Would it be fair

[sir-lamp-alot]

Me and the wife have been talking for months now about possibly getting a lab but we do worrie that we might not be doing the right thing for the dog due to us both working me monday to friday with her working 2 or 3 days per week being out of the house 8hrs each day with no more than 2 days on the trot. From owners of labs would you say this would be to much to ask of the dog we obviously want to be fair to it and dont want to end up with a dog thats causing problems due to what boils down to us basically not having the time for it, as we understand a dog is a 24/7 commitment

 

[Bowland blades]

Me and the wife have been talking for months now about possibly getting a lab but we do worrie that we might not be doing the right thing for the dog due to us both working me monday to friday with her working 2 or 3 days per week being out of the house 8hrs each day with no more than 2 days on the trot. From owners of labs would you say this would be to much to ask of the dog we obviously want to be fair to it and dont want to end up with a dog thats causing problems due to what boils down to us basically not having the time for it, as we understand a dog is a 24/7 commitment

if you make time to actually walk it before and again after work each day each day and your mrs is behind the idea enough to have it with her when home ? I would have to say it will get more attention than most .

 

[WH308]

I think the bigger issue is not what’s fair for the dog, but what’s fair for the puppy.

An adult dog would cope with being left for that long a few times a week, but a pup as a rule has a bladder capacity of 1 hour per month of age, so would need to toilet at least twice while you were out. Can you engage a dog walker to let pup out on those days?

 

[User00045]

Mines just turned one and I’m very lucky that my mrs works from home a lot so he has had someone here for usually 4 days of the working week and when she’s at work all day I come home at lunch to let him out ect.

Now he is a year he can hold the toilet for 6/7 hours but Ive only left him that long once when a job over ran …

As a puppy there’s no way he would hold the toilet that long but you’ve got puppy pads ect ect to help with that.

What I would say is around 9-10 months he went through a mischievous stage - chewing skirting board eating things off the side ect.

So I think if the pup was alone (bord) they may do abit more of the mischievous stuff but there all different so hard to say.

I wouldn’t let it discourage you as I love my dog and couldn’t be without him but you need to try and get a little system going and make it work if you can.

 

[The Singing Stalker]

Go shut yourself in a room for 8 hours with no stimulation, then think about doing that for 5 days a week.
I am not a dog owner for that reason.

dogs are pack animals so to my mind that is unfair on the animal and selfish of the owners. But, what do I know?

 

[deerstalker.308]

I’d say not. As above, adult dog potentially but you’ll be making problems (and a miserable existence) for a puppy. Problems you’ll then likely pay for for the rest of its life with you.

 

[Callumc]

Me and the wife have been talking for months now about possibly getting a lab but we do worrie that we might not be doing the right thing for the dog due to us both working me monday to friday with her working 2 or 3 days per week being out of the house 8hrs each day with no more than 2 days on the trot. From owners of labs would you say this would be to much to ask of the dog we obviously want to be fair to it and dont want to end up with a dog thats causing problems due to what boils down to us basically not having the time for it, as we understand a dog is a 24/7 commitment

Dogs don't mind a sleep, if they get a walk on the morning before graft they are pretty happy for the day. Is an outside run an option? They are normally more content with company though so you may aswell get two

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm.
Reared and bred labs for many years - fair to say I love them - so in the spirit of SD friendship I offer a few observations.
As above a puppy cannot go for long without toileting so leaving it in a cage/room is going to end in tears at some stage - the gloss wears off pretty quickly after a few “accidents”. Also pups need stimulation and the opportunity for regular exercise and bonding with their new master or more likely mistress! Not a task to take on lightly plus there is the lab pup’s tendency to chew everything in sight for the first 12/18 months - if you can survive provide that you will have a devoted and utterly loyal best friend for life.
I have been saddened to see just how many labs under a year which are now on Gumtree and other such sites - dogs probably acquired during lockdown which now cannot fit in with their new owner’s commitments. In short - think long and hard before taking on that adorable little puppy.

 

[Stalker62]

As above a puppy cannot go for long without toileting so leaving it in a cage/room is going to end in tears at some stage - the gloss wears off pretty quickly after a few “accidents”.

Any puppy is a full time job.

Even when you are home, there will still be "accidents".

Ask me how I know...

 

[Craigard]

I'm 79 living alone and took on a Labrador puppy in June 2022, I want to do the rearing and training properly and so far it's been more or less a full-time job; house training, short walks, play and three short (10 minute) training sessions most days. The puppy stage demands a huge amount of attention; after that you have a bigger, stronger dog that is going to need the equivalent of 2 or 3 miles a day walking and training, plus your company. Have you considered trying to find an older dog and as someone has suggested above a dog walking service when necessary. Otherwise you may need to wait until one of you retires.

 

[FoxAndDeer]

Me and my better half were in the exact same position as you and put off getting a dog. We got our lab when Covid hit and as a teacher, my other half was off work and I was working from home. With hindsight it would have been impossible without Covid - they just need so much attention. You can get away with things because they do sleep lots, but as other posters have said it's becoming part of a pack, your pack, that they need at that stage which requires the pack to be around.

Honest advice to the OP - credit to you for thinking before buying unlike so many in the last few years, but I don't think it would be fair on either you or the dog.

 

[T.eddie]

while not a lab, I got my dog just prior to Covid / lockdowns. I worked from home a couple of days a week prior to that and the Mrs works from home all the time so not an issue. Currently work from home most the time now though.
What I found was I would take the dog out at about 06:00 which included a 10/15min training session in the house, he would get a training session again midday or so and another in the evening.

I would time between toilet breaks to begin with to reduce the risk of accidents in the house, this was initially about 2hours or so then I would slowly increase it until it seemed safe and he would let me know if he needed to go out. this included in the night (I would set an alarm)

I then started the training for leaving him alone with our other dog, we would leave them alone for a couple of minutes, then while we walked the small block, then the big block. then increased etc

I work in London (where my office is based) my dog is now 3, but I will take him out before I go to the office and when I get back, my Mrs will take him out during the day so definitely a full time gig made easier if you can split between the both of you