Am I fit for owning a dog?

Any dog who's okay to be left out in the house is already a dog who's going to sleep most of the day. Which can be done in a confined area. And a dog who's not trustworthy to have free-roam of the house needs to be confined for their own safety not to mention your sanity.

The two dogs thing is a bit hit or miss. I've found with my dogs that they like each other and are friends, but what they both want most is me. Not each other. I also keep them seperate when I'm not there because one of them is a bit of a resource gaurder so I can't have him and a bunch of toys and food all over the place in the same place as my other dog. Blood would eventually be drawn. A pair of dogs that is already bonded like you mention with the doxies is a better way to go than just two random dogs that have never really met before.

What qualifies a "senior" dog depends on the breed. A breed with a life expectancy of 9-10 years old would reach senior status at about 7. But another breed with a life expectancy of 15 won't be a senior until their teens. A lot of the time you can kind of tell that a dog has reached their golden years just by their behavior and demenour, and some dogs get lovely white hair on their muzzles (though some go prematurely grey so this isn't a sure-fire indication).

It is the rare dog who can hold it for 10.5 hours. 8-9 hours, yes a dog who you carefully control when/what they eat and drink and get them "emptied" right before you leave can manage that. Some dogs can go longer. I've seen Conrad of his own volition hold it for well over 12 hours. But eventually every dog has their breaking point. Small dogs have smaller bladders and tend to need to go more frequently. I really think that either way a dog walker would be a good thing. The problem with doing an x-pen and paper or pad training is that often dogs have a hard time generalizing "yes it is okay to go in the house on this spot, but not on this spot". An older dog who's already housebroken is already used to going outside and may have a really hard time learning a new routine. You don't want to mess with that. A dog who "unhousebreaks" can be a bit of a nightmare to retrain, and retraining takes a lot of time and close supervision. I'd go with what the dog already knows.

I think a mid-day dogwalker, an adult or healthy senior dog who is already known to be fairly sedate, and perhaps an already bonded pair (but not just two dogs who "seem to like eachother") would be the way to go here. But keep in mind that having more than one dog can be a lot more work. I know it sounds weird because you're just doing all the same stuff but for one extra dog, but believe me, it can be much more than double the work.

I want to provide a slightly different perspective.  I live alone and work full-time, so my dog is alone during the day for many hours.  When I got him, I was at a more damanding job and he was alone for 10 hours most weekdays.  Is that an ideal situation?  No, but we make it work, and he is a happy, healthy dog.  He came from animal control and I am 100% confident that I am giving him a better life than he had before, or that he would have had with most people who might have adopted him.  If you are committed to giving the dog adequate exercise and stimulation, and you choose carefully, then I think you can get a dog and give him a happy life.  Most people have to work -- that isn't incompatible with being a good dog owner. 
 
Most dogs sleep during the day anyway, and housebroken adults can hold their bladders for a long time.  You can always hire a dog walker, take the dog to doggie day care, put in a doggie door to the yard -- there are lots of options to give the dog opportunities to exercise and eliminate.  When you are home, of course you'll need to exercise, play, and socialize the dog.  It certainly can be done with a full-time work schedule.  You just need to think about what you are doing, use the time you do have wisely, be creative, and watch the dog to make sure he seems like he is getting what you need.  The fact that you are asking these questions before you take the plunge tells me that you will do those things. 
 
Of course, you also need to choose the dog with an eye toward what you need, and your lifestyle will change and become dog-focused.  I didn't look at puppies becuase I knew I didn't have the time resources to raise one, and I chose carefully and screened out dogs with houstraining problems, separation anxiety, a BC-like need for exercise and work, and other characteristics I thought would make the dog a bad fit with being alone during the day.  (I don't think you need a senior dog, though, just not a puppy.  My boy was 8 months old when I got him.)  I have a safe fenced yard, and luckily I got a dog who really enjoys being outside.  I liberally use kongs and puzzle toys and other ways to keep him stimulated when I can't be there.  We go on walks and to the dog park and on weekend outings like off-leash ski jaunts and hikes.  Sometimes I find myself playing Midnight Fetch in the dead of winter.  You do what you can, you make it work.
 
