Leaving a puppy in van whilst you work?

[davesparks]

Owning a dog is a massive commitment and should not be taken on lightly. In my opinion it is unacceptable to leave a dog in a vehicle at all, and I used to have massive rows with my dad about him taking the dog when he went to the supermarket and leaving her in the car.
The days of tradesmen taking their dog to work with them are far behind us now I think. There were one or two guys at the company where I served my apprenticeship who brought their dogs onto site with them (full grown and well trained dogs) but that company was a good 20 years behind the modern world in most things. The dogs would join us for tea breaks and everyone looked out for them.
Personally I liked having dogs on site as I am a dog lover, but as a said they were well trained maturer dogs and were never taken to work if the guys were working in occupied premises.

 

[Midwest]

Sounds like quite a casual attitude towards work to me. If they're regular customers and you have an understanding with them they might not say anything, but if I was paying someone to do a job and he brought his dog or his kids or his mates with him I'd be wondering if he'd come to do the job or just to lark around.

Well it got nothing to do with the customer, unless they sit in the van with the dog.

 

[Midwest]

On a personnel view, I would like a dog, but I don't think I could commit myself to one. Leaving a dog at home alone is not conducive to their well being. HHD, as you are your own boss, you can do as you wish, as long as the dog don't suffer, which I doubt you would allow. Police dogs spend 6hrs in the back of a van, apart from chasing the odd criminal. They seem to live good lives.

 

[Darkwood]

A dog is part of the family and should be treated with the exact same respect as any daughter or son.. would you bring a young child to work and leave them in the van/car for hours on their own. NO! because it's called child neglet yet I am baffled by some peoples reasoning that its OK to subject a dog to the same... if you cannot devote round the clock care for any pet then don't get one.

These are my own opinions and yes I've had pets myself and would never get a dog and leave at home for several hours a day or bring it to work to be shut in a car or van all day, its cruel and totally ignorant to think a dog is only fun when it's convenient for you.

If you need a pet in your family then you need to discuss 24/7 care in advance and not shun your responsibilties as a pet owner.

 

[Darkwood]

If you haven't already guessed I am a huge Dog lover.

Yes don't we already know lol

 

[Adam W]

Well it got nothing to do with the customer, unless they sit in the van with the dog.

It's got everything to do with the customer because they're the one paying for the services of the tradesman. They're going to want an electrician to turn up to do electrical work and concentrate on that, not what their dog is doing in the van. Like it or not a lot of customers read into what van a tradesman drives - if it's old and clapped out maybe he doesn't care about his image so maybe doesn't care about what the job looks like, if it's brand new and flashy he's making too much profit and may be ripping off his customers, likewise if the age of the van is hidden with a cherished plate.
What kind of message do you think turning up in a van with a dog in it is sending out?

The customer might also want their tradesman to be discrete and professional, not turn up with a barking dog for the curtain twitchers to see and judge.

 

[GMES]

Yes don't we already know lol

Anyone that knows me knows how strongly I feel about Dogs and their well being, I even do free work for a local Dog rescue to help them out, The saddest thing for me is that a lot of nice people do stupid things and don't even realise they are being cruel to a dog. Leaving a Dog locked up in a van for hours at a time is nothing more than cruelty, even more so when they are a intelligent and athletic breed, Lab's are so intelligent and thrive on excersie and stimulation.
When we took our's on it was only because our lass was working 2 hrs a day part time, now she stays home all day so Jack is never alone and gets at least 3-4 hours a day exercise off the lead plus pavement walking.

Your life suddenly as to be planned round the dog, yes it is ok to leave them for short periods but that's it from then on, holidays weekend breaks etc all have to be planned the same as if the dog was one of the children! and if you are not prepared to treat them the same then don't even think about buying one.

 

[Midwest]

It's got everything to do with the customer because they're the one paying for the services of the tradesman. They're going to want an electrician to turn up to do electrical work and concentrate on that, not what their dog is doing in the van. Like it or not a lot of customers read into what van a tradesman drives - if it's old and clapped out maybe he doesn't care about his image so maybe doesn't care about what the job looks like, if it's brand new and flashy he's making too much profit and may be ripping off his customers, likewise if the age of the van is hidden with a cherished plate.
What kind of message do you think turning up in a van with a dog in it is sending out?

The customer might also want their tradesman to be discrete and professional, not turn up with a barking dog for the curtain twitchers to see and judge.

Oh dear, so we all have to drive a van of a certain age, not too old, not to new. I'll have to park mine round the corner. I washed it yesterday, so I hope I don't offend anyone. I think people want a quality job done for reasonable price, done by someone they can rely on. People are concerned on choosing the right trades person, and use different approaches, word of mouth is top of the list. The vehicle they turn up in, is not.

 

[rolyberkin]

Sounds like quite a casual attitude towards work to me. If they're regular customers and you have an understanding with them they might not say anything, but if I was paying someone to do a job and he brought his dog or his kids or his mates with him I'd be wondering if he'd come to do the job or just to lark around.

A sparks I have worked with in the past has a large cage built in the back of his van and does what you are proposing, never caused any problems with customers, he leaves the side door of the van open, personally I don't see an issue with it, probably better than leaving a dog by itself at home! It can be exercised during the day if you have a break I can see the point re dog theft though. If you take kids to work you get better biscuits!

