Dog Downsides

[Fresh air]

Morning All,

Looking for some advice and insight (not vitriol and abuse); I'm seriously looking into getting my first dog, partly companion and house pet but also for shooting, I wildfowl and try and get some pigeons in the summer. My current position is to get a part trained (house trained/basic whistle/obedience) Lab at about 12 months from good lines (have some in mind already).

 

Situation:

My position is: Bad - I live and work in London full time. Good - I'm moving to a bigger house with a 50 foot garden and plenty of space for a kennel & run, I have the time and passion to train morning and evening for an hour if needs be, or roughly 30 and 60 mins preferably, I'm a highly active 30 year old and I'm able to get a walker/mate in at lunch times for an hour or so as well, plus I shoot and would be training & working it oh and I can work at home 1 or 2 days a week most weeks.

 

I've spoken to a number of people, owners, breeders, shooters who have said as long as I train and exercise well, preferably kennel whilst I'm out and am prepared to put the time in then working full time and having a good dog is totally fine - on the other hand I've seen pages and pages of rants about it not being ok...

 

Complication: It's my first dog, so just looking for all the downsides of being a full time worker and owning a dog. My wife is keen but on the premise "she doesn't have to do anything that changes her routine" - no comments on that please (I can do that myself!), I just say it to make it clear that this will be my dog and I'll be the one needing to flex to accomodate, She'll come round but sets the baseline that I need to do everything.

 

Recommendation: Over to you guys really - basically what are your views on the above, tell me your experiences, tell me if it's viable, tell me the downsides, the pain in the **** bits, the hidden costs etc etc.. Really looking for some advice please

 

Thanks and as I said at the top, hoping for some guidance rather thant he typical rant of "it's cruel you stupid selfish man... etc etc"

 

 

[cracker]

I'd venture that the only downside is for the dog that doesn't get you as an owner, as it sounds like you've got all your ducks in a row heading into ownership and have contemplated wisely. I had four gundogs in a 12th storey flat in a city centre and managed it during the week morning and evening even whilst working a hefty commute away. Then on weekends dashed off to the country and the "club" (gundog training). Only difference I started 'em all myself, for better or worse, but they became solid canine citizens indoors and also took their obedience outside with them. Including this one at about 75 pounds

as a wildfowling dog deluxe. The downside was her coat had a "distinctive" aroma and the white hair really didn't go with the decor. That may be amongst your only downsides in getting a Lab too, but it could be a whole lot worse if you were thinking Chessie instead...

 

Good luck and go for it -

 

MG

Edited November 20, 2013 by cracker

[fenboy]

I would guess the vast majority of us gundog owners have full time jobs too.

As long as its getting the training and exercise it will be fine , especially if it will be out in a run while you are working

 

Do bare in mind that although you have a friend who says they can walk it that in reality they can often become bored or find they have other things to if it is on a daily basis.

 

The wife not wanting too much to do with may actually be in your favor.

Be warned that a trained dog might not always turn out to be the best course to take.

[ditchman]

if you are out for long periods......it would be kinder to have 2 dogs (company for each other) ...i kennel my dogs (well most of them) and have them in in the evening then out to their quarters at 10...they all get up when they hear the 10 0'clock news come on......

[kent]

Don't rely on others, having the offer of help is great, just don't bank on it over the next ten years plus. A dogs life goes into the teens and as long as your prepared for a home for it whole life all is good go for it. In certain respects many things are easier to train in a town dog, there is no requirement to live in the country

[wj939]

Yes you work full time. But just by what you said your going to give the dog a better home than 90% of dog owners in the UK

[Dirty Harry]

If you got a puppy it might help bring the Mrs round.

[Aled]

Yes i am in a very similar position, although i will have a run and access to an outdoor area. I will also have occasions where i can take the dog with me to work (i do outside site visits weekely) I see dogs having far worse lives than one you and i are offering them. I hope to get a dog in the next few months, i must stress i will be getting a grown dog rather than a puppy.

