Working full-time: How did you make it work?

[Kiwi]

Hey all,

Hubby and I are looking at getting a dog in about a years time (after we've done renovations on our kitchen and back yard!) and have been researching shelties as one of our preferred breeds I grew up on a farm all my life and had struggled with the idea of having a dog in town while working; however I've got many friends who have raised lovely dogs while working fulltime. I know that commitment is key, but I thought I'd ask the question and see:

What kinds of things really helped your sheltie while you were out of the house?

We've got a 2 bedroom house with a small yard (will be well fenced after the renovation!) I would try my best to give puppy a 20 minute walk before work, a visit in my lunch-break, and definitely a good long walk after work as well as play time. We live in the suburbs and have several large parks near to us. All up I would say a dog would be alone for 20-40 hours per week which I understand isn't ideal; but again, I know that people can raise lovely dogs in that situation.

I'm really willing to take on every piece of advice, I'm just trying to get a feel of how a sheltie would do in that situation I'm more than happy to take a step back and say the breed isn't for me if that is the case!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Cindy]

Exercise is key.
I gave Gavin a good long walk in the morning (about an hour) and similar in the evening. I was not able to come home for lunch.
The first 6-8 months were tough, but after that things settled down.
Teething time was the most trying, when they chew everything!

It really does depend on the personality of your pup. I picked a calm and independent little guy.

Cindy

 

[Greenepony]

Right now we have the luxury of DH working from home but when he's out of town and I had full time internships, our schedule went like this:
5-6am feed and potty break
630am last potty break before I left, Olive was crated and had a kong of green beans or dried liver
1130a-1200p Dog walker stops by and they go for a 1/2 hour walk plus lunch, olive gets crated with a kong with part of her lunch
5pm I finally get home. Olive gets another potty break or a long walk (depending on time of year and sunset)
6pm dinner
8pm Zoomies before bedtime

Olive is a pretty chill dog (as long as she has toys, she's kind of being a pest right now while not allowed them) but we have neighbors who have similar schedules. Some get 2 walks a day, some take the dogs for a run in the morning and again at night. And there are all breeds (one of the few condo HOAs without breed restrictions): GSD, Pitts, Labs, Akitas, Chows...

 

[vickaaayhay]

Hello Congrats! Shelties are the best breed, but maybe I'm a little bit biased! Haha
Me and my boyfriend are full time pharmacy students in the same year - meaning we have classes and labs at the same exact time, so alternating between us seeing the dog wasn't an option. We are in month 5 with little Aimee, who is about to turn 6 months, and she is turning out lovely if I say so myself! However she's definitely more of a laid back sheltie compared to others. I don't know if there's a way to distinguish that feature from a litter, but we got lucky!

One of the biggest challenges for us was with potty training and not having a yard since we live in an apartment. I was afraid of parvo and she could not touch grounds outside of our home. Puppy pads were our friends at this time. Luckily that's not the case with you guys. Of course, when she was young, leaving her in the crate wasn't an option if we wouldn't be there for her when she needed to go. I was not going to let the poor girl be forced to eliminate in her crate. So, we gated her in the kitchen and left her crate open with puppy pads laid out. She was used to them because the family we got her from used them.
Needless to say, the first few weeks were a bit messy
Of course, there's always the option of rescuing a sheltie so you don't have to deal with housetraining!
Now that she's 5 months and able to hold it for 5 hours, things are a breeze. She transitioned to grass/crate training within a month. We come for her at our lunch break and all is well. I think she just sleeps while we're gone. There are many toys to relieve dog boredom if you are planning on crating - such as kongs.
As for exercise, she loves chasing and being chased. When I brought her to my parents' house to stay for a week, tiring her out was easy. I just released her into the yard and watched her run and run in circles, trying to herd who knows what So there's an option. Because I live in an apartment, if we're taking her to potty I have to put her on a leash, so we end up taking many short walks. I also take her to the lake and we run a mile every other day.
She is still young so I can't say for certain she will be like this forever, but I know she doesn't have separation anxiety/behavioral problems from being left alone. She used to cry/whine a lot when we weren't within her sights, but has grown out of that. Phew! I also worked very hard with her socialization at a young age. I still take her almost everywhere with me and make sure to spend lots of quality time with her. As you said, it's possible to raise nice puppies while working. With what you said you would do for your sheltie, I believe you will be okay.

