8 hour work day with a puppy

[EM Nani]

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.

We'll be putting her in the crate with the exercise pin attached because we definitely can't leave her to wander the house, she is still teething and very curious. We are totally expecting accidents, thankfully we have tile and clean up will be fairly easy. We are also considering extending the exercise pin so that she will have more room too..

 

[teodora]

I was home (working from home) with Jack most of the time when he was 2-5 months old. Then I used to take him to daily care every morning (from 6 months old). Then I left him home (with an open crate) and nothing bad happened. As long as I "forget" a bedroom door open, he'll cuddle in the bed and sleep most of the day (I have video surveillance, so I can see him). If I don't leave the door open, he'll fuss around more but he still won't chew anything.With the girls, well there's a totally different story. They have access to laundry room (it's a big one, and they have their crates and food and water there) and also to an enclosed part of the back yard. They chill outside in the shadow most of the time, and they become distressed if locked inside and chew me out of home. Being two of them, they don't have any kind of separation anxiety. Odd enough, they don't sleep in the same place: each of them goes to her favorite place (opposite directions), but they still play together from time to time. So, my advice, see what works for your puppy, get feedback from neighbors (if the puppy is loud when you're not home) and buy lots of toys and stuff so it won't get bored quickly.

 

[EM Nani]

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).

I do not expect the puppy to hold her bowels for that long of a period, hence the exercise pin (approx. 6 x 3 ft). Sometimes when we run errands for an hour or so, she simply relieves herself on the "potty area" (construction paper laid over a tarp) which is completely expected. We always leave the pin up even when we are home and she willingly goes in there to sleep or play with toys. And there have been times where the back door was closed so she'll go into the pin and use the "potty area". She is in no way afraid of the pin. I completely agree that sacrifices need to be made when you have a puppy, but realistically life happens. I just hope that our schedules will fall into place, but thanks for the response, I appreciate your honesty.

 

[EM Nani]

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.

Thank you! Our girl gets lots of attention and is definitely getting lots of structure; she is very well taken care of and healthy. I am just thankful that should she have to be at home alone for 9 hours a day it will only be for 2-4 days out of the week.

 

[season]

Gotta find what works for you and do the best u can. I know there are plenty of owners of dogs that are doing more damage to their dogs on a daily basis and they are home all day with them.


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

 

[EM Nani]

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!

Thanks! We have a good size backyard, but with winter coming and her being so young it's not something I'd prefer. We got a 48 inch tall exercise pin so she should be good with that height for a little while or at least while it's still cold outside; currently we have the 36 inch up and she will put her paws at the top, but rarely. She seems quite comfortable in the pin and uses it daily since we leave the door open while we are home, it seems to be her favorite spot to eat her treats at.

 

[EM Nani]

I was home (working from home) with Jack most of the time when he was 2-5 months old. Then I used to take him to daily care every morning (from 6 months old). Then I left him home (with an open crate) and nothing bad happened. As long as I "forget" a bedroom door open, he'll cuddle in the bed and sleep most of the day (I have video surveillance, so I can see him). If I don't leave the door open, he'll fuss around more but he still won't chew anything.With the girls, well there's a totally different story. They have access to laundry room (it's a big one, and they have their crates and food and water there) and also to an enclosed part of the back yard. They chill outside in the shadow most of the time, and they become distressed if locked inside and chew me out of home. Being two of them, they don't have any kind of separation anxiety. Odd enough, they don't sleep in the same place: each of them goes to her favorite place (opposite directions), but they still play together from time to time. So, my advice, see what works for your puppy, get feedback from neighbors (if the puppy is loud when you're not home) and buy lots of toys and stuff so it won't get bored quickly.

I'm thankful that I've been able to be home with her and we definitely considered our work schedules prior to getting her. Just recently we found out that my husband's schedule had been changed from what was once planned. I've considered getting a baby gate and giving her free range of one of the spare rooms, but I'd rather have her potty on tile then on carpet. I've definitely considered buying a hero camera and see what our girl does when are are away. I know that when I'm home during those hours, she'll lay next to me and chew on her Himalayan dog chew, play in the exercise pin with her toys (we keep the door to it open while we are home), or is sleeping. I know for sure she'll miss our soccer time because it's like clockwork; 1100-1130 we play soccer in the backyard and she'll bring the ball to me, drop it and bark.

