<p>The situation you describe, the long hours, the after work demands and the commute - IMO none of it is a remotely appropriate situation in which someone should keep a dog. At least some of those apartment dwellers with dogs work part time, have more flexible jobs or hours, have roommates or spouses with flexible hours. Some hire dogwalking services or bring the dog to dog day care. Many leave the dogs alone for too many hours and probably shouldn’t have them at all. </p>
<p>Another concern I would have would be as relates to your D’s career. I don’t know what kind of job this is, but generally speaking as a young people just starting out in a new job, you need to show motivation . If there is an occasional day when work needs to be finished, you stay. After hour functions can be important for networking. And if she starts leaving early or routinely leaves even when the occasional work day needs to go longer, it can have the potential to negatively impact her job performance and/or evaluations. </p>
<p>No, you can’t hold the dog hostage - but that would not prevent me from pointing out the many negatives of the situation and offering to keep the dog for now.</p>
<p>Post 18 should have said NOT a big chewer! I didn’t want anyone to think Oliver destroyed things. Now Abby at this age was another story; I have the woodwork to prove it!!</p>
<p>roshke- It is my daughter’s understanding that there are no evening hours, just happy hours!! Pretty must everyone walks out at 5:30 together each day. At the moment she has no travel, but if she does in the future, she would board Oliver.</p>
<p>I haven’t seen anyone here discuss whether the apartment has regulations regarding pets and what the additional security deposit will be for having a pet in the apartment. She may want to look into this more closely and if the apartment has regulations regarding barking during the day.</p>
<p>Yes her current place allows dogs and she know all about the fees and regulations associated with having a dog. That was number one on her list when looking for housing; a place that would allow a dog of his size and green space nearby.</p>
<p>I don’t think the long hours of your D being away is good for a young dog. Maybe if the dog was older and settled, but I still don’t think that is a great life for a dog. I grew up with dogs all of my life and my parents always had a large yard they could come in and out of.</p>
<p>We live in a townhouse and thus our children have not grown up with a dog. Even when I was home all the years the girls were young I did not want a dog without having a yard. We have always had an indoor cat and I think a cat rescued from a shelter would be a good option to keep your D company. Many years ago (before kids) when my husband and I lived just outside DC we found a lovely stray cat that became a great companion.</p>
<p>My 15 year old daughter has a thriving business walking neighborhood dogs that have owners away for 10+ hours a day.</p>
<p>I have known other teens with dog walking businesses. Perhaps your D could find a teen, senior citizen or SAHM who would like to earn some cash by walking her dog. If she can’t find anyone in the neighborhood, there are commercial businesses that do this. </p>
<p>If she can’t find an arrangement like this, IMHO, it would be better for you to keep the dog.</p>
<p>As an owner of a rescue dog of a very “destructive” breed (Catahoula), this situation can work out, but it will be challenging during the dog teen period until about age 2. That’s when the majority of the chewing takes place. At 11 months, my dog was digging up the drip system and shredding dog beds out in the yard, but was perfect when inside for a few hours. By age 2.5, I was able to trust him inside all day (no crate), with only a few problems resulting from D’s stuffed animals being left on the floor… My dog apparently has a bladder of amazing size, which your dog may not have. Dog daycare is great for getting past the danger period without crating. However, crating is a reasonable option as long as the dog is well-trained and not punished with the crate. A housebroken dog should not need to be locked in the crate by night, so the 16-18 hr statement is simply wrong. Someone I know has 6 rescue dogs who don’t all get along with each other, but who are kept happy with a crate and rotate method for exercise. Of course, she doesn’t get to do much else! My advice is to find a dog walker who can drop by midday to give the pup some exercise. These are often easier to find than the daycare (which is better, if your daughter can find one). Otherwise, count on keeping this dog for another year or two.
