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My wife and I (no kids yet) desperately want to get a dog. However, we both work your usual long NYC hours. I am working banking hours, she is working attorney hours.
I leave at 8:15am and get home at 9/10pm, she leaves the same time and gets home at 8/9pm. We are not able to get back to UES to walk during the day.
We are thinking about the following routine; this would be for the first year or two of the dogs life, and then we are moving to suburbia, so the dog will have more room and full time help from future gma.
*<15 lb dog (mini Sheltie or toy Aussie), that is preferably litter box trained.
*We would carve out a 8x8 foot pen for him to play in all day in our apartment.
*We would walk him in the morning (8am) and late evening (9pm), and we would get a package of $500/mo, which includes (1) 15 hour doggie daycare /week, and (4) 30 minute afternoon walks/week, so that covers M-F. During the weekends, I would take the dog to Central Park everyday.
*While in NYC, we do not want to exceed $500/mo by having doggie day care DAILY, as it would deter savings for future house.
I LOVE dogs, but do not want to be cruel. I would spend every waking hour with the dog during the weekends...if I had more time during the week, trust me, I would spend it with the dog.
We cant be the only people who work decent hours that have a dog. Is this scenario feasible?
DO NOT DO THIS TO A POOR DOG! How can you even be thinking of keeping a dog cooped up all day just because YOU want a dog?! That is not near enough human interaction.
The only gap that bothers me is between the morning feeding while it's a puppy, to the afternoon walk, unless it doesn't mind using the litter box and staying in the enclosure with its waste. A litter box in an 8x8 enclosure is usually very unappealing to a dog. Given a choice, a dog wants to go off to defecate. Dogs are creatures of habit and get used to routines. Once they know the routine they're pretty cool about it. Is the doggie daycare not willing to give you a morning and afternoon walk time five days a week if you forgo the once-a-week 15-hour daycare? I think you'd quickly find that there was no need for the litter box once the dog learned that it could rely on both a morning and afternoon walk. Between the dog-walker's attention and yours and your wife's attention, it would be fine. Another thing is that dogs sleep A LOT. I am fortunate to be home with my dog all day every day except for my in and out errands and freelance photography. He spends most his day sleeping when he could be playing with me or getting petted, and he's only six and is an energetic cairn terrier.
Since you and your wife are upward upward professionals. I'm sure you can afford high rents for a small apartment, whole foods, college tuition, iPhone and a possible doggy day care which is not cheap. Try to find a neighborhood dog care taker or do doggy day care. My suggestion is to wait for the suburbia move to get a dog. I find it really disgusting that some dogs that a really big a Cooped up in these small apartments in Manhattan and Brooklyn while most of their owners do not own a traditional 9 to 5 work hours.
Day care is $40/session, which would account for $160/mo. The remaining costs go to walks, which range from $8-$30 based on 15 vs 30 min. intervals and group vs individual.
If we forego the weekly daycare session, we could get a package for 2 walks a day within our budget. This would be a combination of 15 and 30 minute sessions, at 10 total sessions a week.
Since you and your wife are upward upward professionals. I'm sure you can afford high rents for a small apartment, whole foods, college tuition, iPhone and a possible doggy day care which is not cheap. Try to find a neighborhood dog care taker or do doggy day care. My suggestion is to wait for the suburbia move to get a dog. I find it really disgusting that some dogs that a really big a Cooped up in these small apartments in Manhattan and Brooklyn while most of their owners do not own a traditional 9 to 5 work hours.
Not sure what that has to do with it....But if everyone followed those guidelines, then a vast majority of dogs you see in Manhattan would not exist. Is it the best lifestyle? No. Is it a home with hired care? Yes.
In comparison (and im not in agreement to this) but people in Manhattan have babies in nurseries smaller than 8x8 with hired help during the day. I am considering this for <15 lb dog.
Not sure what that has to do with it....But if everyone followed those guidelines, then a vast majority of dogs you see in Manhattan would not exist. Is it the best lifestyle? No. Is it a home with hired care? Yes.
In comparison (and im not in agreement to this) but people in Manhattan have babies in nurseries smaller than 8x8 with hired help during the day. I am considering this for <15 lb dog.
Me either. Sorry if I ticked you off. I didn't mean too. But working long hours and having a dog cooped up is not ideal unless you hire a dog care taker, doggy care or if you live in a doorman building pay one of the staff to walk the dog for you!
I wouldn't do it. Really pets need your time and attention, especially dogs.
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