Working Full Time and Raising a Puppy

[Zoom]

Detox, I can't comment on the puppy part since all of my dogs have been over a year when I got them, but about the doggie daycare. If they are willing to take your dog in at 8 weeks, RUN the other way. That sort of environment has the potential to be very hazerdous to your pup's health. I work at a boarding/daycare resort and we do not allow in any dogs under 16 weeks (4 months). They MUST have all their puppy shots before being allowed in...this is for THEIR safety. Otherwise, your dog stands a very good chance of coming into contact with something, most likely bordatella (kennel cough) that they have no protection against. If you think daycare is expensive, try on-going vet bills.

 

[fillyone]

I think crating a dog all day long, more than about 4 hours is not right. It's boring, lonely, unstimulating, frustrating and the dog can't move much. I know I wouldn't like to be in a box for that long. More than about 4 hours at a stretch is just not good for a dog.

Well then be sure you never come to my house and see just how bad off Dante is. Do you know what Dante does when I leave him the run of the house? He goes in his crate. 100% of the time when I have gone to run errands and just leave him out he is in the crate when I get home.

So get off your high horse and simply say you don't care for crating for more than 4 hours but don't call me a bad dog mom for crating Dante all day while I'm gone to work.

Yep, he's deprived and hating life with me

 

[Doberluv]

Do you know what Dante does when I leave him the run of the house?

You leave him the run of the house. He's an adult, right? He has a choice. He can move through the house and choose to go in his crate. There's a difference.

So get off your high horse and simply say you don't care for crating for more than 4 hours but don't call me a bad dog mom for crating Dante all day while I'm gone to work.

I did simply say that in my opinion more than about 4 hours was too long for a dog to be locked in a crate. My opinion.

but don't call me a bad dog mom

Where did I call you a bad mom?

I think that was a rude thing to say.....to get off my high horse. I'm not on a high horse. I just happen to have an opinion that I have sympathy for a pup being closed into a box for 8 or 9 hours at a time. I can't help it that for some reason, that makes me feel sad.

 

[bumhouse]

I think the proof of whether or not it's OK is going to be in the dog's behavior. I think he'll let you know if this situation is not working out for him. If he comes busting out of the crate at the end of the day and is uncontrollable even after a walk and plenty of exercise, then you have a problem. That's JMO.

But are you able to deal with him if he's not handling it well? I know people who have put their dogs in shelters before a year old because they couldn't deal with the pup when they got home. All that pent up energy. That would be a shame. If you can't adjust, it won't work. These people had small children, they would pick them up from daycare after work and then come home to a dog that needed tons of attention (Border Collie). Frankly, I don't know what they were thinking. And that's another point, I think how much time a dog can spend in the crate depends on so many variables, beginning with breed and activity levels, and the quality of the time you DO spend with him when you are home.

I have left my dog in the crate for more than 4 hours - maybe I do this once or twice a week not because I work but because I have other obligations or just go away for the day with the family somewhere that I can't bring him. It breaks my heart but he never seems any worse for the wear. Sometimes, I think he is thankful for the R & R because our house is bursting with activity all the time and the kids play with him a lot.

I think your posing this question means your thinking about it, and that's a good thing. Good luck....

 

[Red_ACD_for_me]

*Quote by Detox*Many people on these forums have dogs that they raised from puppies. And I am sure not all of them quit their jobs, or were able to come home every two hours (we all would if we could). More than anything else I was hoping to hear how those people coped with raising a puppy.

Cheers,

Detox

I coped well with raising my ACD He came home from the breeders at 8 weeks and I had taken my two weeks vacation off that August to spend with him. By the time I went back to work he was 10 weeks and pretty much had the whole house breaking thing down pat. I was very persisitent with him and got him on a schedule he could get used to when I returned to work. I only work down the street from my house so coming home everyday at lunch time for an hour worked out great for me. I understand that not everybody has that same luxury when raising a new pup but if I didn't have that option then I would have adopted and older puppy from the pound around 8 to 10 months old. I honestly, in my opinion feel that it is the best option for people who can't come home and give a young pup a break is getting an older puppy/young adult.

 

[tinies12]

When we went to locate our new dog Sasha; We asked a lot of questions???
This was one of the questions we asked. The vet explained and I am quoting him: Pups between 8 weeks 12 weeks 4 to 6 hours. 6 months and up 8 to ten hours.

I hope that this helps some what. I am not the expert but this is what the vet and the SPCA states.

 

[darkchild16]

I got my puppy at 3 months and got him on Holloween eve. I was a sophmore in high school at the time. For 8 hours he stayed in a crate. It was a bigger crate as he was house trained in just a few short days He had toys, the radio and t.v. on and plenty of excercise before he went in there. He was the happiest dog i knew and still is. Now he is 2 years old(almost 3:O ) and he stays locked in my smallish room for 10 hours a day and is still the happiest dog alive. Keep in mind he was 12 weeks instead of 8. Maybe if you have a older neighbor that you know and trust you can have them dog sit your puppy for a few weeks while you are at work. It will be a win win situation. They get a companion during the day and your puppy has the freedom during the day. Also like other have said he will be a handful after being in a crate. What i do with Walker (coonhound/shepard mix) is let him right out and hide his toys for him to find and other little games for us to play together. And i can promice you my dog is well adjusted and happier then any dog i have ever known.

 

[fillyone]

Doberluv....Perhaps my high horse comment was too harsh, it's been a bad week.
However you said "More than about 4 hours at a stretch is just not good for a dog."
This doesn't sound like an opinion. This sounds like a fact based statement, which it isn't.
Dante is crated Mon-Fri while I'm gone to work, he only gets the run of the house if I'm running errands and not gone all day.

You're not the only one that doesn't like crating more than a few hours and I'm not the only one that doesn't have issues with it (given the right exercise etc). As I said in my other post, I work hard to make sure Dante gets all he needs and he's happy, healthy and very well cared for.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Let's keep this civil folks.

We got Buddy when he was three months. He was crated, after I found a job, sometimes up to 8 hrs a day. But he was one hell of a spoiled puppy and we more than made up for it with training sessions, dog park runs, errands that he was allowed to accompany us on. Granted, he was only crated like that for a few weeks.

I do not believe that people who work full time should not get a puppy. I wonder if people who work full time should also not have children? Alas, that is a whole different debate.

If a person is willing and ready to make a full time commitment to a pup, then by all means.

And, if you are really worried about the pup, why not look for adopting an older pup?

regardless, best of luck in your decision making.

 

[Detox]

Thanks for all of the replies.

This discussion has shown that many people have done different things to raise their pups.

One thing that most people can agree on is that raising a pup requires compromise and schedule shuffling. And as long as you spend as much time as you can with your pup training and loving (when you are not at work) then your new friend will grow up to be one happy dog.

Cheers,

Detox

 

[smkie]

Please don't crate a puppy all day. IF that is the only option then a puppy is not for you. I had a relative that could babysit while i worked. Puppies are not meant to be alone.