Good luck!</p>
<p>I’d also advise waiting until the short-term lease is up. Show the chewed woodwork from the other dog to your daughter. If something like that happens in her apartment, she won’t be liable for just the pet deposit - she will be charged the cost of replacing wood trim or cabinets that have been damaged. With such a young dog, she can’t know what the results of long days alone will have on the dog.</p>
<p>I do think it sounds like you have grown quite attached to the dog, and you may want to prepare for that to be used against you in an argument.</p>
<p>I think I can convince her to wait the 10 weeks, at least I hope I can! We have a list of local doggie daycare locations, now she just need to find an affordable place to live within walking distance of one of them! She will have to go check each facility and she what she things about them and check out the reviews for each. We are lucky here in that both the daycare by her work and the one by our house are wonderful; that is not the case with all day care. </p>
<p>The original thought was to have Oliver attend daycare 3 days a week and have a dog walker, maybe a neighbor of college student, walk him the other 2 days. He is so sacked out after a half day of daycare now, that I think 3 days would be enough for him. He is just as happy chilling in the den with us when we are home, that I don’t think he would need to be at daycare for 5 days. </p>
<p>On a side note, I am not thrilled with the idea of a dog walking company having a key to her apartment as well as a key fob to enter the building. Call me a worry wart, but a young woman living alone with someone having access to her apartment doesn’t thrill me. I realize anyone that works for the apartment complex also has access, but that doesn’t bother me as much.</p>
<p>Keep the dog until her living situation is suitable for having a young dog. (It’s great that he isn’t a chewer now, and is comparatively low-energy, but who knows what he would do if left alone and bored for 10-15 hours per day.) </p>
<p>It does sound as if your D is prepared to be realistic about his needs, which is good. The question is probably going to be: can she afford to meet those needs in an expensive city? She should also not underestimate the potential for conflict with roommates over her dog.</p>
<p>In any case, if and when the dog does go to live with her, you can make it clear that if it turns out to be too much of a burden for her, he is welcome back at your home any time.</p>
<p>I said so because I know several folks who crate their housebroken dogs at night. We never crated our dog because I’m not a fan of the practice. She says she will be gone for 10 hours during the day (8-hour workday plus commute, I guess). Unfortunately, the sad reality is that many, many folks have to put in extra hours if they want to keep their jobs. So she might be gone for 12-13 hours depending on her job situation.</p>
<p>I second everyone who said she needs to wait until she moves into a more permanent place. Removal from a familiar environment causes stress in pets, and the fewer times the dog has to move, the better.</p>
<p>I doubt that a shelter would adopt a young dog to anyone in your daughter’s circumstances, despite her love for dogs (well, at least for this dog in particular!). Dogs, especially youngsters, need consistent training, socialization, reinforcement of positive behavior, activity and exercise. So many folks adopt puppies despite having to be away from home for long periods during the day. Eventually, many of these dogs end up being relinquished to a shelter when their owners realize they can’t care for them properly, or can’t cope with the “bad” behaviors that have developed. I hope you can have a frank discussion with your d and that she will be able to put Oliver’s well-being ahead of her own feelings. It’s wonderful that you’re able to offer this pup a great home. I don’t consider this a case of “helicoptering”. To me it’s a question of what’s humane.</p>
<p>I would suggest your D get a copy of Cesar’s Way and at least read the chapter titled “Cesar’s Fulfillment Formula for a Balanced and Healthy Dog”. Among other things, he believes a dog should be walked twice a day, a minimum of thirty minutes, regardless of breed or size. I’m sure he would recommend more for a puppy. That is a big time commitment for someone wth a full-time job, a commute and a social life that does not revolve around the home. I also hate the idea of taking a puppy who has been living with a family and another canine companion and leaving it alone all day. I second the idea of a cat (preferably two) , though perhaps there was an explanation of why that wasn’t a good alternative. (I haven’t read the whole thread.) </p>
<p>I don’t think you need to be heavy-handed about this. I think if she really thinks through what this will mean for the puppy she will realize that this would not be in his best interest right now. </p>
<p>I crated my dog when he was a pup, but closed him in the kitchen if I had to go out during the day. He still likes to sleep in his crate (with the door permanently open). If we are out late he will put himself to “bed”.</p>
<p>I’m graduating from college in May and moving to a new city to start a job. I desperately want to get a dog (grew up with dogs, have always had them around), but I recognize that it’s just not realistic or fair to the dog if I’m going to be gone most of the day.</p>
<p>It seems like Oliver has a wonderful life with you. Is there any way you can convince your daughter to let him stay? I’m sure that she could make it work (with daycare, dogwalkers, etc), but would that really be best for Oliver?</p>
<p>I completely understand why your daughter wants Oliver to live with her, but could she possibly look into rescuing a cat? That’s what I plan to do once I get settled at my new job.</p>
<p>I live in a college town and love to walk my dog on/near campus; he gets soooo much attention. I think it is nice for him and the students who are missing their dogs.</p>
<p>dmd-Not possible as we live over 10 hours away. If she was still living nearby, this discussion would not be taking place; Bailey would be living with my daughter.</p>
<p>Please don’t do this to the dog. It sounds like he has a wonderful life right where he is! If Oliver could talk he would be begging you not to do this.If he started life with your daughter under these conditions he wouldn’t know any better,but he didn’t and does. He will be miserable! Your daughter needs to but her wants and needs aside and think of the dog.All part of growing up.Sometimes things don’t go according to plan and this is one of those times.In time she will get over it and realize at this. time of her life it’s better not to be tied down with a dog.</p>
<p>My D tried this several years ago with her 5 yr old dog. The dog was used to 2 acres and even though her roommate had a dog and she was only gone 6 or 7 hours a day it was too much for the dog. The dog became depressed and sick. D called in tears one day and we picked up the dog and brought it home. He is still with us today.
Last year she adopted a dog. The dog is an inside dog. She takes him out several times a day. She is an older student so her schedule lends itself where the dog is not home long hours alone. But this dog is happy to stay inside resting while she is out during the day. This is the life this dog knows. He has always been an inside dog. Our dogs at home would never adjust to such a schedule. She does not crate her dog. She lives alone and the dog is her companion and best friend.
In your D’s case it might prove to be similar to my D’s first experience in having a dog on her own. Your D might need to try it. I bet the dog doesn’t last a week since he is not used to living that way. She is lucky that you are willing to keep her dog.</p>