{"id":3971,"date":"2019-06-25T12:51:49","date_gmt":"2019-06-25T16:51:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/?p=3971"},"modified":"2019-06-25T12:52:16","modified_gmt":"2019-06-25T16:52:16","slug":"working-like-a-dog-how-to-take-care-of-your-pet-when-you-work-full-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/working-like-a-dog-how-to-take-care-of-your-pet-when-you-work-full-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Working like a Dog: How to Take Care of Your Pet When You Work Full-Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>More people own dogs than ever before. In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.avma.org\/News\/PressRoom\/Pages\/AVMA-releases-latest-stats-on-pet-ownership-and-veterinary-care.asp\">38% of households<\/a> have at least one furry friend living with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet, most of us have to leave our pets behind each day to go to work. Here lies the challenge of balancing your time between your dog and going to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading to discover our top tips on how to take care of a dog while working a full-time job. And, if you\u2019re thinking about getting a dog, but aren\u2019t sure yet; we\u2019ve got advice for that too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should You Own a Dog?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s face it, owning a dog is an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bustle.com\/articles\/176279-11-things-to-consider-before-getting-a-pet-because-its-a-huge-responsibility\">expensive and time-consuming<\/a> endeavor. It\u2019s not all fun and games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step in caring for a pet is deciding if you should have one in the first place. There are several things to consider if you work a full-time job and you\u2019re still in the research and thinking phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>\nIf your job requires long hours and your schedule is unpredictable, it\u2019ll be better for both you and the dog if you wait. However, having a significant other who\u2019s available and willing to care for the dog too can make all the difference. Just make sure to keep up your end of the deal and not put all the responsibilities on them!\n<\/li><li>\nRealize that after getting a dog, your time will no longer be your own. Almost your entire life will revolve around it.\nFor example, going out with friends or doing activities that involve overnight stays need advance planning so that the dog gets taken care of while you\u2019re away. Impromptu adventures won\u2019t work for you.\n<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you\u2019re prepared to commit to these life changes before welcoming a dog into your home. If you decide that you\u2019re not ready right now, consider another kind of pet that\u2019s easier. Fish, birds, and even cats are less work to take care of than a dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best Inside Dog Breeds<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Choosing a breed that fits your lifestyle is an important step of getting a dog too. There are certain dog breeds that are better suited for living indoors than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These breeds are the dogs that are content at home, alone. They are better suited for being on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Greyhounds<\/li><li>Basset Hounds<\/li><li>Shiba Inus<\/li><li>Maltese<\/li><li>Whippet<\/li><li>Shar Pei<\/li><li>Chihuahua<\/li><li>Bullmastiff<\/li><li>French Bulldog<\/li><li>Boston Terrier<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve covered the breeds that handle alone-time well, let\u2019s look at those who don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Breeds Prone to Separation Anxiety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a few dog breeds that get separation anxiety more often. Avoid these kinds of dogs if you\u2019ll need to leave them home for hours at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Border Collies<\/li><li>Toy Poodles<\/li><li>Cocker Spaniels<\/li><li>Labs<\/li><li>German Shorthair Pointers<\/li><li>German Shepherd<\/li><li>Australian Shepherd<\/li><li>Vizsla<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s no way to know for sure if your dog of choice will get SA, a lot of it depends upon initial training and individual genetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Take Care of a Dog While Working<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you already have a dog or have made a final decision to get one, here are some tips that\u2019ll help you care for your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bathroom Breaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In general, a dog over six months old can wait about eight to nine hours without going outside to pee. However, the last couple of hours will get a bit uncomfortable for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young puppies, on the other hand, need to go out every two to four hours. A good way to figure it out is to take the puppies age in months and add one. This is the hourly range to shoot for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are able to come home during lunch break, your dog will appreciate it. You might need to call in the help of a friend or family member to help out if you have a young pup and are unable to come home for lunch. Another option is to hire a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.backyardpetsitting.com\/pet-resources\/2019\/6\/12\/5-reasons-why-daily-pet-sitter-visits-are-so-important\">daily pet sitter<\/a> to take care of it for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Make Your Dog Happy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people think that having a dog while working full-time isn\u2019t fair to the dog. They feel that the attention, exercise, and outdoor trips needed throughout the day get neglected. That\u2019s partly true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, remember that a dog isn\u2019t as helpless as an infant child, as some think. They\u2019re animals that thrived out in the wilderness before humans domesticated them. They\u2019re resilient, not fragile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If everyone believed that working people shouldn\u2019t own dogs, the number of dog owners would decrease by huge numbers. Dog owners would only consist of the unemployed, retired, or those working from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, if you must leave your dog home alone, follow these tips to keep your dog happy while you\u2019re at work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>\nProvide toys and activities that your dog can do while he\u2019s home alone to keep him occupied. Chew toys and puzzle feeders are great options.\n<\/li><li>\nLeave music or a television on when you leave. Human voices playing in the background are comforting for dogs. Even better, play a video of you or family members on a loop.\n<\/li><li>\nNowadays, there are even pet cameras that allow you to see and talk to your dog while you\u2019re away. This is a fun option to include in your puppy care routine.\n<\/li><li>\nPlay with, or take your dog for a walk before work. If you tire her out before you leave, she\u2019ll welcome sleeping while you\u2019re gone.\n<\/li><li>\nAvoid big dramatic goodbye\u2019s when you leave. Offer the dog a treat and slip out the door. If your dog senses that leaving is a bad thing, he\u2019s more apt to develop separation anxiety.\n<\/li><li>\nAvoid the same drama when you return home. Reward calm behavior with attention and treats.\n<\/li><li>\nLike mentioned earlier, a pet sitter or dog walker is an option too. You could make use of these services either early in the morning before you leave, or during the day while you\u2019re gone.\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A dog that gets mental and physical stimulation, attention, and good food is a happy dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s the Bottom Line?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Learning how to take care of a dog while working a full-time job is sometimes challenging. Use the helpful tips we\u2019ve offered above to make it work. You don\u2019t have to be perfect, loving your pet and doing your best is enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve enjoyed this article and want to learn more about caring for pets, check out our pets section. You\u2019ll find helpful articles on all things pet-related.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>More people own dogs than ever before. In fact, 38% of households have at least one furry friend living with them. Yet, most of us have to leave our pets behind each day to go to work. Here lies the challenge of balancing your time between your dog and going to work. Keep reading to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,28],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3971"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3971"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3971\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3973,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3971\/revisions\/3973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}