 

[Wilsy]

Is your dog destructive? I ask because everyone told us before we got Wilson that we MUST crate him overnight and when we were out. When we brought Wilson home we tried the crate training but he really hated it and attacked the crate. From 11 weeks old Wilson was left for up to 4 hours and had the run of our kitchen / dining room / sunroom, there were no accidents, no separation issues and he never chewed or stole anything. I actually filmed him while we were out and all that happened was he slept stretched out on the sofa snoring! We are lucky that my husband works at home 3 days a week but the other two days I have a dog walker who takes him out at lunch or I go home at lunch if the dog walker can't come. I know a lot of people do leave their dog's at home for 8+ hours a day but if you can get a friend or hire someone to go in at lunch I think it's worth it.

 

[EM Nani]

Is your dog destructive? I ask because everyone told us before we got Wilson that we MUST crate him overnight and when we were out. When we brought Wilson home we tried the crate training but he really hated it and attacked the crate. From 11 weeks old Wilson was left for up to 4 hours and had the run of our kitchen / dining room / sunroom, there were no accidents, no separation issues and he never chewed or stole anything. I actually filmed him while we were out and all that happened was he slept stretched out on the sofa snoring! We are lucky that my husband works at home 3 days a week but the other two days I have a dog walker who takes him out at lunch or I go home at lunch if the dog walker can't come. I know a lot of people do leave their dog's at home for 8+ hours a day but if you can get a friend or hire someone to go in at lunch I think it's worth it.

I wouldn't say she's destructive, she's just an avid chewer since she still has her puppy teeth. Every single dinning room chair has her teeth-marks, either on the part where you sit or on the legs. I can't give her free range of the house cause I know she'll get into something. She does very well in her crate with and without the exercise pin. The breeder started this this setup since whelping. Sadly, all of our friends work the morning schedule and we don't really know our neighbors. We live in a very small town in AZ; I'd consider a dog walker, but I have to say I'm uneasy about letting a stranger in my house and befriending my pup. Currently, we are banking on the fact that my husband's boss is a huge pet lover and will either allow him to switch shifts or let him go home for an hour or two for lunch. (fingers crossed!)

 

[tmricciuto]

I'm in AZ also, near Lake Pleasant. Where are you?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[DennasMom]

We STILL do not leave Denna home alone for 8 hours at a stretch. We have an awesome dog-walker that she has grown up with. I normally work at home, but when I'm away on a business trip, the dog walker will come in for a mid-day break.

We tested Denna by giving her free reign in the bedroom when she was about 6 months old, but it didn't last. Her bladder was fine, but she decided pillows on our bed needed to be shredded... we got her a bigger crate (54" wire variety), and she had to stay in there when home alone until she was over 1.5 years old. Since then, she's been perfect in the house (other than rearranging bed linens into a 'nest', no permanent damage).

When she was in the crate, she got a stuffed kong, but no water or other food... or she would have needed a bath every evening, and the floors would not have survived, otherwise.

 

[EM Nani]

I'm in AZ also, near Lake Pleasant. Where are you?Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'm waaaay south in Sierra Vista.

 

[cj-sharpy]

Every dog i've ever known has stayed home for 8 hrs a day with no ill effects. Growing up that was 1 Springer and 1 JRT. More recently an EM, and now another Springer. As Season said we live in the real world and people have to work. The first Springer, Cherry, had been a working dog and was used to an active life but she adapted. The JRT we got as a TINY pup but she coped. The EM was used to people home all day but I think he was glad for a quiet life as he was an older gent. I have never crate trained until the second Springer, jack, as crate training is relatively new thing here. they've all had the run of the house or at least a few rooms and they've been fine.

 

[Joao M]

My experience is similar to C´J´s.
The dogs I had in the past were home alone for 8hrs+ a day wih no relevant issues. No crates either (we still don´t know the concept in my country).
I had a boxer that couldn´t be in the kitchen alone or she would eat everything in the freezer...in the living room and bedrooms she was perfectly fine; A bouvier bernois that could not have access to the rooms or he would make a mess in every single bed of the house, but was ok staying in the kitchen and living, etc.
So you just have to adapt to the dog and to the schedule within the available options.