 

[Kiwi]

Awesome advice from everyone! I've had a look around for rehoming/rescue organisations but there are only about 4/5 breeders I'm my country.... so they aren't a breed that seems to be needing much rescue!

I would definitely be asking the breeders for the couch pota to of the litter!!

 

[Hanne]

Kiwi - In my opinion, a great advantage that you can come home for lunch, I thought you could easily have a dog.

What I have done with my puppies:
When I got my second dog, I could also return home in half an hour for lunch, and it took no time before the puppy had learned that I left it again. it was quick cleanliness.
It could walk freely in the kitchen (I have never cages for my dogs inside the house)
Since my first car and when I got a new puppy, I have it in a large cage in the car (the back door could open when it was summer) so I went out and aired the puppy in my breaks and a long trip for lunch.
So I have done with my following puppies.

 

[Caro]

You're right, it can be done. Just takes a little extra commitment (esp in winter when the days are shorter and the mornings colder).

I had a long break from pets because of long work hours. But with my current two I was part time as young pups and went back full time before they were grown back. I couldn't go home for lunch so working part time was a better arrangement for their toileting. But once I returned to full time work it was walk before work and walk after work. I didn't give breakfast in a bowl either. They got their food in treat dispensers, and later scattered around the yard or hidden in the house. Generally dogs will settle down about an hour after you go off to work, so use their breakfast for doing that and they will settle down better.

I'd recommend waiting until your pup is 12 weeks to bring him or her home - a little better house trained then and able to hold a little longer(a good breeder should be happy with doing this). An older pup will also tend to be a little more confident . Think about taking a week or two off when you first get the pup though - just to allow the pup to get used to your home. Settle the pup into a strict routine and while you are at home slowly get the pup used to you being away for periods of time.

I'm guessing you'll have a dog door when you finish the yard - don't expect the pup will use it though as it takes some training (and actually Shelties are better kept inside because they can be barkers). You may want to set up an exercise pen (what people call and x-pen) or set up the laundry to confine the pup's movements (I know like us you don't tend to use crates in NZ). That will save chewing on things and peeing all around the house. Put puppy pads in there for any accidents.

Size of the yard makes no difference, they need the same amount of activity with you whether they are on a half acre or in an apartment. Shelties on this side of the world do tend to be very active and also sociable so like to get out and about. Couch potatoes are hard to find, but you may want to steer clear of the females who are like energiser bunnies. Once you've set a routine you'll be amazed all the neighbours you'll meet walking your pup, and everyone will want to meet the cute shelties. It's like a sub-community and there are kind of 'shifts' of dog walkers based on different working hours.

 

[ghggp]

I was lucky also... My first sheltie was a female who was about 6 months old.
Kelsey was a super calm layback pup. The breeder suggested I take her to obedience classes! The best ever advice! I would practice during the week after work and then go to the class on Saturdays. Ended up getting a CD title on her. The bonding over the classes made her the best dog... So calm and sweet.

My sister was a school teacher and came over every afternoon to let her out and play ball and frisbee with her.

I now have owned five rescue shelties since I got her. They ranged from 6 years to 12 years when I got them. Have you ever considered a rescue sheltie? You would have the benefit of eliminating all the puppy chewing and potty training stages. My rescues are the best dogs ever. They have had an even greater impact on my life than I could have imagined.

A rescue sheltie can add so much love to your life... Just a thought that you might consider a rescue... Good luck and welcome to SN!