Let us know how you get on.

Cheers

Aled

[WGD]

Sounds like you have it well considered and I would do exactly what you are proposing, with a part trained lab.

 

With the exception that I would skip the lunchtime dog walker, that is just an opportunity for your training and bonding to be undermined.

[Fresh air]

Cheers for all the feedback Guys - it's been really helpful, insightful and exactly what I was looking for - funilly enough the lunchtime walker was something my brother flagged as not needing as well, he reckoned with the exercise I'm planning on giving out plus a decent training schedule the dog will be fine all day just chilling - it's something I'll ask the breeder for her views on but if I could save myself a few houndred squid a month that'd be a touch and more money for carts!

 

Thanks again and with any luck, pictures to following in the new year!!

[Aled]

Keep us posted Fresh air, will be sorting mine canine companion in the next few months. I too will be going for an older dog.

cheers

Aled

[kent]

Cheers for all the feedback Guys - it's been really helpful, insightful and exactly what I was looking for - funilly enough the lunchtime walker was something my brother flagged as not needing as well, he reckoned with the exercise I'm planning on giving out plus a decent training schedule the dog will be fine all day just chilling - it's something I'll ask the breeder for her views on but if I could save myself a few houndred squid a month that'd be a touch and more money for carts!

 

Thanks again and with any luck, pictures to following in the new year!!

Few hundred a month for someone to take a dog out around mid day? Serious? Jeepers no wonder I am seeing loads of fancy dog walking vans, what does that work out at an hour?

[Fresh air]

Around here (London) they're all asking for £12 an hour.... frigging scandelous!! - You can get some more informal people at around a tenner but nothing less than that if you want it regularly...

[kippylawkid]

Around here (London) they're all asking for £12 an hour.... frigging scandelous!! - You can get some more informal people at around a tenner but nothing less than that if you want it regularly...

You're having a laugh though!! Thats more than a lot of blokes get paid for working their bits off on a building site.

You can keep your London living!

Boh!

[THE AD]

Mine wakes me up at 5.30 in the morning and we do a three mile walk,no sleep ins for me.

[Fresh air]

Gents & Ladies - I have made the punge! - I have a 3yo black lab... now for my next question, food:

 

He's currently on Red Mills Racer + ... just wondered what people thought of the various dry foods, I know not to change him over immediately but had noticed that the racer + is meant for racing grey hounds and had quite a high protein content...

 

Over to you for thoughts - he does currently have enormous stools.... I know different foods "come out differently" as well so just as a steer on how it's going through him

 

PS - Photos to follow, or ideally a video of him on a long retrieve!

[kent]

Gents & Ladies - I have made the punge! - I have a 3yo black lab... now for my next question, food:

 

He's currently on Red Mills Racer + ... just wondered what people thought of the various dry foods, I know not to change him over immediately but had noticed that the racer + is meant for racing grey hounds and had quite a high protein content...

 

Over to you for thoughts - he does currently have enormous stools.... I know different foods "come out differently" as well so just as a steer on how it's going through him

 

PS - Photos to follow, or ideally a video of him on a long retrieve!

 

Remove him from that forthwith, its likely to make him over active, fat and can damage his kidneys over time. If he was too much for the last owner then frankly its not suprising

[fenboy]

Try something like skinners maintenance , it will be a good bit lower in protein and perfectly suitable for a Labrador thats not working hard daily .

[kent]

Try something like skinners maintenance , it will be a good bit lower in protein and perfectly suitable for a Labrador thats not working hard daily .

 

I have used race feeds on running dogs, the good stuff is not suited to a dog like a lab- even if its working hard.

[crowdie2013]

i feed mine on a tinned pedigree with pedigree mixer (1 meal a day). 15month old, 28kg and fit. I never see anyone mention pedigree but vet says its good and agrees with him. A solid **** is easier to pick from the run than a wet skitter See plenty of dogs on shoots with skitters, so find a food that suits the dog.