 

[GMES]

Oh dear, so we all have to drive a van of a certain age, not too old, not to new. I'll have to park mine round the corner. I washed it yesterday, so I hope I don't offend anyone. I think people want a quality job done for reasonable price, done by someone they can rely on. People are concerned on choosing the right trades person, and use different approaches, word of mouth is top of the list. The vehicle they turn up in, is not.

I do understand what Adam is saying but hate it at the same time, For me you should be judged on your work not your vehicles age, I should be ok though because while I have just bought a brand spanking new Vivaro, the lad is in an 07 vivaro so that should balance things out lol we will just have to think of which customer sees which van.
Joking apart if my customers had an issue with me in a new van they wouldn't be my customer for long, One of my top customers who spends a serious amount with me every month, was chuffed to bits when he saw my van, he looks at it how he should that I have invested not only in myself but in his company as well, he has approx 10 sites accross the uk and having a reliable new van ensures that I won't be constantly letting him down due to old vehicles breaking down daily.

 

[Darkwood]

Anyone that knows me knows how strongly I feel about Dogs and their well being, I even do free work for a local Dog rescue to help them out, The saddest thing for me is that a lot of nice people do stupid things and don't even realise they are being cruel to a dog. Leaving a Dog locked up in a van for hours at a time is nothing more than cruelty, even more so when they are a intelligent and athletic breed, Lab's are so intelligent and thrive on excersie and stimulation.
When we took our's on it was only because our lass was working 2 hrs a day part time, now she stays home all day so Jack is never alone and gets at least 3-4 hours a day exercise off the lead plus pavement walking.

Your life suddenly as to be planned round the dog, yes it is ok to leave them for short periods but that's it from then on, holidays weekend breaks etc all have to be planned the same as if the dog was one of the children! and if you are not prepared to treat them the same then don't even think about buying one.

That little comment from me was Jovial and like I posted it sounds like we are both singing the same hymn here...

This was the animal I was refering to ... do you recognise him

 

[Midwest]

I agree that all animals should be treated humanly and properly. There are a lot of dog owners who do not spend 24/7 with their pets, but are no less caring. Pups cry at night, when left by their human friend, but eventually learn they'll see them in the morning. Not everyone is in the position, to have a home carer for their pet, but does that prevent people from owning such a pet that brings great rewards to both pet & human. I know we are a nation of pet owners and it is emotive subject. Pigs are highly intelligent and can outperform 3 year old children on cognitive tests, yet we pen them up and eat them. As I said before, police dogs spend 6 hours a day, in the back of a van. If that was deemed cruel, why haven't the RSPCA prosecuted.

 

[GMES]

That little comment from me was Jovial and like I posted it sounds like we are both singing the same hymn here...

This was the animal I was refering to ... do you recognise him

Yes lol and I get the joke involved now, I was a bit slow there wasn't I !!

 

[Darkwood]

I agree that all animals should be treated humanly and properly. There are a lot of dog owners who do not spend 24/7 with their pets, but are no less caring. Pups cry at night, when left by their human friend, but eventually learn they'll see them in the morning. Not everyone is in the position, to have a home carer for their pet, but does that prevent people from owning such a pet that brings great rewards to both pet & human. I know we are a nation of pet owners and it is emotive subject. Pigs are highly intelligent and can outperform 3 year old children on cognitive tests, yet we pen them up and eat them. As I said before, police dogs spend 6 hours a day, in the back of a van. If that was deemed cruel, why haven't the RSPCA prosecuted.

You bring up some points that really are stretching the conversation here, yes new dogs do take a while to adapt to the day night cycle, police dogs are always taken out of the vans at every convenience, they are specially trained and get more care and attention than most pet dogs from their users.
The pig reference is side-tracking the conversation here, yes, I see your point but the welfare and treatment of my bacon butty is a whole new conversation in itself - we were really discussing mans best freind here, not farmed animals.

 

[GMES]

I agree that all animals should be treated humanly and properly. There are a lot of dog owners who do not spend 24/7 with their pets, but are no less caring. Pups cry at night, when left by their human friend, but eventually learn they'll see them in the morning. Not everyone is in the position, to have a home carer for their pet, but does that prevent people from owning such a pet that brings great rewards to both pet & human. I know we are a nation of pet owners and it is emotive subject. Pigs are highly intelligent and can outperform 3 year old children on cognitive tests, yet we pen them up and eat them. As I said before, police dogs spend 6 hours a day, in the back of a van. If that was deemed cruel, why haven't the RSPCA prosecuted.

You are right in a lot you say, but when you say not everyone is lucky enough to have a stay at home care, it as nothing at all to do with luck it is purely down to the fact that I work very hard in my company to allow our lass to not have to work, which allows her to stay at home with him because my attitude is if you take on a Dog then it is 100% your resposibilty to care for it and if that means doing a few extra hours a week then so be it.
I feel I need to point out though that this is just my opinion and the way I do things, I am not saying it is the way everyone should be, A good example is when my Dog was about 16 months old he stupidly chased a Bitch on the fields and then straight onto a main road, he was it by a transit van and the vets bill totalled 6k, now I had people saying bugger that get it put down or dump it at the pdsa and forget it. As you've probably guessed I paid the bill because you take the rough with the smooth.