I know mine would sleep, although would need me to pop home for a tiddle break, unless I wanted it to clean up when I got in..... and would settle again, as they do when Rob sometimes comes in from work at 3am, lets them out and then comes to bed.
But that's my dogs, yours might be able to hold it longer.
I think a good run before and as soon as you got home would help.

I think also dogs get used to things. They are always more unsettled if the see me dressed up and going out, rather than in my uniform. Uniform means Mum's off to work.

Being left at night is different to daytime.

I used to work Night shifts - they were quite long due to travel distance - but the dogs coped fine - they were all older dogs though...probably make a difference as well.

In the end - you know your own dogs and what they will cope with.

These are my thoughts exactly. The night is fine, but wont YOU want to sleep in the day then? What happens to young active dogs then? Its your choice Rips, you know your dogs best.

I suppose it depends on your dogs, you know them best so will have the best idea as to how they will cope. Mine are a lazy bunch who laze around most of the day and night anyway so wouldn't be too bothered by it.

All you can do is try it and see how it goes.

Hi there

I have five dogs and I work shifts (earlies,afternoons and nights).

Nights is the shift when I cope better with the dogs. They go to bed at 9pm - slightly earlier than usual. I peel them out of bed all bleary eyed when I get home at 7.50am which is just past their normal getting up time. I do all my chores and feed water and medicate them and they have a play out in the garden. They and I then go to bed until about 2pm when its time for walkies. They get fed at tea time and I catch a few more ZZZ's if needed before work.

They dont like earlies because they have to get up at 4.45am and like teenagers have to be prised out of bed. Afternoons is Ok because their hours are fairly 'normal'

They are all used to shifts and cope really well - its just a case of learning a new 'pattern'.

I'm sure you will all cope - after all we could all do with the dosh.

Cheers

Thalices Mum

Thanks for all the replies people, I can't multi quote cos I'm at work on my break, so I'll try and answer the questions overall instead!

Basically these odd night shifts would maybe be twice a month, when there's a gap in my off duty (I already work 38 hours a week).

What I normally do on my first night shift (before I ship them off to my parents) is get up about 7am, feed them and then walk them for an hour 1 hour later. I'll then potter about the house and go back to bed in the afternoon for a few hours. If I have time I'll walk them again before we leave. When I pick them up I generally take them out for an hour, then feed them and go back to bed until the afternoon. This is pretty much the routine I'd have when leaving them at home when doing extra night shifts.

I'm lucky in that Oscar will generally sleep if he's had a couple of decent walks, Isla generally sleeps regardless!

I think it's true in that I won't know until I try it, I also think it would disrupt them more if I were to pop home.

i think that sounds like a good set up, especially if its only twice a month. i know jake would sleep the whole night and be fine, and if you know oscar and isla will then i think they will be ok left during the night.

i agree that it will probably disrupt them to go back on your break, but like you say, you wont know until you try

On occasions when I have had to work through the night my neighbour has let her out at about 8.00 and I got home about 7.00 in the morning - she was still on my bed! She normally sleeps from about 9.00 until 6.00 so I wouldn't be worried. They don't get up in the night for wees like they would do during the day.

Some years ago I worked nights and I just thought that the dogs would sleep through as they normally did when I was home...... Turned out they were getting up about 2 am (I started work at 10) and charging about and waking the neighbours up

I think you're right, going home would disrupt them. I think they'd probably expect a walk when I returned and be very upset when I left without giving them one!

I have to admit a lot of the time when I'm here in the evening and I've let them out for a last wee, they just beggar off upstairs and sleep on my bed anyway!

Oops! Wouldn't want that!