I would like a dog part time BRISTOL UK. Dog sharing ?

[House]

Is there such a thing as dog sharing, I would like a dog part time to share with another family, as I think it would be cruel to get one on a full time basis as I work full time. I often walk dogs at bristol dogs home but not the same... Any ideas people of bristol

[lorraine]

Although the idea sounds good, I don't know whether it could work in reality and would need an awful lot of thought. I agree with the others also that it might not be fair on the dog.

What about vet bills and what about if each family had different ideas about how a dog should behave, and the training given. I know when I foster that although a dog might have been considered well behaved in it's old home, my set of house rules can be completely different and so it wouldn't appear that way to me.

Let's take a hypothetical question into consideration. Say one family allowed a dog to go silly and the dog injured itself while in their care. Who pays the resulting vet bills.

Hmmmmm..... I do see possible problems with this, although admire your stand on not getting a dog while working full time. Could you not just pay a dog walker to spend an hour midday to come and walk the dog.

[Terrier (UK)]

Working full-time isn't necessarily a bar to getting a dog. If you are prepared to pay somebody to walk your dog at lunch times you may find a rescue dog that will be suitable for your circumstances.

The links below might be a good starting point for you.

http://www.oldies.org.uk/
http://www.freewebs.com/southwestsighthounds/

[Amanda B]

I have heard about this before. In a way I think its great. In another way I think it might be stressful to the dog. I am sure it just depends on the dog.

[MamaBas]

Much as it isn't good to have a dog when you are not home a lot of the time, I don't like this idea either! Think of this from the dog's point of view. Moving a dog from one family/owner to another is only going to confuse the dog big time. And there are basics to work out. Like feed costs, and more importantly, vet costs and what happens if the dog is injured when in the hands of the 'other party'.

I'm sorry, a dog should have one home - for life!!

[Mattgkr]

That wouldn't be fair on the dog. It would have to adapt to two sets of household rules. ie. In your house you may let it on the sofa and chew up it's special slipper or something and in the other house it would be told off for it. So just stick to looking after them on their walks or maybe even bring one home from time to time.

[Luli]

I don't think it is really very practical.

You would have to arrange your schedule around a stranger and it can only end in conflict when one of you decides you either want to keep the dog full-time or not look after it at all.

Go and check out your local Dogs Trust.

I might have misunderstood the adverts, but they say they keep dogs for life (presuming no one wants to adopt them) so i'd pop around to your local Dogs Trust and search out their most lonely flea bitten mutt and express your desire to collect it a few times a week and maybe even take it away for weekend breaks or whatever.

You might have to pay to have your home checked out and things but i can't see why they would refuse.

Better you taking it part-time than it being stuck in a kennel 24/7.

[Gea]

That could possibly be the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard.

[__A_YAHOO_USER__]

It is cruel to part own a dog too, and would be against whatever contract the TRUE owner has. It'd confuse the dog ; i.e - you're not in all day, this family is. he's allowed on the sofas at your house, not at theirs. he's fed at 9am at theirs, there's food down all day at his. He gets two walks a day there, one at yours. This is not fair on a dog, at all.