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ForumsGerman Shepherd Dog > Managing a full time day job & training (18 replies)
Managing a full time day job & training by Ace952 on 20 October 2011 - 21:24 |
| I wanted to know how do those with regular fullt ime day jobs juggle their schedule with work, family and dog or dogs. I am gone everyday to work for about 9+ hours a day and only have 1 dog to train but of course after a full day or work that can be tough. I have noticed that I would love to train mid morning if I could as I have the energy level but of course that is impossible since I work. By the time I get home and Im beat it is hard to muster up the positive attitude to work a dog. I do it but I know it isn't quite the same when I have a day off and can do it midday. Right now we work on stuff after I get home and take a breather. Luckily I have one so it isn't that bad. What is your schedule like and how many dogs do you have to train? |
Ace952 by DavC on 20 October 2011 - 23:44 |
| I work 60 hours a week from 6 pm to 6am Monday-Friday. I train with my group on Tuesdays and Fridays and Sunday afternoons. I also train thru out the week on my own. I currently have 5 dogs under nine months and one that is three years old. The advantage to my schedule is I do get to sleep at my job since I am a paramedic working for a county service that is fairly slow so most nights I get 6-8 hours of sleep. I can only think of maybe 6-7 nights where I was up all night. That being said with the young dogs I have it doesn't take a lot of time to train them I do try and work them twice a day tho. At this point in my life my schedule and job is just about perfect for what I am doing. |
by Chaz Reinhold on 21 October 2011 - 00:46 |
| Ace, I'm in the same boat. You can only do what you can. |
Chaz Reinhold by Detroit SchH on 21 October 2011 - 02:29 |
| It is hard. I am tired after work like the OP. I track twice a week, Saturday and Sunday. I do Ob twice a week, one day after work and Sunday. And I am only able to do protection on Sundays. It is just a fact of life. My dogs are not ever going to be the ones with SchH 1 by two years old. But I do have two SchH 3's under my belt and am starting my third now. It is suppose to be fun. Do it at your own pace. |
Detroit SchH by Mindhunt on 21 October 2011 - 03:15 |
| I am a full-time doctoral candidate and am doing clinicals. My week between the two is 60+ hours (longer if I have clients that are in crisis), then add in all the homework, studying, report and paper writing, research, and study group meetings. I have 2 dogs that spent the majority of their lives working and training multiple times a week until a year ago when my schedule became ridiculous. Now I make sure to get one if not two days a month in on training and try to walk them a mile or two as many times a week as I can (although a few times it has only been a few blocks). I take them to the store (now that it is cooler) or other trips for necessities just to get them out of the house, I hide treats and toys around the house to find, take them over to the park every so often and just let them wander and sniff (on lead). Anyone has any suggestions for fun stuff that will challenge them and help their boredom, I am all ears. They do not play well with other dogs, long story and it is rooted on their background before I got them. |
Mindhunt by Gusmanda on 21 October 2011 - 04:09 |
| Hi Ace! Yeah, it's tough to fit in enough time to exercise the dog, not to mention training him. I take my dog out about 20-30 minutes before I got to work (before my daughter wakes up), and another 20-30 minutes before I go to sleep (after my doughter goes to sleep). I try to have the dog do some obedience on one of the two. Usually on wednesday I extend the night walk a bit longer and work the obedience a bit longer. On saturdays I go to schutzhund (8-11 am) and that's usually when the dog gets longer training sessions, as well as socialize with other people and other dogs. If you think it's tough now, wait till you add a wife and kids to the equation!!!! |
Gusmanda by judron55 on 21 October 2011 - 11:12 |
| work from 6:0am-2:30pm...M-F...train T,W,Thur and Sun....track Sat and Sun every week...sometimes after work...weather permitted...am club helper...working 2 dogs. |
judron55 by Elkoorr on 21 October 2011 - 14:07 |
| I am a clinical shift manager for two critical care units working 3 to 4, 12hr (often more like 14hr), night shifts mainly over the weekends. Throughout the week I am dealing often with meetings or educational stuff. Currently I have 5 dogs, 3 training in SCHH. Going to the club 3x a week. I dont train too much at home besides going tracking. Dogs are getting ball time daily, or I romp with them through the woods. I can be outright excausted, but the dogs help me keep my sanity, so I always look forward to training or doing stuff with them. |
