Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

For those of you who work, do any of you feel guilty about leaving your dog at home during the day? How do you deal with it? My DH and I want to get a dog but I am afraid that I will feel guilty about leaving the dog at home while we are at work.

At the present time, I am unemployed but looking for employment. My husband's schedule is not the typical 9-5 M-F. In other words, he will be home at times during the day and occassionally will have days off during the week. So maybe, tops.... 2-3 days during the week, our dog would be alone.

I know pet owners work. I am just curious if there are some breeds that are better left alone than other breeds.

Growing up, I was always a Cat Person (DH is highly allergic...so we can't get a CAt) and we did own 2 dogs when I was young but there was always someone home. And don't worry, I am not the type of person who would get a dog and place it back for adoption. We would be responsible dog owners.

TIA for any feedback!

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

Both of us work and we really don't feel guilty about leaving Misty home alone. We crate her and she pretty much sleeps when we aren't home. More so than the work thing, it does cut into your social life, I am much less inclined to meet friends out and/or stay out for extended periods of time cuz I don't like leaving her alone for too long. So we will leave her in her crate for a max of 6 to 8 hours and that's not every day.

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

I do feel guilty but that is because I miss them and love being with them. Wherever I am in the house, they are in the same room most of the time.

Bailey (a rottweiler) is fine being out in the house....she's been out of her crate since she's 2 1/2 years old. She will be 4 in a couple of weeks. Boomer (a puggle) gets crated because he can be impish and get into things he shouldn't. I don't feel guilty because they get so much love when we are home and when I do work, DH is home 1 day during the week and some days when he closes, he leaves at like 12 so they are really only alone for 5-6 hours. It's only a few days they are alone for a full 8 hrs.

Right now they are spoiled with me being home with the baby.

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

all the time, I feel guilty just leaving him for an hour.
He always looks so sad when I leave the house

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

We have my FIL check on the dog during the day while we are at work... I also feel bad if I leave him alone for an hour.. The girl upstairs from us got a puppy and she leaves it home alone for 8 to 9 hours.... I don't know how she does it.

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

Message edited 4/10/2006 12:11:38 AM.

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

Thanks for the Info girls! We have been wanting a dog for such long time and it seems like we may take the next steps to purchase one. Now, I have to decide on the breed and read up on it.

Thanks again!

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

Unfortunately for us but fortunately for the pups, DH and I work opposite schedules so they are only alone 2-3 hours a day.

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

Bama is crated for 6 - 8 hrs a day while we're at work. I hate leaving him alone all day, but the breeder said to remember that dogs feel very safe in their crates; it's like their home. I always leave chew toys in Bama's crate so that he'll have something to occupy himself with (but I only put the kinds in there that he can't chew pieces off of and potentially swallow.)

Good luck with picking a doggy!

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

Simba does nothing but sleep when we are at work. My office let us out early for the holidays and I was home by 4pm the dog was mad that I was home so early and it was interfearing with his daily sleeping rituals

I definatly do not feel guilty. I know he has food in his bowl, fresh water, lots of toys and we leave the TV on for him. So he is pretty content and mostly sleeps. When I get home I get the biggest hugs from him

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

i feel soooo guilty all the time

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

Posted by HarleyGirlFLA

Simba does nothing but sleep when we are at work. My office let us out early for the holidays and I was home by 4pm the dog was mad that I was home so early and it was interfearing with his daily sleeping rituals

Re: Dog Owners, Do any of you feel Guilty.....

At first I felt guilty but now I am getting used to it. Katie will be 12 weeks old tomorrow. We've had her for 3 weeks.
I work 9-5 and my husband also does but he works late sometimes. I work 15 minutes away so I get to see her for a 1/2 hour on my lunch break. We crate her so she doesn't get into trouble and she sleeps most of the day. This weekend even when we were home she went into her crate and slept most of the time.
We're trying to housebreak her so I keep her on a tight schedule- even on the weekends I wake up at 6:45 to take her out and feed her.