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I received an anonymous rep (coward's way) telling me: "Tje thread is asking current dog owners, not prospective dog owners."
I answered the original post and there was no mention of the OP being current dog owners.
It's not a cowards way. It was me. I often sign my comments. Thought I did.
It's "how to do working people keep dogs," not "how do working people who are prospective dog owners intend to keep dogs."
Can't only people who own or have owned dogs while working be the only ones who can answer the question accurately?
They are, after all, the only people with experience owning dogs while working and know for a fact if dogs can or can't be trained to hold it for 12 hours.
For everyone else, it's just speculation and/or unfounded judgment.
Last edited by Hopes; 03-28-2013 at 02:09 PM..
Reason: added "/or" to "and/or"
Hopes, you are brilliant. I can't tell this person owns a dog by this statement. How do you know you're not the one answering the question wrong? Don't be so snarky.
What a surprise! I've owned dogs and worked at the same time. But, I never left them home for more than four hours at a time. I wasn't judging; I was just suggesting a test to see if the OP had the time, that's all. There are a lot of dogs on craig's list from owner's that didn't realize how much time was needed and keeping the dog was unfair. They probably thought the dog was going to be house trained in an hour.
I stopped by here today and found the discussion is still on. As usual, today, I went home during my lunch break to let them out. My male GSD decided that sunbathing was more important so he didn't go pee. Yes, they can hold for 12 hours. See the picture I took today. What a beautiful day!!!
Isn't holding their bladders the least of the problem? What about being lonely? Separation anxiety?
For us, we have 3 dogs and 3 cats, and they keep each other company and play when they aren't sleeping (which they tend to do most all day long, even when we are around).
I think 12 hours daily is too long. I have a five year old beagle that I adopted when he was 9 weeks old. In the beginning when he was a puppy it was much harder to train and get him adjusted. We crate trained him for a little over a year and now he free roams the house while we are at work, which is usually 7-8 hours and is fine. I start getting worried if we are away any longer, because I know how I would feel if I did not use the bathroom for that long. I just get worried about UTI's and things like that when they hold urine for too long.
Exactly. Just because they MIGHT be able to hold it does NOT mean that they should. Ask your vet.
As animals age, they tend to need to go more frequently. What do you do then? Put an ad in the paper?
For us, we have 3 dogs and 3 cats, and they keep each other company and play when they aren't sleeping (which they tend to do most all day long, even when we are around).
I agree, it's better to have at least two dogs to have each other to play with. But, as to the rest of my post...if you get a puppy, when would you house break it if you're away 12 hours a day during the week? House breaking is tough!!
In the beginning, I let the dogs out at 2-3 hour intervals (just used to doing it from potty training days)...and they wouldn't go.
Sometimes they would just stare balefully in the doorway as if to say, "What did we do wrong? Why do we have to be outside?"
Over time, THEY have taught me how often and when they want to go.
They are not trying to please me by holding it hours on end.
I think it depends on the type of dogs. All my three dogs (2GSDs +1 English bulldog) are easy to house break. Well, I should correct myself. My two GSDs are adults when I adopted them. So they are easy. I want to add that adopting adult dogs that have already house strained is a good choice for me.
I was just suggesting a test to see if the OP had the time, that's all. There are a lot of dogs on craig's list from owner's that didn't realize how much time was needed and keeping the dog was unfair. They probably thought the dog was going to be house trained in an hour.
Oh, I see how you were approaching this. It makes perfect sense to me now.
I'm not being snarky. I truly haven't understood the wrath that many people have directed towards dog owners who work long days. If they haven't done it, how could they know if the dog could hold it or not? I'm speaking from experience that I know they can. I suspect that's the reason many of us who have done it are offended----we didn't view this thread as someone considering a dog. But this post of yours is the first time I realized some people were thinking the OP is considering a dog. That perfectly explains why so many people are giving advice to prospective dog owners with a heavy negative spin
I didn't interpret the OP's post that way. Now I realize that she very well might be considering a dog. That changes my answer which is now:
Yes, dogs are capable of being trained to hold it 12 hours, but I do not recommend anyone getting a dog knowing they have long work days UNLESS the dogs will be the center of their lives. In other words, I can see this being a good situation for a recluse or empty nesters who are filling a child void or someone similar who intends for their entire life will revolve around the dog when they are home. If all they are doing is loving their dogs when they aren't working, this might not be a bad situation for a dog being purposely brought into it. However, I highly recommend two dogs so they can keep each other company, and I warn the dogs should not be kept crated. I also believe this is only a possibility for someone who is experienced in owning dogs in their past because training will be important in this situation.
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