Elkoorr by Ace952 on 21 October 2011 - 18:43 |
| Thanks for the responses. I guess misery enjoys company...lol just kidding Yeah I work from about 8 - 6/6:30. I know many people say get up early to work your dog but I'm honest with myself and know that I am not a morning person. I stay in bed as long as possible before I get up for the day. My dogs get worked at night when I get home to basically work on OB. I envy the people who have the time to train during the day. I try to give at least 20 minutes of work in a day. I am thinking about 2 sessions at night. One when I get home and another before I hit the bed. I train for Sch once a week on saturday and then Im up at 6am. Sunday is the only day I can sleep in and man i try to take advantage of it. Wish I had easier schedule to work with but I enjoy the time I do get to train as it is a stress releiver. I agree Chaz, you do what you can do. I use to do it everyday when I got home and sometimes 2x a day and I quickly burned myself out. I was tired all the time and didn't look forward to it. I now do it at least x a week (not including weekends) so I can stay positive. Seeing what some of you all have going on, it isn't easy. Do many of you have far to drive for training? Especially those who train 2-3x a week. 'm always up for suggestions to help make things easier or more fun. |
by VKGSDs on 21 October 2011 - 20:02 |
| What Chaz said. Gotta make it work, do what you can. I'm at work 9 hours a day and I do some other work on the side. I also suffer from migraines that have gotten worse over the past year so sometimes there are 3-4 day stretches when I can't do anything let alone train. I have three dogs right now, actively training two of them. I'm not a morning person either, plus it's pitch black until and friggid cold. I hate dark, early, AND cold, lol. Living in west Michigan does put seasonal limitations on training regardless of when I work. I find I'm often surprised anyway. Like if I feel like shit but drag myself outside, my dog will be on fire and we'll end up training for an hour. But then when I feel energized, my dog is flat and gets put up early. |
VKGSDs by Kalibeck on 22 October 2011 - 01:07 |
 Love you guys! I thought I was the only one! Yep it's tough, & I swing shifts, too, so sometimes my body clock is so screwed up I don't know what time it is!! But like you guys, my dogs are my sanity. Sometimes I feel like I just can't drag myself abother step, & my dogs always make it so worthwhile! In fact, I gotta get ready for work now, & those big brown eyes are making me feel guilty, all 8 of them! jackie harris |
Kalibeck by alboe2009 on 22 October 2011 - 03:05 |
| We are the MAJORITY not the minority. Just yesterday I was talking to someone about this. I'm an Explosive Detection Dog Handler and the service dog trains and works continuosly. I have three others with the two females I'm training for explosives. I HONESTLY thought the two females would be certified by now. I'm working at times two full time jobs and doing sidework, (carpentry/remodeling) and have a 10 month old boy. There's days I don't even sleep. Come home shoer, shave and put on a uniform and out the door to do it all over again. I try to at least train two times a week but that doesn't seem enough. I spend dog time with them every day. When I was in EDD school my day was a 14 hr-18 hr 6-7 days a week for 6-7 weeks. We trained, lived, breathed,ste, slept and went to the bathroom (it seemed) with our K9. That was reality. I just put in 138 hrs. my two weeks prior and took on another 40 hr contract. Two days into that got sick. I rarely get sick. So backed out of the new contract. Guess my body was telling me something. I hear people always telling me that my boss and I work more hours than anyone they know. He and I just think that's the norm. |
alboe2009 by LynOD on 22 October 2011 - 12:37 |
| It certainly can be exhausting can't it. I get up early to walk dogs before work 5:30-6:00 we go for a 20-25 min walk. They are out in out door runs while I am at work. Come home potty them. I train 3 nights a week sometimes four and trial on most weekends. I do agility not schutz. I am working 2 dogs right now with a 3rd that I have to keep mentally stimulated since she has alot of health issues she can't do too much physical exercise. My husband works long hours and I have no young children so I am lucky my schedule works but I do get very tired sometimes. But it is my choice to have dogs therefore my responsibility to be sure they are happy and healthy just as I did my son when he was little. I can't stand rammy dogs in the house drives me nuts so a tired dog is a good dog:) |
