What Do You Do?
Work or retired? 12 hour shifts? 9 to 5 but with an hour commute each way? Kids and their busy schedules added to yours?
If you’re not retired or someone who works from home, what you do will have a big impact on the type of dog you get. These are creatures who have needs, most of which are the same as us.
Dogs:
- Need frequent exercise
- Need mental stimulation (training, games, other activities)
- Need food and clean water daily
- Need a safe environment when they are alone
Let’s explore some examples.
Worker One: Works in healthcare. Frequently works 12 hour shifts. Has a half hour commute each way.
13 hours is a LONG time to leave a dog alone. Will you be able to arrange for someone to let the dog out during the day? If you’d like a large breed dog, is a 15-20 minute walk before you leave for work something you can do? The same walk when you return?
Perhaps for this person, a smaller dog would be a better choice than a large breed.
Worker Two: Works from home but needs absolute quiet during their work hours. This owner should steer clear of the more vocal breeds (think Husky). A less “barky” dog would be perfect for this person.
Worker Three: Travels frequently. Sometimes for two to five days at a time. This owner will need to have arrangements for boarding, or for someone to pet sit in their home, and perhaps even an on-call person for short notice trips.
This potential owner should avoid breeds that are prone to separation anxiety, breeds that are less social, and those that tend to be of a more dominant nature (think working line German Shepherds).
In a way the dog will have to work with your schedule, however, working with what the dog is capable of will lead to a happier, less frustrating, relationship between owner and pup.
In Part Three of Adoption – 5 Hard Questions for Success – we’ll ask:
How Do You Have Fun?