I think you should get the dog if you feel like you are ready.  You'll do a great job.
 
I do think adding 2 dogs is way too much, though.  Get one and get him settled, into a routine, part of the family, and trained to where you want him before you expand your family.  Two new dogs and a working owner easily could spiral out of control.  You want a dog who is focused and bonded primarily to you, not to another dog.  If you put in the effort to exercise and socialize him, he'll be fine and ge the companionship he needs.   

Just for Dachshund owner input, Teenie is an older Dachshund. At 10, she is considered a senior, but she will live for another 5 years, easily. She may end up living 10 more years. It's not unheard of in the Dachshund world. She is still VERY active. She's very barky. She cannot hold her bladder for very long. She cannot be trusted loose in the house. I leave her confined to an ex pen, with her crate, food and water bowls, and pee pads when I'm out.

I don't know if she is typical of Dachshunds or not, but she is no less work than my 3 year old dog, in terms of activity. She'll gladly go spend the day at the beach, run a few miles beside my bike, or go for a swim in the pond. She's also completely happy to sit on my lap and read a book with me. She loves clothes and pretty collars (and yes, she picks the prettiest ones out, she LIKES being pretty). She is the complete lap dog, at the same time as she is the complete terrier. She cannot be trusted around small animals or cats, or children. She's loads of fun, very very sweet, and an utterly adorable dog, but she has not, by any means, slowed down in her age.

Acesmom, thanks for the input.

What type of dog do you have?

Leaving a small dog alone for 10 hours I would definitely leave them with somewhere that they can potty. And yes dogs can learn very well how to use them. Gingerbread uses potty pads because I'm on the third floor in an apartment and it just works better for us. He ONLY uses his potty pads in the house and understands it very well.

Also, you said that you plan to "spoil" the dog with lots of attention when you're home. Definitely pay attention to them, but be careful not to go too overboard with it because that can cause problems in itself. It creates kind of an emotional roller coaster and dogs need stability more than just about anything. The idea of leaving treat dispensing toys is a great one. It's mentally stimulating for the dog and gives them a little something to do while you're gone.

All the Dachshunds that I know in every apartment complex I've ever lived are like Jennie's. They're very active and very barky. I actually DON'T think they're good for apartment life; a lot of people have them in apartments just because they're small. I'm not sure either that the Basenji is a "lap dog". Everything I know about them is that they're very independent and barkless, but they make lots of other noises.

If I were getting a dog in your situation my plan would be the following:

Adopt an adult dog that is already housebroken.

Create a stable routine for the dog. I would take them for a brisk walk in the morning, feed them breakfast and would stuff a treat dispensing toy and leave it for them (I'd had a few different types of those and rotate them to keep it interesting). For a larger dog I'd have a dog walker come mid-day to walk them. With a small dog I'd leave them confined to an ex-pen or bedroom (depending on how trustworthy they were) with potty pads. I'd again take them for a walk in the evening and then incorporate them into your evening without fawning over them too much.

Leaving a small dog alone for 10 hours, I would definitely leave them with somewhere that they can potty. And yes dogs can learn very well how to use litterboxes or potty pads. [] Gingerbread uses potty pads because I'm on the third floor in an apartment and it just works better for us. He ONLY uses his potty pads in the house and understands it very well.

Also, you said that you plan to "spoil" the dog with lots of attention when you're home. Definitely pay attention to them, but be careful not to go too overboard with it because that can cause problems in itself. It creates kind of an emotional roller coaster and dogs need stability more than just about anything. The idea of leaving treat dispensing toys is a great one. [] It's mentally stimulating for the dog and gives them a little something to do while you're gone.

All the Dachshunds in every apartment complex I've ever lived are like Jennie's. They're very active and very barky. I actually DON'T think they're good for apartment life; a lot of people have them in apartments just because they're small. I'm not sure either that the Basenji is a "lap dog". Everything I know about them is that they're very independent and barkless, but they make lots of other noises.

