I adopted a 1.5 year old golden retriever mix two weeks ago. I work 40 hours/week, all away from home, and am 22 minutes from my apartment.
I am still working during COVID-19, so I am still away from home an average of 10 hours a day. I drive back to my apartment during my hour lunch to let him out, but it's 22 minutes there, a hurried pee break outside, then him being put back into his room for another 5 hours. Something I DIDN'T consider is the fact that car accidents happen and when they do, I can't drive back, and Cooper is left alone for 10 hours straight. I, of course, don't expect him to hold it during that time, and usually come home to a mess and chewed walls (anxiety, I'm assuming). Neither of which are his fault.
Cooper spent a few days at my parents last week due to a work assignment, and my mom sent me videos of him playing in the yard, with the other dogs, and having a grand time. Cooper is always leashed with me (he could jump the fence my apartment has in our very, very small dog "park," and it made me wonder whether I'm actually able to give him the best life for HIM.
Cooper is alone 9.5-10 hours a day, and even when I do come relieve him during lunch, it's super rushed and stressful for him. I've looked into pet sitting and doggy daycare, but honestly cannot afford it. Even at $10/day, that's $200/month. I just don't make enough.
Cooper also has a leg injury that was not discussed at the time of adoption, and I live on the second floor. Stairs are hard for him. I asked my apartment complex if I could move to the first floor, but they said no because I had JUST renewed my lease for my floorplan upstairs.
I guess I'm looking for some insight. I really do not want to take him back to the shelter in the midst of COVID-19, as SO many animals are being surrendered, but I also don't want to keep him if this isn't the best life he could have, which I feel is the case.
Tl;dr: adopted dog, feeling like I cannot provide best home for dog because he is home alone for 9.5-10 hours/day and I can't always relieve him during lunch, which leads to him stressing out and destroying the room and peeing/pooping everywhere (not his fault, imo). I don't want to crate him because I feel like, on the days I CAN'T get home to let him out, 10 hours straight in a crate is far too long.
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/fnkp2n/i_am_second_guessing_my_readiness_for_my_dog/
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