I think learning to drive HAS to be a long-term goal for you to be honest, just to free you up a bit mobility wise. Even if you don't get a car for a long time after - you still then have the option if you DO land a job a little bit further away, rather than having to turn it down because you'd have to learn to drive and pass your test etc etc. Just giving yourself that option and feeling of having more control over your situation - you always have the option of getting a car in the future if you've passed your test.

As for turning down jobs - I regularly turn down work that will be a longer trip than I'm prepared to do, or if I feel I've left the dog alone too much in a given week - but I'm in a job where I have that flexibility (assuming the bills are paid).

As for the training classes - if you HAD to, you could find classes on different days to work around any work you found - heck the trainer's probably running ones elsewhere in the local area most nights a week if push came to shove and you asked them!

As for living with parents - fair play to those who can make it work - I'm envious... unfortunately me and my mother would last a week under the same roof before one or the other of us was brought out in a body bag!

Have you looked at things like midday supervisor work in schools or similar? Stuff like that's often available cos it's that arkward chunk out of the middle of your day - which would work fairly well if you're wanting to be in most of the time for the dog (assuming you can stand the kids!).

LOL! it very often feels like that at mine, too. But I guess you have to work out which is the 'lesser' evil.

For me, staying at home and paying my parents rent (and consequently meaning that my dogs are pretty much never left alone) is definitely the lesser evil, than spending all my wages on a flatshare elsewhere and dashing back and forth to see them.

Just a thought for the OP anyway.

Are lessons to ride a moped or scooter cheaper than cars? Cos they are usually cheaper to buy and run than cars!

Unfortunately (many/most)employers will not n have never taken dogs/pets into consideration regarding working hours/flexibility or circumstance. I gave up a job quite some years ago because wouldn't leave our dog when he was dying(single parent, n not using as excuse) but was my choice n went on to cleaning toilets because fitted in. No doubt they might have been more sympathetic if it was an ill/dying child or relative, but that's the way. Good luck with it all
H.

I have just gone back to work after having many years at home with the kids and dogs. They are on there own from 8.30 till 2.30 most days and are fine. I get up at 5.30 and they have a good walk then have breaskfast when we get back them go out in the garden before I leave. They sleep all day and are fine. When it comes to work you can't be fussy. Comparing a dog with a child is just silly.

Woohoo! Not just me then

Since it's turned into who still lives at home and I'm older than you competition which has cheered me up a little..but there is no possibility of me moving in with parents, they live in Sheffield and everything is in Nottingham - plus whilst my brother is there like Dizzi said about her mum - he would end up in a body bag and me in prison...

But anyway back to the competition - my Auntie Carole is 46 and still lives at home - never moved out, married, had children or anything - and she is now moving out but not for a good thing, she's moving to a hospice...stupid cancer!

Sorry to hear you are feeling down SLB

I haven't exactly turned jobs down because of the dogs, but I did leave a job I loved to get one closer to home so I could walk my dog at lunchtime and have more time for exercising her in the morning and after work too.

I don't know your personal situation, but it sounds to me (from the little bit I have gleaned from this thread) as though you are going through a bit of a down period. A job could be just the thing you need to get you out and about, making new friends, boosting confidence and giving you some financial independence. I would say go for it, and the dogs can fit in around your work commitments.

I do consider myself hugely lucky that I now get to stay at home with the dogs (or/and they get to come to work on the farm with me) but I spent many years working 9-5, living on my own on a fairly small wage and having to find the money to survive, as well as the time to give my dogs the sort of life I wanted for them ... ie plenty of walking and play time as well as different training experiences a couple of nights a week. Yes, some nights/weeks/years (!) I felt exhausted but just had to keep going.

Hope it all works out for you.

I went part time because of having the dogs I never work a minute over 25 hours .

Dogs are great

I work full time 37 - 40 hours per week, every week. If I didn't work, I could not afford my dogs. I walk them in the morning and in the evenings and obviouly 2 - 3 times a day at the weekends as well.

I'm lucky, I suppose, that I live with my grandparents (I'm 25!) and the dogs are not left alone every day, but can be left for several hours if need be without any problems. They are always sufficiently exercised and fed beforehand. But if they weren't around, I'd still manage (I'd have to) to work and keep my dogs, as many people do.

God, wish I could afford to work 16-30 hours per week, that would be lovely! But, unfortunately, it's real life and I can't afford to. I need to pay for my dogs and pay the bills.

Could you not considering moving to somewhere nearer a place that isn't in the middle of nowhere, which would make it easier for you to work and look after your dogs?

As for gundog training on the occasionally Sunday, personally if I needed a job and I could get one if I worked Sundays, I'd take the job over the training. You can train and exercise him in between working hours.

It's not any of my business, I know, but I don't know how you can afford 3 dogs at your age and not work! Mind you, maybe I spend too much on my dogs!

Yes, my dogs come as first as they can be but, until I win the lottery, I'm going to have to work to keep them in the good life they have become accustomed to (and also to keep myself and pay my bills!).