If I were getting a dog in your situation my plan would be the following:

Adopt an adult dog that is already housebroken. Create a stable routine for the dog. I would take them for a brisk walk in the morning, feed them breakfast and would stuff a treat dispensing toy with yummy treats and leave it for them (I'd have a few different types of those and rotate them to keep it interesting). For a larger dog I'd have a dog walker come mid-day to walk them. With a small dog I'd leave them confined to an ex-pen or bedroom (depending on how trustworthy they were) with potty pads, water and toys and a bed. I'd again take them for a walk when you get home and then incorporate them into your evening without fawning over them too much.

Most dogs spend 10 hours a day home alone. If you're a 9 to 5 worker with a commute, as most people are, that's approximately 10 hours. If you are willing to spend an hour in the morning and most of your evening and weekends with the dog, it works out ok for many dogs. 

I have always been able to stay at home with my pets, but most people cannot do that. I think getting an older dog is good. I also think being in a loving home alone for the day and having someone come home and love and walk you is better than a pound or being put to sleep. I am glad you thought so much about doing it, but I think rescuing that dog or another older dog is wonderful. Just spend all of the time you can with the doggie, have someone come and take him out or for a walk and SHOW PHOTOS!!!! Good luck.

ORIGINAL: sallya

I also think being in a loving home alone for the day and having someone come home and love and walk you is better than a pound or being put to sleep.

I totally agree!

ORIGINAL: IronHell

Acesmom, thanks for the input.

What type of dog do you have?

 
Sure, no problem. 
 
Ace is a lab-husky mix.  Probably some other stuff in there too, but that seems to be his primary mix. 

I work full time, with an hour commute each way, and I live in a apartment. I'm 24 years old and own a herding dog (Australian Cattle Dog). More so than some other breeds, my dog is not typically suited for apartment life being cooped up all day. She would bark non-stop when I left her and detroy the apartment while I was gone. I got NONE of my deposit back when I left that place. I thought about her non-stop while I was at work every single day and it was not uncommon for me to leave for work in tears because she was being left alone. So I moved.
 
I moved even FARTHER away from work to be closer to my parents and now my mom watches her every day. I invested in a crate (something I had been against previously, but only because I knew nothing about them) and I started crate training her. I started walking Ash EVERY morning and EVERY evening. She has a bunch of toys that are all meant to mentally stimulate her. I've been living next to my parents for over a year now and would like to move closer to work, but before I make any decisions, I have to think of Ash's best interest. How will she be let out to go to the bathroom? Will I be able to afford a pet sitter to come and let her out every day and will Ash be o.k. with that person (Ash is aggressive)? Is it in HER best interest to move or mine? How much harder will I have to work at tiring her out? Will I be comfortable knowing she's at home all day instead of at my mom's?
 
All of those thoughts run through my head, but if I do move, I know that she'll eventually be fine as long as I set it up that way. As long as I tire her out before I leave and when I get home, as long as she gets out to the bathroom and has her toys, then she'll be fine. Ash really only barks when she has all this pent up energy. I can't tell you the enormous difference a good walk in the morning makes. And another thing I do is I make sure that my weeknights are reserved for her. It is damn near impossible for a friend to get me to go out on a weekday because that's Ash's time.

Most dogs spend 10 hours a day home alone. If you're a 9 to 5 worker with a commute, as most people are, that's approximately 10 hours. If you are willing to spend an hour in the morning and most of your evening and weekends with the dog, it works out ok for many dogs.

 
I wholeheartedly agree.  Just to expand a bit, its OK for your dog(s) to be alone all day IF you make it up to them at other times.  My two are alone for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week.  Do I like it?  No.  Are they OK with it?  Yes.  Why?  Probably because I devote most of my free time to walking, training, socializing, playing with, and loving my babies.  The dogs are a tip-top priority for me.  I rarely do anything outside of the apartment on work nights, unless I can take them with me, because they've been alone all day.  That means no going out to dinner, seeing a movie, nothing Monday - Thursday (I have to party on Friday nights[]).  To make up for Friday nights out, we do lots of doggy stuff on the weekends. 
 
