Long commutes

[Dogs6]

How do those of you with long commutes find time to train and exercise your dogs?

I have to travel an hour and a half each way for the next 3 days for work and I've just been working out my schedule and I have barely any time for the dogs! I have to leave tomorrow at 7:30 tomorrow to get to work and even getting up at 5am I don't have time to give the dogs more than 10 minutes running (less for Scamp and Diesel since they can't be loose together). It doesn't help I have 12 horses to look after before I leave and 3 of them are definitely NOT dog safe at all So I can't even bring them with me while I'm doing that.

Then I'll be doing a 11-12 hour day and won't be home until 10pm at the earliest by which stage I'll be shattered and have no energy for the dogs at all.

I have so much respect for people that manage all that and still manage to have dogs. If this was a more permanent thing I don't think I could have dogs. Luckily my parents are happy to take over for a few days but all they'll do it let them.out for potty breaks and some playtime.

 

[RBark]

How do those of you with long commutes find time to train and exercise your dogs?

I have to travel an hour and a half each way for the next 3 days for work and I've just been working out my schedule and I have barely any time for the dogs! I have to leave tomorrow at 7:30 tomorrow to get to work and even getting up at 5am I don't have time to give the dogs more than 10 minutes running (less for Scamp and Diesel since they can't be loose together). It doesn't help I have 12 horses to look after before I leave and 3 of them are definitely NOT dog safe at all So I can't even bring them with me while I'm doing that.

Then I'll be doing a 11-12 hour day and won't be home until 10pm at the earliest by which stage I'll be shattered and have no energy for the dogs at all.

I have so much respect for people that manage all that and still manage to have dogs. If this was a more permanent thing I don't think I could have dogs. Luckily my parents are happy to take over for a few days but all they'll do it let them.out for potty breaks and some playtime.

I am pretty sure that the people here with long commutes and multiple dogs don't have 12 horses to take care of.

 

[Fran101]

Yea lol for me it only takes getting up around 30 minutes before I usually would :rofl1: he goes out to potty and for a quick run and that's it, I leave breakfast with him and prepare his kong the night before that seems to help

 

[Toller_08]

That's my life five days a week. An hour to an hour and a half to work and again back home, and an eight hour work day. I am exhausted by the time I get home, and honestly there are days I don't do anything with my dogs but cuddle with them. I wish I could devote more exercise to them, but they get what they need during the week and I make sure my weekends are pretty much devoted to them. Not ideal, but it is reality right now, and everyone is fine. One day hopefully I will have a job closer to home as I really do dislike how much time work takes away from my life and my dogs, but it pays well which is needed.

Forgot to add: This is a new job and I wouldn't choose to have four energetic dogs with such long days, but it is what it is. And honestly my dogs don't seem to care. Even Journey. Still sucks though.

 

[Michiyo-Fir]

For days, especially periods of days like the ones you describe, I get someone like a dog walker to take my dog out in between. Especially in the winter season when the sun goes down very very early and by the time I get home it's pitch black.

 

[Southpaw]

Honestly if I had a permanent schedule like that I wouldn't have dogs lol - or would have like, lazy/geriatric dogs who don't care. I could have a house full of Lucy's and Happy's with a schedule like that.

I work 11 hour shifts 3 days a week. But it's only 3 days a week. And I only have a 15 minute commute. And before getting Cajun, on those long days I didn't do anything with my dogs, but they didn't care. Cajun unfortunately DOES care, very much - I play with her on my lunch break (that's another of my perks, I can bring my kiddos to work) and when I'm done working we'll either go to the park or go for a long walk. It's not really ideal because that minimal amount of exercise can't really compete with the fact that she just spent 11 hours cooped up, but it's better than nothing.

Also thankfully, my long days are M, W, F - so I never have 2 long days in a row, so I can exercise them well the day after being cooped up.

I just make sure to spend time with them and really tire them out on the days when I'm able to. And if I couldn't bring Cajun to work with me we'd probably be utilizing dog daycare.

 

[jfn]

I have a busy schedule too! But fortunately I have some time to play with her in the morning before going to work and at the end of the day when I get home. My real luck is that I'm able to leave Nina with my wife's mother everyday before I go to work. She has some more free time to play around with Nina during the day and she also has her own dog to play with Nina as well. So she has a great time with us when we are home and there as well during the day. Then at the weekend have a lot more time to enjoy her and play around.