PETS. I need one, I work a lot.

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Replies

  • strangewebby
    strangewebby Posts: 72
    Seven years ago I was in similar boat you are in now. I had to opportunity to adopt a stray 6 month old that had wandered onto a co-workers property that the shelter didn't have room for. Unlike you, however, I didn't do any research on what dogs need or how much it takes to care for them. I was working part time and going to college full time, living in a studio apartment by myself, with minimal funds. I took him anyway, because he was cute. Our first couple of years together were not smooth. He developed separation anxiety that led to many things being destroyed along with his need to bark anytime someone walked by the door. We were nearly evicted because of his barking but thankfully the property managers were very understanding and let a lot of it slide, I'm sure the neighbors loved me. I was able to walk him every day along with the dog park several times a week, but this didn't make up for me being gone for a LONG time every day. He is seven years old now, and still has issues that could have been corrected if I had more time when he was a puppy. Luckily for both of us my life is drastically different from what it was and I like to think that he is happy *now* but I can't help but wonder if he wouldn't have been happier with someone that had the time to train him properly. Plus, house training is no joke, I got lucky that he was a clever boy and almost trained when I got him.
  • annabellj
    annabellj Posts: 1,337 Member
    Have you ever had a Basset? They REEK. My ex's parents had 2. Their house always smelled.
    I had bassets all my life. they do not reek. ur ex in laws probably never bathed them.
    back to your issue, either doggie day care on a daily basis or dont do it. its not fair to the dog. way too long to leave alone. apts and bassets do not mix. but now im going to go look at her! I miss my baby so bad.
  • AmykinsCatfood
    AmykinsCatfood Posts: 599 Member
    Hounds are by nature hunting dogs, therefore they need a "job" to be emotionally and physically well. Keeping a hound in an apartment for 10 hrs a day is a recipe for disaster. They need to be able to explore, track, sniff and run in order to be perfectly happy and healthy. None of these things are really available in an apartment. I should also mention that bassets are really prone to weight gain and it puts a tremendous strain on their joints as they have very short legs and a longer body.

    Please, in the interest of the animals welfare. please don't... I know she's adorable and you would love her to bits, but it's really not fair to her. I'm not trying to be mean, but speaking as a Veterinary Assistant, it's not a good situation for her.
  • annabellj
    annabellj Posts: 1,337 Member
    I don't think anyone has stressed this particular point enough.

    If I lived in an apartment with a neighbor who had a basset hound, I would probably want him dead.

    There was one basset in my neighborhood over a block from me, and that little b**** HOWLED ALL FREAKING NIGHT. I actually walked around the neighborhood a couple of times trying to see if I could find her yard and comfort her or at least just get her to be quiet for 5 minutes, but it turns out that the her mournful baying echoed across multiple city blocks even when she was indoors.

    Hounds are crazy loud. I love animals. I love dogs. I never want to live within 2 miles of a hound again if I can help it.
    Hounds are crazy loud. only when they are left alone for too long. u people are killin me! giving bassets a bad rap. they are the perfect dogs for a family pet!
  • AmykinsCatfood
    AmykinsCatfood Posts: 599 Member
    Good gosh people! Do you all think people who work full time jobs don't have dogs? Can you imagine how many MORE dogs would be killed in shelters if they were so picky that they wouldn't adopt to someone because that person thought a picture of a basset hound was cute, so that somehow makes them unfit to adopt? I could understand a bit of wariness if she wanted to adopt a 6 week old puppy, but she appears to be looking at an adult dog, who has likely come from a much worse home than the one the OP is offering.

    I have been involved in dog rescue for 11 years. I have seen unfit owners who dump their "beloved" pets because they had a baby, moved to another state or the dog didn't match their new carpets. We have taken in a dog whose owners ran over his tail with the lawn mower, didn't bother to get vet care and who didn't look for the dog at the shelter for 2 weeks, long after our rescue brought the dog in, treated him for such an infestation of internal parasites that he was terribly anemic, gave him heartworm treatment, neutered him and healed up his maggot filled tail. And that's just one story of MANY I could tell. And many of you are suggesting that the OP is unfit for a dog???

    OP, I suggest you do your research on different breeds. Almost any dog can do just fine in an apartment if you are committed to having someone come in and walk the dog once a day (not all dogs like or need doggie daycare) and you are willing to take it for a walk in the mornings and a long walk in the afternoon. Dogs are fabulous companions and are amazingly adaptable. I would stay away from the hounds and the herding breeds, personally. Hounds can be noisy, as has been mentioned before, and herding breeds are extremely high energy and intelligent, which can turn into destructive behavior without the proper amount of exercise. Sign up for training classes and bond with your new dog. Good luck!

    Most dogs do perfectly well in houses all day. Hounds do not. Especially bassets who are prone to weight gain due to over eating, so free feeding is not an option, and leaving them all day without food is not fair.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    Good gosh people! Do you all think people who work full time jobs don't have dogs? Can you imagine how many MORE dogs would be killed in shelters if they were so picky that they wouldn't adopt to someone because that person thought a picture of a basset hound was cute, so that somehow makes them unfit to adopt? I could understand a bit of wariness if she wanted to adopt a 6 week old puppy, but she appears to be looking at an adult dog, who has likely come from a much worse home than the one the OP is offering.

