Leaving a greyhound home alone

[jow]

Hi

I've been researching adopting a greyhound for the last 6 months or so but could do with a bit of help.  I work full time and on average I'm out of the house for 10 hours a day, though sometimes it's less than that I do sometimes work at home - so worse case is 10 hours.  Is that too long to leave a greyhound?  I spoke with a couple of rehoming charities a while ago and they said you can find one that is comfortable with being left alone while you're at work but I'm just concerned that 10 hours may be too long.  I'll walk him/her before I leave for work and when I get home. 

Any advice/opinions gratefully received.

Thanks

[Letty's Mum]

Ten hours is a very long time to leave any dog. If you had someone who could come in halfway through the day to walk the dog it would help, but not all dogs would cope even with that.
It's not just the need to toilet and excercise, it's the loneliness too.
Greyhounds love company x

[jow]

Thanks for the reply. We always had dogs when I lived at home and I've been desperate to get one since I moved out (some 18 years ago!) but had never considered it because I work full time. From the conversations I've had a greyhound seemed like a possibility. I've looked into getting a dog walker and I would do this if it meant I could adopt one but of course, I'd only do it if it was fair to the dog. Anyway, thanks for the advice. Looks like I'll just have to wait a bit longer.

[allthehounds]

Hi, I hope you manage to adopt a greyhound at some point, there's nothing better than being owned by a hound! I would say though that 10 hours is too long to leave a dog alone and ours can only do about 5 hours at a push before going stir crazy! It's not just an issue of toilet breaks and getting out to stretch their legs but they just love being with people and if we've only been out for an hour we still get jumped on when we come through the door. I hope you can find a solution and that you'll soon be sharing your settee with a hound!
Sian.

[deborahburt]

I agree, 10 hours is too long a time to leave any breed. I don't tend to leave mine longer than 4, 5 at the max.
If you could get a walker or even if you're very friendly with your neighbours, they are such a joy to have around. ( The dogs that is not the neighbours )

[greybeard]

Complicated.We've had dogs for over 30 years and it's always worked out somehow.At first I wasn't working.Then I was but Chris was on permanent nights.He usually woke up around 4 pm which meant about 7 hours (1 of the dogs was always to spend the time sleeping with him.Things changed and we both ended up working variable shifts (nights included). Our boys were older,so the dogs weren't left for too long.The boy's are now long gone.We found that they could cope with up to 7- 8 hours if needed.It worked with our 1st grey,but I really think that was because she had her half-sister for company.I was pressureised to work 12 hour shifts - and refused because0 of our dogs.10 hours is too long - and greys seem to like company.

[sassbu]

Just to give you some information incase you haven't looked in to it, my sitter charges £7 for a half hour visit with them, so that would be £45/week or £193/ month based on a 5 day week. My husband and I work different hours but if that ever changed I would have to take that option or find a dog loving lodger. . I had to wait a long time to be in this position, my grey would be fine on that schedule but some greys wouldn't even like that long. If you do go down that route, it's best to explain it as you have done here, so you get the right grey to match your circumstances

[gilli176]

As said 10 hours is too long but if someone visited halfway through the day some dogs would cope. Mine are fine left for several hours even if I always feel bad for leaving them

[Sian]

Some dogs cope well with being left for that amount of time and some don't. In the past when my working hours and personal circumstances changed I have had to leave mine for that length of time and they were fine. As dog walkers have sprung up then we have had someone pop in and walk them for an hour to break up the day. On the whole our middle aged greyhounds seem to have no issue with this, BUT they were settled in the home first. I also had more than one.

What I would say and this is speaking from experience, is that working full time, living alone and caring for a dog is hard. You have to factor in walks before and after work which in the winter is dark and miserable. You have to give up any social life on a weekday evening and to some degree at the weekend to ensure you make up for the time you were out working. It is possible but you have to be prepared to make the sacrifices.

[jow]

Thanks everyone, some useful info there. The time I spend at work does vary (I've been home since midday today) but 10 hours is average at my busier times so I think it's best to use that as the basis. Even if my working hours aren't a problem, I'm not in a position to adopt straight away as I have a very elderly cat and I don't think it would be fair to her to bring another animal into the home. I know caring for a dog by myself would be hard work but I know from experience it's also extremely rewarding.

[ReggieK]

I was in a similar situation myself.

Decided 2 years ago i wanted a dog, but not whilst i had my cat. She passed away last year at the grand age of 19. After which I spent a lot of time looking around and decided on a greyhound, whom I picked up less than 3 weeks ago from GG.

Unlike you, I work from home so do not have the long absence issue to deal with. But have to say that so far, there is no way I'd leave her for more than a couple of hours during the day, as she gets a little restless and wants the company. But she is only 2 so perhaps an older dog would settle better. That said, in the evening she is as good as gold and doesn't seem to bother me much after food and walk. Holds her bladder for 12-14 hours and at night sleeps downstairs alone for 8 hours.

Longest I have left her alone for so far is hour and half one evening, and she just settled on my bed. When I had to go away for 4 hours I took her to family to look after as I didn't want to take a chance she might get distressed.

Best of luck with your plans, hope you find a way to work it out.

K

[julies]

Hi welcome to the thought of greyhounds I agree with the others that 10 hours is too long to leave a dog but a dog walker would be a great help tho be awarer that greys haven't met other breeds so may need careful socialisation for a while , the other thing to remember is that greys have never had to be alone in training so its a big ask when they retire into a scarey new world .. having said that most re-adjust very well tho some need help and some will never be ok on their own.

I live on my own, work full time and have greys/lurchers and horses but I find they are what really keeps me sane .. if I go for a long walk with the dogs or just potter with them aruond the horses I'm totally de-stressed well worth the 'hassle'

Good luck

Julie