I adopted both dogs as adults.  I could not have had a puppy being a single, full-time worker.
 
Also, I know this has already been mentioned, but all of this really does depend on the dog.  Cuma was fine being alone all day before I adopted Blitz.  However, there is no way in heck Blitz could ever be alone all day.  He would shred the house if it wasn't for his doggy brother.  Blitz also has class once a week which helps immensely.  As it is, neither of them have to be crated when I leave. 
 
One more thing... getting two dogs at once would be taxing for even an experienced dog person.  I definitely would advise against that course of action for a first time dog owner.

I have to agree an adult dog is fine alone for 10 hrs. I read your introduction and you mentioned your GF and yourself are very busy with work and other activities. Remember that a dog is a long term comittment. You can probably expect even a senior dog to be with you for 10 years if not more. Over time things will change. You may indeed find that your time with your dog will become more personally rewarding than your 'other activities'. Getting involved with dog sports (even at a rec level) is a ton of fun and can be a very social activities. Also, you said you ran your own business. If your dog is sleeping at home, you might consider taking him/her to the office. Many people have dogs sleeping under their desks.

Just some thoughts.

Most dogs spend 10 hours a day home alone. If you're a 9 to 5 worker with a commute, as most people are, that's approximately 10 hours. If you are willing to spend an hour in the morning and most of your evening and weekends with the dog, it works out ok for many dogs.

 
Although I do believe it depends on the dog, I also agree with this statement.  There are a ton of dog owners out there that have to work 40 hours a week.  I'm sure the dogs would love to have their owners at home but they make do.  I definitly agree with giving them lots of exercise before and after, and mental stimulation, no matter what type or size of the dog.
 
I take my dog to daycare twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays) so I never worry about him on those days. On Mondays (after a weekend of fun and exercise with me) and on Wednesdays (the day after daycare) he is usually so exhausted that he sleeps the whole day.   Daycare really helps us out a lot, and they also board so in case I ever need to go away he will be comfortable and familiar with the environment.
 
Also, make sure that you find a vet that has extended hours so you don't have to take time off of work for routine checkups, shots, etc. - my vet is usually open until 6-6:30pm weekdays as well as Saturdays. 

Many thanks again to you all for the inputs, you are making me think of things I didn't think about before.

So let me ask this question then, it seems that so much depends on the dog how do I... increas my probability that the dog I come home with (if and when I do) from the shelter is a fit?  I've been to one shelter thus far and they have whole bunch of dogs.  The people working there seem very friendly and were very helpful, some of them were able to tell me the personalities of different dogs as well as providing me their history/medical records.  The thing is... the shelter is such a different environment than what the dog will have here at my home.  How do I translate their behaviors at the shelter?

For example, I saw Surprise http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7472866) and she was sooo quiet!  While many of the other dogs would bark and rush the door whenever it opened and someone walks in, she never made a peep and chose to lay quietly in the middle of the floor.  I know she's social and affectionate because when I beconed to her she'd come looking to be petted.  I picked her up and she sat perfectly comfortably in my lap; at one point she even laid her head down on my arm (that went on for a good 10~15 minutes until I put her down [])

She was just an awesome awesome lapdog (at least during the 2 hours I was there...)  One of the volunteers told me I should pair her up with Ben p=13>http://www.beaglesandbuddies.com/index.php3?topic=adoptme&p=13).  What's interesting is that Ben is one of the dogs that got hyped up when people walk in.  Then I saw Surprise interact with Ben and they rubbed nose and I think Surprise told Ben to pipe down   The volunteer told me that Surprise is the dominant of the two.

Anyway, I'd love to say that Surprise (I don't know about Ben) would be suitable for me because she SEEMS quiet and seems to do fine just chilling but how do I know for sure?  50-50?

Also, in this case, why do you think the volunteers at the place recommends that if I were to take Surprise that I should take another doxie in?

Thanks.