MSU Red Cedar Message Board

Get a cat.

maintenance required is food, water, litter. End of story.

Yes.

Do not get a puppy, though. Rescue a 1 year or older dog that is house broken and crate trained. No particular breed is better than another.

Keep it crated during the day with a radio or tv on. A lot of people leave dogs out and their shit gets destroyed, then they beat the shit out of the dog as if the dog was supposed to know. Don't be that person. Long walk after work, some chill time after and you'll have a happy dog.

Same boat as you - I live alone (condo), work 50 hours a week and just bought a Siberian Husky puppy. Not an ideal situation, but I think I can make it work. They sleep 16-18 hours each day anyway. Just hoping he doesn't howl all day when I'm gone.

should be a real good time.

I'm with the cat crowd on this one. Not all cats are aloof. If you get the right breed like a Russian Blue, they are very sociable and will play fetch, etc.

I have always been a dog person but i felt bad about leaving it at home 40 hours a week so i did end up going the cat route and it has been great. Check out Maine Coons. They can get pretty big - 25 lb/48 in long. Super easy to train. We found ours in the woods after some idiots dropped them off in the middle of nowhere. Brought him home and set him in the litter box and he has never went to the bathroom anywhere else. But he is a great cat. He fetches, he carries toys around in his mouth, he will hide some of his toys in specific places like a dog would hide a bone, etc. And he follows me around all day. Everywhere.

are you serious? Think about it. Huskies were bred from wolves basically to hunt and run hundreds of miles... and you're going to keep it in a condo for 98% of the day...

I'm not even sure a cat is a good idea. People think cats are just going to sleep all day when they'e alone. But a cat by itself all day is going to get very bored. Cats are very intelligent and need stimulation and companionship.

That is probably why most people think cats are just aloof and grumpy. Because they get one and expect it to just sleep all day and then love them when they get home. But its just going to become and angry old cat. Although thats not the same with all cats. Some cats prefer being alone.

You could find someone to walk/play with your dog for you while you're at work.

I was in your situation about 4 years ago, was going to be working long hours including a commute but really wanted a dog. I ended up getting a puppy and still have him and he seems pretty happy, but is not very well socialized since I didn't have any other pets or kids and didn't have time to really take him around and show him a lot of other people/kids/dogs when he was little other than going on walks each day. He also barks a lot, though part of that is probably just the breed (he was mouthing off a lot at the breeder's house on the day we picked him up and he was only a few months old). About a year after getting him we were able to get jobs that allowed us to not commute and come home for lunch much more often, so he has it a little better now too.

I'm with those that say it is probably ok as long as you go with a rescue dog that's a few years old already, and have the time and money to give him at least one good walk daily and take him to get all of his veterinary needs each year. I love my dog but sort of wish I had gone the older dog route in retrospect. That way the rescue people can make sure to find you one that doesn't bark all day long or have other social issues, and one that is already house trained and knows some basic things. I don't care for keeping dogs in actual crates all day but I think it's okay to keep them in just one room if you don't think they can handle having the run of the house without destroying things. That's what we did with ours. If you get a rescue then you are also not going to be feeling as guilty each day about having to leave, since pretty much any decent life you can give him is going to be better than being at the pound or euthanized.

What's your travel time to and from work?

There's nothing wrong with owning a dog while living in a condo in the city, lots of people do it successfully, but it really depends on the breed. Huskys are working dogs and need a job to do or else they'll make one up themselves, like destroying pillows and shoes and other items around your apartment. They're beautiful animals but they can be a difficult breed and really respond best with someone around most of the day, especially when raised from a puppy. Unfortunately I witnessed this first hand while living with a roommate who got himself a husky puppy when we both worked long hours. He was forced to get rid of her after it became clear that she was destroying things and escaping because she was so bored. Luckily he found her a good home with a couple young kids and stay-at-home mom. Maybe this was a unique situation but I've heard similar stories from other Husky owners.

The breeder told me that while a condo or apartment is not the most ideal, huskies can thrive in small(er) spaces. I have ample room for it to roam when I'm gone.

What's the difference between letting him outside for exercise 5 times a day for 20 minutes or 2 times a day for 45 minutes??

That dog is going to shred everything you own.