Puppy and Working

[SallyandPippa]

Hi,

I have a 7 week old Border Terrier-Pippa and have some questions about how to make her a day a little easier!

When she has had all her shots she will be coming to work with me but we have another 7 weeks til then so I am looking for some advice on how to help things like potty training easier while I am not about.

I leave for work at about 8.30am I then have a sitter come in from 10am-11am, then at 1pm a friend comes and looks after her until I get home from work about 5.15pm.

Although potty training on the pads is going quite well (with the weeing anyway!) I am eager for her to learn that outside is for potty, while I am home we do well with going outside every hour but when I am not here I worry that my friend is not quite so consistant! Will ensuring that there is a pad in front of the front door where we go out for potty help? I am hoping that she will start to relate the door to potty. Also, as I said she is getting quite good at going for wees on her pads but has yet to do a poop on one, is there anything I can do to make this easier for her to learn?

For the times that she is on her own (8.30-10am and 11am-1pm) is there anything that I can do to make the time less lonely/boring for her? We have a crazy play session before I go to work and the sitter does the same while she is there so I am pretty sure she sleeps for most of the time! Would having the radio on help? She also has a nightie of mine to sleep with so she has my smell with her and I got a ball that you can record your voice on and when it moves it plays (Pippa is absolutely HILARIOUS with that).

I feel horrible for having to leave her on her own at all but it is important for both of us to learn to be able to cope without each other around 24/7. Oh, one more question while I am chewing all your ears off (!), I have been putting a puppy leash and collar on her for a few minutes in the morning and then again in the afternoon and evening, when I put it on her she chews the leash like mad, should I allow her to do this in the hope that she'll grow bored of doing this or tell her no when she starts? I don't want her to associate having the leash and collar on with being told off!

Sorry for going on but this is my first puppy and I am desperate to do the right thing! Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Fran27]

Ok first thing, a pup won't be properly immunized until they get their last shot at 16 weeks, so you should expect to start taking him to work when he is 17 weeks. Talk about it to your vet, but it's what mine told me.

For the pads, I've personally never used them, because I want the dogs to go outside, never inside. What you could do is just put the pads outside.

You can buy some treat dispenser toys for when you are away, or a kong stuffed with peanut butter or other stuff... and leave other toys around too.

For the leash and collar, I've given up with the leash for the same reasons, the dogs think it's a chew toy. So I just put it on for walks or leash training. I've leash trained the first one without ever letting him inside with the leash on, so it is possible, it can just take a bit longer.

 

[Becca_]

I think it's wonderful how thought out your having a puppy was. He spends very little time home alone which is great.
I'd put the pad at the back door and ask your sitters to take the puppy outside when they see the puppy going to the pad, and inbetween times. I have never used pads, always just take puppies out often.

 

[h2305]

Just put it in a cage.

 

[SallyandPippa]

Hey,

Thanks for the advice, if I was home all day I would have no problem taking her outside but I know that my afternoon 'sitter' wouldnt be able to do that as she brings her Basset Hound with her who would run for the hills everytime she opened the door. When I am here and take her outside she just sits there and looks at me as if to say 'yeah, now what?!' she will even try to get back IN the house to go for a wee! I am pretty sure that half the problem is that her breeder didnt have the puppies outside at all so Pippa is a little overwhelmed by all the noises and smells. I am going to try and have her use a pad by the door, at least that way she learns that when she needs to go potty she needs to find the door!! I am taking her too my mum's with me in November so I am really eager to have her trained by then. I only wish I could work from home or something, but I am sure I am not the only person who works and has a young dog and I have tried to make sure she is never alone for more than a couple of hours at any one time, I suppose I am so worried to do everything perfectly that I get myself into a bit of a tizzy!

Does anyone have experience of having to work full time with a puppy at home? How did you manage?

Thanks all!

 

[Becca_]

My daughter has a pug puppy. She uses the pads with him. He was the same way when he first started coming over for me to puppysit because I take them outside to potty and he is no different. I'd get so frustrated with him at times because we could be outside for half and hour and still within 5 mins of being inside he'd potty on my floors! Alot of times he'd run back to the door to come back in, I just kept getting farther away from the door with him. It's taken me what seems like forever but he's getting better at doing his business outside.

 

[Julie]

I personally never used pads with my dogs.
If your goal is to have your dogs potty outside...
then giving her a pad to use inside will only confuse and delay your goal.(In my opinion of course).
Since you are fortunate enough in having help while you are at work, it should make the process easier.

You could crate your pup for those couple hours she is alone.
And when your sitters arrive, have them Pick Her Up and take her outside as soon as they get there.

There is also a product, I think it is just called: housebreaking aid
Just squirt some on the ground outside where you want her to go. It may help, it would be worth a try...to get her used to going outside.

And if it were me, I would give those pads a pitch.

Best of Luck,
Julie.

 

[Becca_]

I sure agree with you Julie on the pads. I have never in my life had this much trouble pottytraining a puppy as I have with Kokomo. Simply because we are confusing him. At home he's being taught to use a peepad, at my house he's being taught you go outside. I dont want a peepad in my house incouraging my pup to just go inside.
Cant your one sitter take both out on a leash or maybe leave her dog inside while she takes your's outside? If she could handle both it might help your puppy to venture away from the door to potty.

 

[bubbatd]

I sosld a puppy to a Dr. once and he took him to his office with him. Because the pup was paper trained when he got him, he used papers in the office....the poor dog never did learn to go outside !!

 

[yoko]

i work ALMOST full time, not quite there yet lol, first job and they're being nice to me and letting me slowly work into it.

but anyway i always come home during my lunch period and since a ton of the people smoke there they let me have tiny breaks to come back to check on yoshi, but i only live about one or two minutes away from my work. i always play with her when i get back and i stay long enough to see that she's going to sleep and then i leave.

then the lady who i rent from comes and lets her out and plays with her until i get homne