Is it okay to leave a new puppy at home during the day while we are at work? I want to get a puppy, but I am not sure that my husband or I will be able to go home at lunch every day to let her out. Can you give us some tips on getting a new pup and teaching it to be a good family member if we are not there all day? I can work from home most Fridays, but she would still be alone for more than half the week. But in the evenings, my two kids will play with her a bunch. Advice???
2006-07-12 04:52:04 · 13 answers · asked by Mom In Training 4 in Pets ➔ Dogs
A very young puppy needs frequent trips outside to urinate and defecate. (At least every couple of hours) Maybe a puppy who is a bit older would be better for you. ( 3-4 months old) Is it possible to have someone come take the puppy out at noon each day for the first couple of months. (Maybe a reliable friend or a pet sitter?)
I would recommend that you crate train the puppy. Get an adult sized appropriate cage for the puppy. ( A cage that he will be able to stand up and turn around in as an adult dog)
Dogs, by nature appreciate a den like cage, where they can sleep safely. A cage will also prevent the puppy from chewing up anything harmful when you are not there to supervise. You can even purchase water bottles to hang on the cage door and chew toys such as a Kong.
Make sure the puppy has a lot of play time out of the cage before you leave for work and when you get home as well. Make sure you have the time, the money, and the love for a new puppy.
Do your research and make sure the breed you are interested in is appropriate for your family and your lifestyle! It's not fair to expect a border collie to be happy living in a small apartment. You would not want a particularly aggressive breed to exposed to your children and your neighbor's children.
Whatever breed you choose, meet the parents and see what kind of disposition they have. Pick a puppy that comes to greet you with a wagging tail, not the shy puppy that hides under the table and barks at you. Look for bright eyes and a cool, moist nose. Check for parasites on the puppy. Look at a stool sample from the litter. Make sure you don't see worms and/or blood and the stool is solid. Buy a puppy that has had it's first vacs and take it to a vet immediately to be examined for health. Above all....do not purchase a puppy from a pet store of back yard breeder. Better yet, look at your local humane society for a puppy that needs a good and loving forever home! A puppy is a big commitment and should be taken seriously.
2006-07-12 05:23:00 · answer #1 · answered by Free Bird 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I doubt you need someone to look after your dog while your away for a few hours a day. Just make sure you move all dangers and cover up the plug sockets and then separation anxiety is all you'll have to worry about. If the dog doesn't like the humans being away then they may bark endlessly or take to chewing something. I'd buy him a chew toy or something that might keep him busy and see how the first day goes with him being home alone. Have your cousin Puppy sit is a bad idea because the puppy doesn't get used to being home alone then you'll have problems on your hands because your cousin wont always be there to look after the dog. Most dogs are left home alone during the day when people go to work/school ect. Just give them plenty food, make sure their walked enough everyday and they should be fine. During these 4 weeks try having the family go out a few times a day and leave it alone for a few hours and make the hours longer each time so the dog can get used to the idea. But because it's a puppy you should probably get your cousin to check on it every couple of hours
2016-03-27 02:31:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say no at first...there are several issues that go hand in hand with puppies and why you need to be able to get home. If you are potty training you are sending mixed messages about when its ok to piddle in the house.
NOW FOR THE BUT...if you can litter train the pup or have a dog walker come by every 2 hours during the day to potty and play with the pup. You could even when looking for a breeder for the breed of pup your looking for ask if they would begin potty training the pups. Not many breeders work on potty training. I have found it to be a huge selling point and being a stay at home Fur-mom I have the ability to start from 3 weeks old and have them 95% potty trained by 5 weeks old and they go home at 9 weeks with very few accidents.
Another option might be a shelter pup that is over 1 year old and housebroken. There are a lot of great dogs in shelters that need homes and love and you wouldn't have to go through all the puppy piddles. you may have a few accidents the first week but if you get the shelter rescue dog on a friday morning while your home working you can spend the time over the weekend with the dog and usually have a great bond and lessons learned over the weekend. Don't plan anything big on the weekend you bring home a pet so that you have all the time with them and the family. www.petfinder.com is a great place to find rescue canines.