    I have been involved in dog rescue for 11 years. I have seen unfit owners who dump their "beloved" pets because they had a baby, moved to another state or the dog didn't match their new carpets. We have taken in a dog whose owners ran over his tail with the lawn mower, didn't bother to get vet care and who didn't look for the dog at the shelter for 2 weeks, long after our rescue brought the dog in, treated him for such an infestation of internal parasites that he was terribly anemic, gave him heartworm treatment, neutered him and healed up his maggot filled tail. And that's just one story of MANY I could tell. And many of you are suggesting that the OP is unfit for a dog???

    OP, I suggest you do your research on different breeds. Almost any dog can do just fine in an apartment if you are committed to having someone come in and walk the dog once a day (not all dogs like or need doggie daycare) and you are willing to take it for a walk in the mornings and a long walk in the afternoon. Dogs are fabulous companions and are amazingly adaptable. I would stay away from the hounds and the herding breeds, personally. Hounds can be noisy, as has been mentioned before, and herding breeds are extremely high energy and intelligent, which can turn into destructive behavior without the proper amount of exercise. Sign up for training classes and bond with your new dog. Good luck!

    Most dogs do perfectly well in houses all day. Hounds do not. Especially bassets who are prone to weight gain due to over eating, so free feeding is not an option, and leaving them all day without food is not fair.

    I did suggest in my comments above that she stay away from hounds in general if she's in an apartment. I am not sure what you mean about leaving a dog without food all day is not fair. Free feeding can cause dogs to become overweight. Feeding twice a day is much better (and my vet believes in feeding once a day, though I don't like that idea). If you have multiple dogs, how do you keep track of who is eating and who isn't? Dogs aren't built to graze. A dog who doesn't finish his meal isn't hungry, which means he's being fed too much.
  • littlelily613
    littlelily613 Posts: 769 Member
    Not sure about a dog--some need more attention than others too--but I work full time and go to school, and I have four cats, 2 gerbils, and a hamster. I love all my pets, and they get lots of love and attention. I think I would be super lonely without them.
  • twinkle150
    twinkle150 Posts: 133 Member
    I don't think a pet is quite for you at this time.

    You currently don't have the time to commit to a new pet (training, puppy behavior, fostering a rescue - all require much time and patience) but you also seem reluctant to take on the financial responsibility as well.

    Maybe volunteer at an animal shelter. You will be in direct contact with the animals you love, be doing them a service and you just might find the right doggie match for you.

    Volunteering at a shelter was my thought too.. You get your dog time and the dogs get some needed attention
  • SDkitty
    SDkitty Posts: 446 Member
    Good gosh people! Do you all think people who work full time jobs don't have dogs? Can you imagine how many MORE dogs would be killed in shelters if they were so picky that they wouldn't adopt to someone because that person thought a picture of a basset hound was cute, so that somehow makes them unfit to adopt? I could understand a bit of wariness if she wanted to adopt a 6 week old puppy, but she appears to be looking at an adult dog, who has likely come from a much worse home than the one the OP is offering.

    I have been involved in dog rescue for 11 years. I have seen unfit owners who dump their "beloved" pets because they had a baby, moved to another state or the dog didn't match their new carpets. We have taken in a dog whose owners ran over his tail with the lawn mower, didn't bother to get vet care and who didn't look for the dog at the shelter for 2 weeks, long after our rescue brought the dog in, treated him for such an infestation of internal parasites that he was terribly anemic, gave him heartworm treatment, neutered him and healed up his maggot filled tail. And that's just one story of MANY I could tell. And many of you are suggesting that the OP is unfit for a dog???

    OP, I suggest you do your research on different breeds. Almost any dog can do just fine in an apartment if you are committed to having someone come in and walk the dog once a day (not all dogs like or need doggie daycare) and you are willing to take it for a walk in the mornings and a long walk in the afternoon. Dogs are fabulous companions and are amazingly adaptable. I would stay away from the hounds and the herding breeds, personally. Hounds can be noisy, as has been mentioned before, and herding breeds are extremely high energy and intelligent, which can turn into destructive behavior without the proper amount of exercise. Sign up for training classes and bond with your new dog. Good luck!

    Most dogs do perfectly well in houses all day. Hounds do not. Especially bassets who are prone to weight gain due to over eating, so free feeding is not an option, and leaving them all day without food is not fair.

    I did suggest in my comments above that she stay away from hounds in general if she's in an apartment. I am not sure what you mean about leaving a dog without food all day is not fair. Free feeding can cause dogs to become overweight. Feeding twice a day is much better (and my vet believes in feeding once a day, though I don't like that idea). If you have multiple dogs, how do you keep track of who is eating and who isn't? Dogs aren't built to graze. A dog who doesn't finish his meal isn't hungry, which means he's being fed too much.

    I don't practice free-feeding with any pet but since I am gone 8-10 hours a day during the week I have an automated feeder. No matter what pet OP decides to get, find a reliable automated feeder so that if something happens that prevents you from heading straight home, they will still have that schedule kept. Schedule and routine is very important to our furry friends.

    When I first set it up it kinda freaked my cat out, but I started going to it with him every time it went off so it was just like me feeding him and he got used to it quickly. Now when he hears it at 5 he jumps up like an excited dog, it's so cute :laugh:
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,585 Member
    get a cactus
  • redromad275
    redromad275 Posts: 884 Member
    fish
  • Elvenhearted1
    Elvenhearted1 Posts: 38 Member
    Get a snake, they make lovely pets and don't require a whole lot of attention. Plus you only have to feed them once a week and they don't make any noise. And the snuggles! :heart: :heart: :heart:

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