8 hour work day with a puppy

[EM Nani]

At what age did you start leaving your puppy or dog alone for an 8 hour work day? Our little big lady is going to be 4 months come the new year and my shift work will change to mornings. Hopefully my husbands will change to mid-day, but if not she will be home for about 9 hours a day (0530-1430). I'm really not comfortable leaving her in the backyard while I'm at work, so we'll have her inside. We currently leave her in an 4 x 4 sqft exercise pin that is connected to her crate for 2 to 3 hours at a time and will be in that while we are at work. Thankfully, she's used to this because the breeder had the same setup from birth. I'm sure that she'll probably sleep for at least half that time, but I'm worried about the other half. We'll definitely leave water, food, and chew toys in the pin with her. I'm sure she'll be fine, but I just hope she doesn't start to get separation anxiety. What do you all do or would do in this situation?

 

[Oscar'sMom]

I would worry about leaving my pup for that long at that age. At 4 months she can probably only hold her bladder for 4-5 hours. We were in a fortunate position as my boyfriend and I had bought a business during that time and he was home with our guy until he was nearly 7 months old. We left him in his crate (which is quite large) for approx 8 hours at a time and one day a week for 9-9.5. My bf is off Wednesday's and half day Friday so Oscar wasn't alone too too much. Are either of you available to take her out to lunch or have a family or friend to let her out? I still feel horrible leaving our guy at home during the day and I wish I could have him with me at all times! We always joke that we can't ever get another one because it would never be as good as Oscar because my be was home with him from 8 weeks to 7 months! Haha I would think an expen would be nice for room and maybe you could also put down pads or something too?

 

[season]

I left Solo in his crate during the day once I started my Christmas break was over...he was with me the whole time on my break once I brought him home at 3 months. Once school started again it was crate time. I would come home on my prep to let him out so it wasn't a full 8-9 hours but still enough time to come home to some accidents in the crate. It wasn't an easy time and usually isn't for most owners of puppies. The bottom line is you have to get through it and so does your dog. Sure, I worried about Solo but he was living in my world and a guy's gotta work. So, with some ups and downs we finally got into a groove and routine. He's two and still stays in his crate when I'm at school. Ideally you'd be able to have someone take him during the day but if you can't then you have to do what works for you. I would def crate her. You may have to do some cleaning but you just need to be able to weather the storm...stick to it and it will work out.

 

[Hiraeth]

Is it not an option to drive home on your lunch? 9 straight hours is way too long for a puppy of that age to be confined without a break.

Other than that, frozen stuffed Kongs and treat dispensing toys are a great way to keep a dog entertained for some time in a crate.

 

[tmricciuto]

I have no advice as I work from home so my girls don't go more than 4-5 hours without someone home. They do spend all night in their crates though. They are 10 months and they are still in crates when we are not home.

 

[season]

You are going to get many ppl saying it's "way too long" to be in a crate etc...don't let that discourage you....you have a pup and you have to do what you have to do. We don't all live in a perfect world. We have to adjust and adapt. So do the dogs. There were times I had to leave Solo in his crate for 8 hours. Did I like it? No, but it is what is it and Solo is fine and healthy. He adjusted just like I had to. Dog's get over things a lot better than humans do. Humans get all emotional etc. To add some perspective here....I've seen many dogs that had to be left in their crate for 8 hours a day. They had great owners who gave them a good, loving home with rules, structure and boundaries. Their dogs where just fine. I've also seen the opposite. Dogs getting to be home with their owners all day. Their owners didn't give them any rules, stucture or boundaries and those dogs where bratty, entitled wrecks. Bottom line, do what you have to do...your dog will adjust. Don't feel bad for the dog. Give it what it needs when you are home.

 

[Boxergirl]

Sometimes, however, if the pup must eliminate in the crate because there isn't someone to let him or her out it can make using the crate to help with house training much more difficult. I would try very hard to find someone to let the pup out. I do think eight hours is too long to be crated without a potty break.

 

[Hiraeth]

*snip* We don't all live in a perfect world. We have to adjust and adapt. *snip*

I agree with you. I personally had to "adjust and adapt" by lengthening my lunches to 1.5 hours, working from 8:00-5:30 pm and driving home on my lunches. Which means I drive over 3 hours a day, leave my house at 7:20 am and usually don't get home until 6:10-6:20 pm. All so that my puppy can go outside to eliminate and get a walk during the afternoon.

Another way to adjust is to hire a dog walker, or put the puppy in daycare for the morning, or have a neighbor let the puppy out, or a family member, or whoever. But there's no way I'm going to sit here and say that 8 uninterrupted hours in a crate every day is acceptable for a 4 month old puppy.

Puppies require sacrifice and commitment and the reorganizing of one's life to make it work in the best and healthiest way possible. If someone's puppy is crated for 8-9 hours at a time at some point, well, life happens. But getting a puppy and expecting the it, at 4 months old, to hold it in a crate for that period of time every day is unrealistic, not great planning and will perhaps cause potty training and issues with eliminating in the crate in the future (in my opinion).

 

[season]

^^^ Touch*. I adjust and adapt regularly. It's part of what being a dog owner is about.


"Today is victory over yourself of yesterday."
- Miyamoto Musashi

 

[season]

I never went home on my prep period until I got Solo. Now it's still a part of the routine. There were days, however, when I couldn't. Or say during a conference night. Things happen. I didn't like it. But we handled it. If u want to do something you will. If you don't you'll find an excuse.


