Hello, I wanted to hear from Weimaraner owners if it’s possible to own a a well tempered and happy weim if I also work 8 hr days. Any feedback is appreciated. Some background information. I’ve never owned a dog before. I live on a 8 acre property by myself. And I work from 2:30pm until 11:00 pm which means I’m out of the house between 1:30pm and 11:30pm Monday through Friday. Last year before I moved I stayed with a friend for a few months and absolutely loved their Weim but his wife stayed home all day to care for and exercise the dog, and Ive beef told they can be prone to separation anxiety. So my question is with my current work schedule could I properly care for one of these dogs or should I give up my dream dog until I work less.
Doing this from a puppy? I'd say it would be difficult to do. However, there are other options. Find a weim rescue. Be willing to adopt an adult or elder dog - one who has settled down, etc. Talk to the rescue and explain what you love about your friends' dog. Listen to the rescue people. If they say your friends' dog is the exception to the weim rule (aka the dog doesn't have the average temperament for the breed), pay attention. Sometimes that one dog we absolutely love is not typical of the breed and getting a dog of that breed ends in disappointment. Make sure the traits you love are typical for the breed. I have found that when I worked full time and didn't have the ability to make a couple quick trips homes during my work shift, that getting an adult dog made it much more doable. Another thing to consider is if your property is fenced at all. Electronic fences are not secure. They don't keep other animals out and one of those animals could injure your dog. If your dog chases other animals, he could easily find himself on the other side of the fence and unable to get back in because he's no longer "high on the chase" and ffeels the electrocution. So having a proper fence around at least some of the property where he can safely explore, play, etc, is important. The next consideration is how much time you can put into him when you are home. As adults, most dogs will settle down when you are gone and sleep. But only if they get enough physical and MENTAL stimulation the rest of the time. That means you need to be prepared to spend the rest of your day working and playing with your dog. It's not an "if you work your dog for two hours every day, he'll be fine" answer. Each dog is individual. One dog may be happy just as long as you are in the room with him. Another dog may need your complete attention all that time. My Tornado-dog is like that - it's not enough to have me there, he needs to be touched and talked to and played with. He needs the interaction. If I don't give him that, he sulks (literally, with the big teen drama sighs and everything). Too much of that and he will make his own entertainment - which is never good. He doesn't have separation anxiety, he just doesn't like being ignored or left behind and finds ways to tell me that. Another option is to simply talk to local shelters and rescues and find an adult dog with the traits that you love regardless of the physical appearance. It may be that a mutt or a shepherd or a golden or a doxie, etc, ends up being your dream breed. Remember, visiting, even for a week or so, with a dog is very different than living with a dog for years. A friend of mine adored my prior dog, Moose-dog. He was well behaved, he loved her, he trotted at her side while they hiked, he was kind, he was happy to sit at her side for hours, and so on. After I lost him, she decided she wanted a dog of her own. Unfortunately, finding a dog of Moose-dog's temperament is not easy. And she did not experience his younger days when he'd jump up and bite the top of the fence off so he could watch the neighbors. She did not experience his moments of terrified fear because the fan started rattling. She did not have to give up her other interests because he would be home alone too long while she went skiing, etc. And she did not have to get up early in the morning because he was a morning dog and liked to get up early. So you really need to make sure you are willing to put in all the time and work involved with owning a dog for 10+ years. Look at every aspect. Costs, vacations, ability to adjust your own sleeping habits to meet the dog's needs, feeding times and how that can affect potty times, exercise, grooming, training, other interests, and so on. Remember, a dog is a living being. They have needs, wants, desires, dislikes, etc. They have feelings. They can't be set aside because you want to do other things, they can't be ignored because you want that extra hour of sleep after a long night, etc. So make sure that the dog can be happy in your entire life, not just some of the time. P.S. do not think, or let others convince you, that a crate is an acceptable way to "put the dog away" when he's inconvenient. Too many dogs spend far too many hours in a crate and are only let out when it's convenient for the person. Dogs aren't objects to be put on a shelf when not in use. They have been purposely bred to need to be at our side. We need to make sure they get the appropriate "people time" even when it's inconvenient for us. Locking them up so we can shower without a dog nose pushing aside the shower curtain, or eat our dinner without the sad puppy eyes, or work without having a tennis ball dropped in our lapevery 10 minutes, etc, is unfair to the dog. And it creates more problems than it solves.
P.P.S. I would be careful of the advice given on the other forum you posted your question. There are posters on that site who have no knowledge or experience except with "their breed" and respond as if you are asking about their breed. What works with an 80 lb shepherd does not work for a 10 lb chihuahua, etc.