[fenboy]

 

I have used race feeds on running dogs, the good stuff is not suited to a dog like a lab- even if its working hard.

 

The good stuff

[kent]

i feed mine on a tinned pedigree with pedigree mixer (1 meal a day). 15month old, 28kg and fit. I never see anyone mention pedigree but vet says its good and agrees with him. A solid **** is easier to pick from the run than a wet skitter See plenty of dogs on shoots with skitters, so find a food that suits the dog.

If it works for you but its mainly water

[kent]

The good stuff

Yeah, its like putting high octane race fuel in fiat 500. It wont improve anything and in the case in question it might well do damage physically and mentally, its a bit like teaching a 6yr old maths when they are full of sweeties

[fenboy]

I understand that , I was confused after you quoted me and said that when I had recommended a lower protein food.

[fortune]

I don’t profess to be a dog-training expert but over the years I’ve had four dogs. Two labs and two English Springer spaniels so I can speak from a bit of experience. All of my dogs have lived between 14 > 17 years only slowing down in the last couple of years letting the younger dog do most of the work. The dogs over lapped in age so I had two on the go at the same time

The dogs that I have had have been as you stated >> partly companion and house pet but also for shooting, I wildfowl and try and get some pigeons in the summer.

All of my dogs have been housed in the house with us as part of the family.

For those that say dogs are dirty and smelly and are better off out in a kennel I say so would you smell and be dirty if you were brought home from the shoot soaking wet with pond water and covered with mud. And if you had given your all for your master how would you like to be put out in a kennel. When I get home from shooting I have cleaned and fed the dogs first. Luckily we have a utility room by the back door so I get them in there and give them a warm shower to get the pond water and mud Ect off of them and give them a dry down. Wet dogs do smell so then I take them into the kitchen and put them on their lead somewher near to the log burner to warm up and dry off for half an hour or so. They then just go to their beds and fall asleep. They don’t smell then and mine haven’t gone down with rhumatism too badly until the last.

 

You wrote >> Complication: It's my first dog, so just looking for all the downsides of being a full time worker and owning a dog. My wife is keen but on the premise "she doesn't have to do anything that changes her routine" - no comments on that please (I can do that myself!), I just say it to make it clear that this will be my dog and I'll be the one needing to flex to accomodate, She'll come round but sets the baseline that I need to do everything.

>> you don’t need dog walkers. It isn’t needed and once the dog is settled in the wife will only need to let it out into the garden to off-load a couple of times during the day.

 

You wrote >> Situation:

My position is: Bad - I live and work in London full time. Good - I'm moving to a bigger house with a 50 foot garden and plenty of space for a kennel & run, I have the time and passion to train morning and evening for an hour if needs be, or roughly 30 and 60 mins preferably, I'm a highly active 30 year old and I'm able to get a walker/mate in at lunch times for an hour or so as well, plus I shoot and would be training & working it oh and I can work at home 1 or 2 days a week most weeks.

>> No probs at all with this routine. When I use the dogs hard over the weekend they usually keel over until about Wednesday. Most of the time the dog will just snooze.

I have my dogs in the house for several reasons. Companionhip, House protection and security of the dog. I don’t use a kennel because I know of several people that have had dogs stolen from kennels. One had four dogs go in one hit. People say “ my dogs will bark if anyone is around”, but for some reason this doesn’t stop them gettting stolen mostly never to be seen again. This would break my heart.

 

THE DOWNSIDES. Chewing stuff up, if they get bored they can damage stuff. Occational off-loading by the back door. They really don’t like to carp inside their own home so it’s your fault if they do by not leting them out or ignoring their cry to go out or feeding them something different such as Christmas left overs. All of this kind of stuff is not the end of the world and is no different to having kids. It’s all part of the bonding and enjoyment of getting the best from mans best friend.