Busy careers often interfere with your personal time, and often leave you with little time to take care of yourself, let alone another living creature. While the thought of coming home to heart-warming leaps and licks is exciting, it’s hard to be a present dog-parent. Like every other relationship, your baby needs to be taken care of, from dog walks and grooming treats.
In light of that, it’s highly advisable to opt for less demanding dogs, that are more independent and can adapt to your busy schedule. Your canine companion requires attention, and once you’ve adopted one, it’s your responsibility to meet all its needs.
Adopting a dog gives you incredible health benefits like reducing stress and improving health as you tend to be more active with a canine partner. And we believe you shouldn’t be deprived of the wholeness of this long-time friendship, just because you’re busy. So we’ve combined a list of all the dogs for busy people you can get that’ll adapt well to your fast-paced lifestyle.
How Dog Owners Can Still Care for Their Dogs
If you’re looking to adopt a dog, or already have one, you don’t have to struggle or give up your canine friend. We’ve got great tips to make sure your pet doesn’t feel neglected, and you don’t feel too guilty for abandoning them for work.
1. Create a Routine You Can Maintain
Find a slot in your calendar to schedule daily care for your pet. Make sure feeding time and exercise are at the same time every day. Once you both slip into the comfortable routine, you’ll both feel better about the times you spend apart.
Your pet will learn when and what to expect, and you’ll be subsequently less restless.
2. Don’t Neglect Their Basic Needs
Basic grooming is still essential. See to it that there’s a monthly shampoo bath in its schedule, as well as visits to the vet at least twice a year. Before turning to your work, make sure there’s fresh water in the bowl and enough healthy food for your dog. CEO Mark Scott eats like a dog to show the effects on human and pet bodies when you eat processed food and an unhealthy diet.
3. Prioritize Walks and Exercise
If you’re working so hard, chances are you don’t get enough exercise yourself. So take the opportunity to bond with your canine BFF and go jogging together. Even 15 minutes is enough, your dog will thank you for it, and so will your body.
4. Make Time to Hang-out
Make movie night dates where you can bond with your dog. Your canine baby needs as much affection and attention as you do.
5. Doggie Daycare
Instead of leaving your dog alone in the apartment all day, how about you drop it off somewhere it’ll be cared for as you work. It’ll be a bonus if you can find one that has training programs to kill two birds with one stone!
6. Get a Dog-sitter
Getting a sitter won’t be the same as spending time with you, but if you’re desperate, it still gives your dog a chance to use up some of that energy and wear it out. Make sure the dog walker you entrust your baby with is fluent in canine behavior and can be there for your dog when you can’t. Group walks may also be an excellent opportunity for your dog to play with other canines.
The Perfect Match
For all you busybodies out there with too much love to give, there’s a solution to your canine-owning wishes. Low-maintenance dog breeds may be the game-changer you all need.
Though all dogs undoubtedly need some level of attention, these breeds can entertain themselves most of the time and let you get on with your business. As you choose, look at a few defining features like:
- Overall temperament – pick friendly dogs that won’t pick fights.
- Grooming needs – shorter, low shedding coats are the best.
- Energy – go for couch potatoes that won’t need too much attention.
- Training – smart dogs that pick up commands fast.
- Social needs – less likely to get separation anxiety while you’re away working.
- Age – older dogs are best, puppies have too much energy and need more health checkups.
You’ll want canines that are comfortable lounging around all day, and will still celebrate your union at the end of the day. Here are some of them:
Spaniel
With all the adorable Spaniel variants to choose from, you’re guaranteed not to go wrong with this dog choice. Though initially reared for hunting, they are given to keeping you company as loyal lap dogs, sure to warm your heart.
Spaniels are even-tempered and child-friendly, even guaranteed to get along with any neighboring pets. Their longer fur needs more grooming, but it’s nothing occasional treatment spas won’t fix.
Maltese
Whether you love snuggling at the end of the day or want to take your dog for a jog or tussle in the garden, the Maltese will be up for it all!
If anything, Maltese’s are there to serve you, since they also double as watchdogs, and are even recommended as therapy helpers by Royal Canin USA.
Even with their high stamina, Maltese’s will be satisfied with the irregular exercise you’ll be able to squeeze in. Their coats don’t fall everywhere, and grooming is as simple as brushing it while your dog snuggles on your lap.
Poodle
Not only are poodles undemanding, but they are intelligent, enthusiastic, and adoptable pets, eager to join in, in whatever activity you choose.
You have options from miniature and toy-sized to the average breed. Poodles have hypoallergenic coats, so you won’t have excessive shedding to deal with. A clip-and-trim grooming session here and there is enough to keep their coats neat.
Chow Chow
Chow Chows don’t crave physical affection as much as other dog breeds according to Dog Reference! If you’re a non-mushy dog lover, then this will be a match made in heaven.
Their reserved nature makes them the perfect companion to full-time professionals. You can mutually let your love transmit in the air without having to cuddle.
Chihuahua
While Chihuahuas tend to tail behind you, this can be swiftly stopped with some good home-training. Other than that, these digs are the perfect companion, portable and agreeable, so you can carry them with you.
Getting two of them will doubly solve your problems because they’re more tranquil in pairs.
Labradoodle
Labradoodles and Goldendoodles make the perfect companion even for first-time dog owners with their agreeable manners and calm nature. They have an impressive reputation for intelligence and the ability to grasp instructions quickly.
One of their best traits is their hypoallergenic coats, making them suitable for owners with hay fever. Their slender bodies require exercise to be maintained, and a few exhausting tussles are enough to wear them out.
Mastiff
These are the definition of “gentle giants”. Mastiffs are enormous and very comfortable hanging out on your coach every day. Their size makes them low-stamina, so while walks are encouraged to keep them healthy, there’s not much physical activity you’ll have to do.
The older they get, the more complacent they’ll grow, occasionally looking up from their slumber to kowtow for your affection.
Greyhound
If there’s such a thing as “feline equivalents in the canine world,” then Greyhounds fit that description. Their indifferent and self-reliant attitude makes them the perfect undemanding companion.
Greyhounds are perfectly comfortable lounging on the couch, and will easily become great exercise buddies when they need to be. You won’t have too much shedding to deal with either because their coats are trimmed. If you have noise-sensitive neighbors, you won’t get in trouble with them because greyhounds don’t bark incessantly.
Conclusion
Your dog-mom/dad dreams don’t have to die just because you spend a large part of your day at work. These low-maintenance dogs for busy people are perfect for your busy lifestyle and won’t make you feel too bad for being away. Nothing beats a snuggle session with your canine BFF after work with a Greyhound or your Chow Chow! And if you can’t move your schedule around to fit these in, then maybe consider volunteering at the dog pound so you can make great companions without the commitment.
