Should I get a dog if I live by myself?

[tivo64]

Is it feasible to own a dog while I live alone? I may be gone for a number of hours per day and it wouldn't feel right to leave them alone for long periods of time.

Would getting two dogs be enough to keep them occupied? What do they like to do while there isn't anyone around? Would like to know from experienced pet-owners. Thanks.

 

[SigmaTheZeta]

Some people get dogs BECAUSE they live alone, and many owners deal with being at work by walking their dogs during lunch breaks. If you can't, then just put down lots of training pads in the kitchen, but walking at lunchtime is better.

Dogs like ripping up couch cushions and raiding the trash when they get bored, but if you get them plenty of toys, they also like toys. Some even like television!

Just never punish a dog for destroying things when bored. You would do the same if you were that bored. Just get better toys.

 

[pes]

I have a dog and live alone. I leave him alone for up to 9 hours a day because of work. He is ok with that, sleeps most of the time. I left a photo trap at home to see what he does. Not much, he checked the door a few times but spent the majority of the time sleeping.

On most days I tire him down pretty well and suck him off before going to work.

He only destroyed one thing when he was young. But it is true that I got him while I still was in college and had time to raise him up before I started leaving him alone for longer time because of work.

I prepared my flat well for him. No accessible cables, no open cupboards. Shoes, trash, everything hidden in cabinets.

 

[FloofyNewfie]

I currently live alone and I have two dogs. I used to work an 8 hour shift and got a 1 hour lunch. At lunch I'd come home and walk my girlies. Due to the pandemic I am now working from home and I'm almost always with my girls 24/7. It's honestly nice. But I was able to manage it before I got to work from home, although it wasn't always easy since my newfie girl has separation anxiety. She'd retaliate by crapping on the floor, even though she knew better. Separation anxiety can really be a bitch for some extremely loyal dogs to overcome.

My biggest worry is that if I ever require an extensive hospital stay, I have no one who is willing to look after my dogs. This scares me more than anything else. I hadn't really considered this potential problem when I got my girls late last year. I will try with every fiber of my being to be there for them until their last breath though.

 

[Huskeroni]

I think it is quite feasible to have dogs while living alone, in fact I plan on living on my own after I'm done with my studies as well.

Although I still live with my father, his senior lab and my girl are home alone for up to 8 hours and, as they are sleeping the majority of the time, both of them don't seem to be bothered by it at all.

If possible, I'd say having two dogs instead of just one would be optimal, regardless of whether you're on your own or not. Dogs are social animals, after all

While it is feasible, it also involves some compromises:

• I go for a long-ish walk in the morning, a longer walk immediately after coming home and a short walk before going to bed. Scheduling is important and, while it is all worthwhile, caring for dogs takes some hours per day.
• Reserve some days off for vet check-ups or caring for them if they were sick.
• Get to know nearby dogsitters, just in case (so you are prepared for lengthier appointments; didn't need it myself for now).

 

[Huskeroni]

My biggest worry is that if I ever require an extensive hospital stay, I have no one who is willing to look after my dogs. This scares me more than anything else. I hadn't really considered this potential problem when I got my girls late last year. I will try with every fiber of my being to be there for them until their last breath though.

Honestly, I didn't think about this possibility and this is quite unsettling.

When I will move out in 2 years, I'm thinking about asking family and neighbors whether they are willing to care for them in emergency situations, and look around for dogsitters who might help out in such cases. A note stickied to my health card explaining there are dogs waiting for cuddles, food and walks and asking to call these numbers ought to do the trick.
If none of this works out, my emergency plan is to crawl on my gums in order to have them cared for.

What do you think about that?

 

[nekdoneco123]

i live alone in a smaller house with a medium-sized garden and i'm away for around 9 hours on work days (8hr shift + travels). when i'm out, the door into garden is kept open so they can go in and out as they see fit and we had zero problems so far. well, aside some random birds getting into the house via the door few times. i also take them for a longer walk before i go out and when i get back.

i think lots of ppl actually get a pet because they live alone

 

[Deleted member 34693]

Until recently, I lived alone with two dogs. I also went out to work. They were perfectly ok. They have their own room and access to the outdoors. They obviously loved it when I got home!

 

[Pulsingdogcum]

Some dogs are better at home over longer times than others. Some also don’t need as much physical activity. My Newfoundland, for instance, is so big and heavy, with such a huge thick coat, I can’t take him out in this summer weather for more than a 15 minute walk cause it exhausts him. And he sleeps outside in temperatures as low as -40°C in the winter. So when it’s hot, he just comes home and plops like a 165 pound frog in front of the A.C. That’s kept at 65 for him one 15 minute walk a day and a little wrestle in the back yard and he’s good.