by Trelle on 23 November 2011 - 17:31 |
| It is so good to hear others are going through a juggling act like me. OMG you can't believe all of the comments from family and friends that I have had to endure because I have four dogs first of all and I schedule time to work and be with them! I have three two-year olds and their mother. I work full time and I go to school. My mornings start at 4am because I have to be at work early. I walk them in twos for at least 15 minutes each. If the weather is good & since I have a fenced in yard, I will leave two in the yard and they play while I am walking the other two. Then I switch up. I train as I walk too. When I am overwhelmed, a structured training environment works best for me. It forces me to plan my time and stick to a schedule. When things get too tough I schedule a day where we just lie around and be. We take our leisurely walks and I just watch them play and spoil them. On the weekends they get an extra long walk and lots of mommy time with me. I just do what I can. I think they understand when you are overwhelmed because my dogs slow down to accommodate me and when I am recharged I make sure to reward them with a great time! |
by Rass on 23 November 2011 - 19:00 |
| Leave for work at 6AM, get home at 4PM. I have two dogs. Dogs come out immediately before I even go in the house (especially with it getting dark). The first thing they see is the tug.. then I get 'em bathroomed and a bit more tug. Go in and change, and come back out and train/exercise dogs (I combine the two). In daylight savings time when there is light I will put dogs up and go lay a track (two miles away is where I can do this) and then come home. Work on obedience then take the dog to the field and track her. Finish up with a walk and end it with more toys/tug if I can engage them. Go to training 1-2X a week in the evening and track 1X a week on the weekend (plus what I can do after work). Fit in other stuff as needed and every time I interact with the dog I can train something so I do. Even when I let them out of the house for bathroom, I go out with them and do something.. one thing (like a sit or a front or something). The rest of life is fit in around the dogs and training after work. It was the same when I trained horses. I do have more lee way as I do live alone so I don't have kids and SO pestering me for attention or to do stuff. It works well for me and I am very happy. <shrug> |
by Fenrir on 23 November 2011 - 19:22 |
| The fact that this is even a thread is a testament to your dedication and drive for your dog. I am in a pretty similar boat, in my industry things have been VERY, VERY, VERY crazy so when I get home I am drained beyond belief. You do what you can, there have definitely been days I knew I should work the dog and decided you know what, I am going to take a break. It is really hard to when you just want to pass out, you are on your couch and here comes your dog with some rag or toy in their mouth and puts it in your lap to play tug. Of course you have to, cause they are so adorable with those puppy eyes and it is only a matter of time before that joy and love of having a dog takes over and you forget you were tired in the first place. |
Fenrir by Smiley on 23 November 2011 - 20:50 |
| I am in the same boat. But, anyone else home with a preschooler and able to fit training in!! Yikes!! I suppose it will get easier when he starts full day school.... It seems the people whose dogs are the best trained don't have kids home under age 5 or else are men who let the wife take care of the kiddies!! Right now, I train tuesday nights and saturdays (except during t-ball and soccer season  ).Sara |
Smiley by GSDUK on 24 November 2011 - 14:55 |
| I compete at Obedience. I am on call for 108 hours for my job Mon-Fri and am usually either competing/training others or training my own over a weekend. Due to being on call, I cannot schedule training during the week so fit it in when I can. My thoughts are that it's not the quantity of the training that you do but the quality of that training. If what you train is correctly taught and correctly understood by your dog then you don't have to spend hours and hours training. If taught correctly, you are pretty much afterwards fine tuning when in training you ask the dog "can you remember how to do this?" and you see something that needs tidying up. |
by amysavesjacks on 24 November 2011 - 15:06 |
| I am getting ready to start my 13 wk old pup into training... I was just sending out emails looking for the right place to start him. I too have a tough work schedule with 12 hour days several days a week. Thankfully my husband is home during the day and the dogs are all well exercised. If you guys can fit it in.. I guess I can too! |
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