what do you do if you want to raise a puppy but you have to work 40+ hours a week?

Question

i've been trying to decide when the best time to get a puppy is. i work 40+ hours a week...is it even possible for me to get a puppy? what have others done to raise a dog and work while doing so?

Answer 1

Its possible 4 u 2 get a dog it jus mite not b the rite time as u work so often, puppies need alot f attention an especially trainin wen theyre young, it wud b fine if u had sum1 2 go in an check on it from time 2 time while yr at work, but with out sum1 2 pop in durin the day it jus wudnt b fair on u or the dog. soz if thats not wot u wanted 2 hear but its the trith ive bin workin round an trainin dogs all my life.

Answer 2

An older dog might be a better option for you. Puppies require a lot of work, and depending on their bladder control, cannot be left alone for extended periods of time.

I'm sure your local animal shelter, ASPCA or rescue has a multitude of older (teen to adult) dogs that would be better suited to your lifestyle.

I work 40+ hours a week, I'm a youth-group leader and Sunday School teacher, and I have a 1yo JRT and a 3yo Chi. The only way I can do it is I've crate trained the dogs. They are confined to their crates when I am at work. I walk them mid-day, and I also have a teenager that gets to the house earlier in the evening than I do.

Adopt an older dog, a puppy doesn't quite fit into your schedule.

Sorry.

Answer 3

I have a friend who did this but she went home for lunch everyday to let her puppy out of its crate. If you live close enough to your job where you could drive home for lunch, I think you could raise a puppy. Just be forewarned, my friend had to do this everyday for 6 months and she said it was tiring. But she loves her dog so I guess it's worth it. You could also consider hiring a puppy sitter to come by once a day. There are also doggy-daycares, although these are expensive. You might do better getting a 1 year old dog who is still young, but old enough to hold his bladder for 8 hours.

Answer 4

best thing for you to do is to back burner the PUPPY idea. go to a shelter and get an older puppy (6 months or so) or an adult dog. at the age of 6 months, most puppies are already introduced to, if not completely housebroken. be sure to crate when your not home (this protects your new friend from chewing mishaps as well as your home), and ask a friend or neighbor to come in and take it for a walk once or twice a day until it gets aclimated. or wait for vacation time when you can spend a whole week or so getting used to each other.

Answer 5

In my opinion you might be better off with an older dog- one that is already housebroken and past the chewing stage. Unless you have a roommate- 40 hours a week is a lot of time for a puppy to be left alone and you don't want to set them up for failure.

Answer 6

Can you afford to have a dog sitter come over once a day to walk the puppy mid-day? You could also create a puppy proof room and paper train the dog, but it will take you longer to properly train the dog without human supervision.

If it's just you, I would consider an older dog.

Answer 7

YOU CAN STILL GET A PUPPY. MAKE SURE YOU CRATE TRAIN YOUR PUPPY THIS WILL KEEP HIM/OR HER SAFE WHILE YOU ARE AT WORK.

MAYBE YOU COULD GET PUPPY WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR NEXT VACATION TIME.
THEY CAN NOT HOLD THERE BLADDER OVER 4 HOURS UNTIL THEY ARE ABOUT 4 TO 5 MOS OLD. MAYBE YOU COULD HAVE A FRIEND OR NEIGHBOR LET THE PUPPY OUT WHILE YOU ARE AT WORK.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TIME AFTER WORK TO EXERCISES THE PUPPY AND TRAIN IT
WE GOT OUR FIRST DOG WHEN I WAS WORKING I LIVED CLOSE ENOUGH TO STOP HOME AND LET HIM OUT DURING THE DAY. HES NOW 1O AND HAPPY.
REMEMBER PUPPIES NEED SHOTS THE FIRST FEW MOTHS SO MAYBE YOU COULD SCHEDULE THESE ON YOUR DAY OFF. AND IF YOU SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PUPPY THEY NEED TO BE SUPERVISED AFTER SURGERY

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Answer 8

the best thing to do is wait til you are fully ready to get a pup, the reason being is that a puppy requires alot of care for the first year. if you work that much then don't get a dog because when you are at work you won't have time to spend the time that the pup needs. it will be unfair for the dog to just get him and then leave him for the entire day and then when you get home he wants to play you will be to tired to play with him. so i would say wait til you are completely ready for a dog, don't just get one because you think you need one, get one because you want one and that you will have the time for him/her.

i have seen to many dogs in the shelters from owners surrendering them because they can't keep them, being to much work to care for them, or just being to overwhelming for them to have the dog at the moment. dogs need the love and care like a child would, so if you get one, get one because you want one and that you can be home to care for him. i know that people do have dogs while they work but they have had them for awhile and that they have changed their schedules around to make time for their pets. now i work and i do work 40 hrs a week and i have 3 golden retrievers and when i get home i put time aside for my dogs, like taking them out for a walk, playing ball with them, and just sitting back and relaxing for awhile with them. they need to know that you care for them not just getting them and then putting them in the back yard or in a crate for more then 8 hrs a day, it is just not fair to them. i hope you think about it first before you make the decsion on getting a puppy. make sure you will have the time and that you can put the time aside for your dog and just take a couple of hrs to care and play with your dog, do that and you will feel better knowing that you will have the time for him/her. the other thing is that if you want to get a dog , you should go to the shelter and get an older dog that is used to being left all day til you get home, at least til you are ready for a puppy. i have seen it done but a puppy would not be a good choice right now. good luck.

Answer 9

you don,t raise a puppy! your puppy need just as much attention spent on it if not more as your work, working 40hours a week means your puppy will be left for long periods to occupy its self

Answer 10

Hmm. what might paintings suited for you is to awaken at 6.. take out for potty.. Then feed 30 min later.. 15 min later take out returned.. then take out suited in the previous you go away and as quickly as you get homestead.. you have have been given to sparkling up some injuries.. yet what you're able to do is CRATE him/her.. . .. !!!