As for being a good member of the family that takes training. might want to consider the Canine good citizen test even mutts get this through the AKC.
I hope this helps you out...
2006-07-12 05:06:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My advice would be to definitely not get a puppy. I know the idea sounds amazingly appealing to you and your family but it probably wouldn't be so amazing for the puppy. I am the kind of person who wants to take in all animals, no matter what, but sometimes I have to put myself in check and think about what's really best for the animal. Puppy's are a lot of work, especially with potty training, chewing, etc. Someone might suggest crate training, which is good in some cases, but definitely not if the puppy would be left in a crate all day. I guarantee that any animal you have would be in a loving home and would be provided lots of love and attention when you and your family are home, however, since the puppy would be alone so often I would have to say that it's not a great idea. Have you thought of getting a kitten or a different pet that doesn't require as much during the day? :) Good luck!
2006-07-12 04:59:00 · answer #4 · answered by Mrs. Brooks 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well... think about this way when will you be home everyday with her...probably never. Unless you are a stay at home mom its not going to happen, so if you want a puppy get one, I work & I have a puppy, you just MUST give lots of love & attention when you are there. Trying crate training it during the day. :) The puppy is less likely to use the bathroom on their bed (if you crate train it that is) so you won't have to worry about letting it out at lunch. ( a crate that has divider so the puppy can grow into it is a good idea), the crate space for the pup should be big enough for the pup to turn around in & lay down, not any bigger otherwise they will potty in there. Think about this how many people wouldn't have dogs if they decided that they couldn't get one because they had to work...a lot of people wouldn't have dogs, if your ready for the potty training & the chewing go for it! GOOD LUCK :)
2006-07-12 05:07:50 · answer #5 · answered by River rock 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Having a dog, especially puppy requires time, energy, attention, money and love. It's not fair for the dog if you already know that your not able to spend some time with the dog. All puppies require training during the first few months. It's not just about leaving the dog home, you have to think about the mess it might make, if it barks alot, and etc. If you do consider getting a dog, hire a dog sitter, dog walker, put the dog in dogdaycare, have a close friend or family member come by to walk the dog and spend some time with the pup.
2006-07-12 05:14:15 · answer #6 · answered by Sweetrice 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Having a young puppy while working full time is signing yourself up for a lot of work. Puppies physically can't hold their bladders for more than an hour or two, so it takes a lot of extra arrangements to deal with the pottying issue. An older puppy (3-4 months) would be able to hold it longer, at least for you to be able to go to work and come home at lunch time to let it out, or hire a dog walker.
I always recommend taking a few days off from work when you bring the new arrival home.
Plenty of people have puppies and work, but it is more work, definately. Please consider all of the adult dogs currently in shelters who are homeless because everyone loves cute puppies and ignores the adult dogs.
2006-07-12 06:24:47 · answer #7 · answered by tenzo0 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One thing that I did is to get a kennel that you can put outside, and not just a little pet carrier. All of my dogs have been alone during the day since they were pups. Just make sure that you give them plenty of attention when you are home, and don't just leave the alone forever. I have always had good dogs, so I would say that it shouldn't be a problem.
2006-07-12 04:57:38 · answer #8 · answered by yetti 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many, many dogs live in homes where people work and manage. the big problem is that if your houband can't go home at lunch and if you can't find a dogwalker to take a small pup out. I'd recomend looking for an older (over 6 months) pup or an adult.
2006-07-12 05:16:14 · answer #9 · answered by ragapple 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if u r going to be gone most of the day, ild say dont get a puppy quite yet. a puppy is fragile and might need some extra care. maybe u should a wait awhile when u have more free time.
2006-07-12 04:56:11 · answer #10 · answered by anna 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