"Today is victory over yourself of yesterday."
- Miyamoto Musashi

 

[Hiraeth]

I never went home on my prep period until I got Solo. Now it's still a part of the routine. There were days, however, when I couldn't. Or say during a conference night. Things happen. I didn't like it. But we handled it. If u want to do something you will. If you don't you'll find an excuse.

I *hate* driving home on my lunches. I don't want to do it, but I do it anyways My car gets terrible gas mileage and is older, so the miles hurt a lot (I drive almost 70 miles a day). It means I don't have time to eat. Leaving work late sucks, too. It's dark outside when I leave in the morning and dark outside when I get home at night.

But to me, it's what I signed up for when I purchased a puppy. Getting a puppy and expecting your routine to stay the same or not be effected is like having a kid and expecting your routine to stay the same. I keep looking forward to when I think Titan will be able to go 8 hours without me driving home on my lunch, and I think it's probably somewhere around the year old mark, so next July.

And yeah, about your conference nights or not being able to make it home - life happens. If the puppy has to go 10 hours every once in a while, it's not ideal, but it's not like there are going to be lasting negative effects from an occasional long day. But it sounds like your 8-9 hour days (or more) were the exception, not the rule. OP looking at routinely long days is what has me concerned.

 

[season]

As far as the separation anxiety...that may be an issue. But it's also an issue that often is made worse by the owners and how they leave and come home. I personally wouldn't be leaving your dog in an ex pen even if you were gone for 1 hour. I think of Solo in an expen and he would have jumped out or knocked it down to get out. Too many "what if's"....you are better off keeping it in the crate and getting someone to come let it out at noon. A friend if you can, if not hire someone.

 

[season]

Thankfully my house is 5 blocks from school. I still go home to let him out even though I know he could hold it til I get home from school. I do it now just cause it's part of my routine.


"Today is victory over yourself of yesterday."
- Miyamoto Musashi

 

[Hiraeth]

Thankfully my house is 5 blocks from school. I still go home to let him out even though I know he could hold it til I get home from school. I do it now just cause it's part of my routine.

I'm very jealous. I'm hoping to buy a house that's about 20 minutes away from my work next spring/summer, but in the mean time, I'm stuck. If I do manage to live fairly close to my campus, I'll always go home on my lunches.

My concern isn't even entirely potty training related, both for Titan and for OP's puppy. Titan *can* hold it for 12 hours, and would, if I left him in his crate for that long every day. But he's a growing puppy. He literally gains 5-6 lbs a week. I think it's *really* important for any growing puppy, but especially giant breeds, to be able to move around, stretch their legs and be active for 15-20 minutes in between 4-5 hour crating periods.

I'm really crossing my fingers that OP's husband will get a shift switch as well, and it will become a non-issue.

 

[season]

Totally agree.


"Today is victory over yourself of yesterday."
- Miyamoto Musashi

 

[Murphy's Master]

We had Murphy in an ex pen with the crate and a pee pad. He was fine until 4 months of age and then started to escape the pen. I would come home and he would be out. Tried several different things to keep him in the pen but he's a very intelligent dog and kept escaping. -------------------------------- So we let him have free run of the house at 4 months. We closed off some rooms and puppy proofed everything he had access to. Hes been doing really well and no issues. Had to get bitters spray for the window ledge he was chewing on. Now we leave him home Mon, Wed, Fri and Tues and Thurs he goes to doggy daycare. We make sure he gets lots of exercise on sundays so hes tired Mondays, and the doggy daycare helps poop him out during the week. -------------------------- Once hes 6 months doggy daycare wont take him unless he neutered so we will be going with a dog walker. -------------------- Our dog is very intelligent and well behaved so it may not apply to everyones situation, but we have had success with this. ------------------------------ Also recently we got a Christmas tree and didn't want anything to happen so I got a Belkin camera that we can watch him on. Its got 2 way voice and email notification. Hes gone near the tree a couple times and I chime in and give him the verbal correction and he walks the other way.--------------------------- There are several services that will let your puppy out during the day for a minimal fee.----------------------------- Good luck!

 

[scorning]

With my Great Dane puppy, I either took him to daycare, took him to work with me, or had a dog walker come midday to let him out. I really tried to limit his crate time to 4-5 hours as a pup, and actually even now. He came down with bad kennel cough for a couple months when he was a pup, which limited me to leaving him home with a dog walker. My adult Doberman is crated all day when I am at work, with a dog walker that comes midday. I don't feel great about this setup, but she is both destructive and dog reactive, so I can't leave her loose at home and can't take her to work.

 

[marke]

a dog door on your backdoor and a good secure pen on the outside . 6ft top and bottom rails , a pad locked gate ....... ... i guess that might sound crazy to some folks , but anything less sounds as crazy to me ..... i'd think if you did it yourself it would cost less than $1000 ...... i'm sure some folks wouldn't like the look ........

 

[EverythingEnglishMastiff]

DogVacay.com or Rover.com are good Places to look for walkers or sitters.

 

[EM Nani]

The crate is size xlarge and the exercise pin allows her an extra 6 x 3 ft to roam around. I'm hoping that the hubby will be able to let her out for an hour during lunch, but in the event that that is not possible we are trying to weigh the possibilities....