue dog i would go with a breed rescue. there are rescues for every breed of dog all across the country and they all have websites. typically the rescues know the history of the dog and have nursed it back to health if he/she was sick and also alot of them will start training the dogs as well...usually you just pay a donation of a $100-$200...some are free and some are a bit cheaper. hope this helps.:wink2:
I have two Yorkies that travel with me, and would not even consider getting another type. They ar absolutely fabulous, just depends on how you train them in the beginning and how much attention that they get when they are little. It is also much better with two, as a playmate for the other. One would be too lonely.
I agree that maybe moving, starting work, and THEN looking for a dog after you're settled might be a good idea. You might find that in between your 12's - especially if you work them in a row - you barely have time to sleep and take care of yourself. Or you might have more time than you think. Just wait at least a month or two, so that you're ready.
I never want a dog, especially because I work 12-hour nights. Most of my coworkers with dogs don't get good sleep during the day - it's always broken up because of their animals wanting to play, go outside, etc. It just doesn't attract me at all. Of course, I'm a cat person, so that's probably why!!!
I know a lot of people who work long shifts and have cats. Usually, if they're going to be alone, 2+ cats is a good idea so they have company. Great for night-shifters, too - they're nocturnal, so basically all of you will be sleeping during the day and up all night!
Funny - I went to my parents house today to pick up their mail and feed the cats because mom and dad are of vacation for a week. Let me tell you, those three cats all came out, only one actually greeted me, and then they went about their business. After I was there for maybe a half hour, two of them just started shooting these looks at me, and I swear they were thinking, "Um....what are you still doing here? We're FINE, you can go HOME, we LOVE having the place to ourselves!!!"
I have worked night 12's for 6 years and I am now on a 2 weeks days, 2 weeks nights rotation. I had 6 cats at one point. Cats will sleep about 18 hours a day. This is normal for them. I never had a problem sleeping if I remembered to feed them as soon as I got home in the morning and again before I went to bed. My cats are spoiled because I want them sleepy when I'm sleepy. I have 3 cats at the moment and I only have one that will wake me up, and it is only if I've left the litter box go too long. Cats are very adaptable and they will tolerate the shifts as long as I feed them as soon as I get in. I go shopping on a day off and come home after only being out for an hour and they want food!!
I am happy to have the cats in my life. I lived alone for 4 years, and they kept me going. I don't have kids so people sometimes don't get it, but my cats are a fundamental part of who I am.
The Fiance has had to come to an agreement with the cats. Where I go the cats will go. One of my cats loves him to death, so he is begining to understand. But his request is that I don't have more than 3 animals at a time. So far, so good!
Specializes in ICU, ED, Transport, Home Care, Mgmnt.
I have both cats and dogs. I have tried the one cat or one dog thing. Things work out so much better when they have a companion to play with while you are gone or asleep. If you want a puppy check around for doggy day care. The Petsmart nearby has a new kennel and long term and daily pet care. You can even pay them to train the dog.:rotfl:
Bipley
845 Posts
The light of my life in dogs is a Shih Tzu. I absolutely adore them. They are kick back, friendly, stupid, sweet, and usually one person dogs. They don't shed much, don't eat much, don't poop much. At least not compared to a St. Bernard!
I have a mentally retarded Shih Tzu (brain damage before birth) and an OCD 3 pound, 3 y/o male poodle. Did I mention he has OCD. LOL If you don't think a dog can have OCD you are mistaken. I'm not a poodle person by ANY stretch! But I went to a rescue place to look at a Shih Tzu and saw this poor pathetic thing and could not possibly leave him there. He's THREE pounds!!! He's full grown. The other dogs were attacking him and just plain being mean.
So I have him now, (get this, he's on 1.4mg Prozac daily! What a dose! Too bad it isn't working!) and he's settling in finally after a year. I would NEVER suggest such a dog for a person that works 12's. I have neighbor kids that have a key to my house and if I am going to be late I can call them and they come over, let the dogs out, and play with them. It's rare I have to do that but sometimes I do.
Point being, I have a hyper OCD dog on Prozac and a dog that could use a little caffeine to get her moving sometimes. Find out what your shifts will REALLY be like THEN get a kick-back kinda dog. (SHIH TZU!!!)