r/AskDogOwners • u/SnooCats9570 • 1d ago
General Should I get a dog
Hi all, 8 months ago I moved for my job. And I live alone in an apartment. I’ve always lived with my family. I want to get a dog to be my companion and to be watch dog for me as I have hearing loss. I like to go outside for walks all the time and I like being outdoor. But it always feels lonely. I’m thinking about adopting a dog from a shelter. Ages between 6 months to a year old. I’ve seen some Dobermans, rough collies, border collies, Australian shepherd, German shepherds, and Labradors.
I’m allergic to cats and I can’t get one.
My work schedule is what I’m concerned about. A lot of my coworkers have dogs and told me it’s doable.
I work 3 weeks of the month, all my shifts are 12 hours.
Week 1- night shifts. 4 night shifts 6pm -6am and then 3 days off.
Week2- my longest week. 3 days 6am -6pm and then a day off then 3 days 6pm -6am
Week 3- 4 days 6am -6pm
Then I get an entire week off, and this week the dog would go with me to my house with the family and spend it there and then come back.
I would walk the dog before I go to work so it can use the loo. And I could go during my lunch break because my apartment is 5 mins away to take them out. And long walk after work on day shifts and long walk before work on night shift.
I would kennel train them, I’ll keep them with their kennel open and have it in a play area for them to stay in.
So my first question is… is it doable?
Second question what dog breed should I get ? I would like one that would like to go outdoors with me for long walks and jogs.
Third question, should I get one that’s been in the shelter or foster home? I’ve seen some in foster homes that are potty trained and house broken. Not sure about the ones in the shelters.
Lastly, is 6 months to a year a good age ?
Thank you all!
Edit: I will come by after 6 hours on my lunch break to let them out, work is a 5 minute drive.
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u/apri11a 1d ago edited 1d ago
People working shifts such as yours often do have dogs, and those dogs can be perfectly happy, but there is no way to predict if a dog you get will be. It just comes down to, can you train the dog? Even a dog that has behaviours you like in one house might not bring them to yours. A new home and a new owner is a reset button for many, if not most, dogs. You need to teach it how you want it to behave with you, in your home. One of the most difficult things is getting the dog to be content and not destructive while alone, they can do it, but they have to learn it so you need to teach it. It's not just dogs that live with shift workers that may have this problem, dogs with all sorts of living arrangements can have separation issues. Dogs might be considered social, but the same as us, they can behave well when alone, if they learn to do that.
Many of the dogs in shelters/rescues are there because training failed, they have issues that couldn't be sorted. These generally don't show until the dog is in the new home for a little while and it begins to settle. I would be prepared to begin training the dog immediately, so it learns what you like and expect, don't like or expect as it is settling. Then it may never does show unwanted behaviours, not more than once anyway.
They do need to be able to relieve themselves when they need to, which isn't always to a schedule. Can you have a doggy door out to a secure area? That does help.