Dogs!

lauren123

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2007
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East Yorkshire
As a horsey person i LOVE the outdoors. However i find it very.... hard... I guess.lack of confidence too . To go to places or to go on walks on my own.
Since i LOVE the outdoors and my animals i thought why not see about getting a dog.
Given my long hours i was thinking not right now. However! I should be doing shorter days soon. I live in a smallish house with a large garden so i wasnt thinking of getting a large dog. If need be and i was at work i could always have a dog walker.
Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on this?
 
You're in rented accommodation, aren't you? Do the terms of your lease allow for dogs, because some don't & also it might cause problems finding somewhere else if you move. Yes you're hoping to work shorter days soon, but will that last? It's not really very fair to leave a dog on it's own for hours at a time, and it would also be alone if you went out at night or up the yard - even if the yard allow dogs you can't take him riding with you if you do roadwork. Who would look after it if you went on holiday?

Why not see if someone near you would like a dog walking? Maybe someone elderly who can't get their dog out much, or someone who works different hours from you.
 
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Dogs are great for getting you out and about. As long as the dog is well looked after (which I have no doubt it would be) go for it. I think that it would be a good thing for your mental health.
 
Have you any animal sanctuary’s or re homing centres nearby. They love people volunteering to walk dogs. Or how about the Cinnamon Trust (I think) an organisation that helps out if dog owners have to go into hospital and have no one to care for their dog. Or Barking Mad? Who look for foster carers / holiday covers. I agree that a dog is a big commitment especially if you are on your own, in rented accommodation and unsure of regular short working hours.
If you want to go ahead with your own dog, then how about a Jack Russell? A small dog but full of energy and a ‘proper’ dog, not a lap dog.
 
I loved my dog with all my heart and wouldn't have changed our time together for the world, but as much as I want another dog I won't while I'm single, working full time and have horses to do on top of that, I am just not at home enough :( Its not fair on them to be locked up alone for 9-10 hours a day minimum. Plus you need to find, at the very least, an hour a day for walks which is fine in the summer but not so easy in the winter when it's dark. And the rented house thing needs to be considered, having a dog def limited my options a lot over the years, I often couldn't pick the ideal place based on my needs and budget because they wouldn't accept a dog, and mine was only a little Jack Russell. Dog walkers will probably cost more than DIY livery each week, they do down here anyway :)

We have a charity down here called The Cinnamon Trust, they coordinate volunteers to go and walk peoples dogs who are no longer able to, elderly, terminally ill etc. perhaps looking at something like that might work for you? or be a good trial for how much time you actually have spare.
 
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