Dogs are a consistent source of joy and stress in equal measures. It appears more of stress than joy parenting a dog when working full time, specifically, when it comes to what to do with your dog when you are away to work.
Moreover, dogs are dependent souls—they prefer to be around people, making them suffer from severe separation anxiety when left alone for hours.
So, does this mean a full-time worker can not own a dog?
You would be unfair to yourself. Many people out there are working but they have well-behaved and cared pet. You can also manage that. It only requires one to move a step higher to strike a work-dog balance.
Here are some hacks to help you craft a happy dog-happy owner bond as a full-time worker.
Get Yourself a Low-Maintenance Dog Breed
Some dog breeds need more social interaction than others. By picking the appropriate breed from the start, your dog will excellently content being liberal while you`re not around.
Here are some of the best low-maintenance dog breeds that can bond well with people who work all day.
- Basset hound
- Chihuahua
- French Bulldog
- Greyhound
- Bullmastiff
- Maltese
- Shar Pei
- Whippet
The hunting breeds; for example, the German shepherd, Labrador Retriever, and Border Collies—they will not suit you as a full-time worker. If you choose them, you may end up with a dog suffering from a horrible life confined in a kennel.
Adopt a dog that is accustomed to solitude
Honestly, if you adopt a dog accustomed to being around his owner 24/7, it is unlikely to take well being left alone for longer periods and may become destructive. However, if a dog used to be around the owner for just shorter times, it is easier for him to accustom to longer alone time during the day.
Perform Housetraining
At first, teach your dog that staying on his own is okay. Guide your dog on how to stay home alone all the day without getting into pieces emotionally. Hold a routine of leaving him alone from the start with a minute or two, extending the time gradually as you develop comfort with your dog mannerism while you are out off-site.
Several repetitions of this exercise will get your dog accustomed to staying long periods alone.
Assign a Dog Walker or Take him at a Doggie Daycare
If you are truly into the active breed of dogs, then you will need to go a step higher to make a happy dog. To shove off the extra calories that make dogs misbehave, you will have to assign a dog walker for your dog or take him to doggie daycare. This way, your dog exercises, get the attention he is after, and get the opportunity to interact with other dogs and people. Doggie daycare can save you a ton of worries.
So, should you get a dog while working full-time?
Others will tell you leaving a dog alone for several hours amount to animal cruelty. However, does this mean that dog ownership should be left in the hands of the unemployed? Or should you retire first before you can own a dog?
It is not difficult to own a dog when you are working all day. You can easily strike a work-dog balance with love, commitment and understanding that dog ownership brings equal measure pleasure and responsibility.
