Best thing to do with a new pup while working.?

Question

I'm trying to decide whether or not I should get a dog right now. I have been wanting one for quite some time, have been researching them and live in an apartment that allows dogs. I have a pretty good work schedule (I get off at noon everyday, M-F), so I will have time to spend with my new pup after I get off work. However, I'm trying to decide what will be the best thing to do with him/her while I'm working. I have a hallway (wood floors) that I can block off from the kitchen and let them play around in the hallway and bathroom. however, I'm a little concerned if they get bored and get to digging and scratching up my hardwood floors. I can also just close up the bathroom (tile) with a puppy gate..that away they don't feel as trapped as with having a door closed. What do you think is the best thing for a pup?

Answer 1

If you are going to be home from noon on, I would think the pup would be fine the in the tiled bathroom, with a warm bed and paper in the opposite corner. No food, but plenty of water.and toys..

by his own physiology, a puppy can only hold his pee for about 1 hour per month of age...so keep your expectation realistic...He will have very little control, if any, of his poop, as he will have to go when he has to go..usually a few minutes after eating.

Answer 2

You need to get a crate for the dog no matter what age the dog is. This keeps the dog safe from hurting your things and him/herself and provides a safe, secure, comfortable place for your dog to go to get away from the bustle of the house, etc. If you can come home during the day, the age isn't really that important, but an adopted older dog may already be potty trained and used to staying in a crate. Get some books on raising puppies and crate training and read up before you decide which dog you want to get. I recommend anything by Patricia McConnell, and Housebreaking: Pure and Simple or Prevent Dog Problems by Mark and Dru Katz. Have fun!

Oh, also, there are certain breeds that make better apartment dogs than others, and it doesn't have anything to do with size. Think about the personalities, activity level, social skills, etc of the dog you are thinking about and if that would fit in with your lifestyle. When you get the crate, it should be just big enough for the dog to lie down, stand up and turn around in comfortably, so if you get a puppy that will grow a lot, get a crate that is big enough for it as an adult but with a divider panel so that you can increase the size as he/she grown.

Answer 3

My wife and I did the same thing when we lived in a smaller condo and had our new puppy. We basically blocked off the kitchen area, and laid a few puppy pads on the floor, as well as his bed.

However, your puppy will probably get bored (as they always tend to do) so I would recommend leaving a few chewtoys in there as well. I think blocking off the hallway is a great idea, but if you leave the bathroom door open, remember to put your garbage somewhere your puppy won't be able to rummage through it, as its always a thrill coming home to a bathroom full of chewed up paper. ;-)

The reason we confined our puppy up was to keep the "accidents" confined to one area (preferably in a non-carpeted space). For the first few months you should definitely expect accidents to happen. But as they get older, they will learn their schedule (and better bladder control). Its very important that you take him out and feed him on a regular schedule. And as with all dogs, the more exercise, the better. After about 6 months, we were able to remove the gate and let him have run of the house.

Also, the type of puppy you choose will be extremely important. Remember to try to pick a dog that matches your lifestyle. If you're active, then a breed with lots of energy will be right for you. But if you tend to be a little more on the lazy side (or "laid back" as I like to refer to it), get a dog that won't require as much time running around outside. There are plenty of good websites out there that can give you plenty of information, so make sure you check some of those out when deciding on what kind of dog may be right for you.

It does sound like you have a great work schedule, which leaves you most of the day to spend time with your new companion. I would also recommend taking one of those training courses at Petco/Petsmart (if you're fairly new with owning a dog)...yes the courses are pretty cheesy, but they do teach you a lot of good basic commands, and give you plenty of good training tips. Of course, you could just watch The Dog Whisperer and try to learn that way, but that dude is a miracle worker and I doubt all of us have that kind of skill.

Well, I really do hope this helps and you decide to get the puppy! Good luck!

Answer 4

Well, it all depends on what kind of dog you get of course. I just got a pitbull x from a rescue and he was already 8 months old. I at first tried keeping him in my basement with linoleum floors with 2 baby gates on top of another. He escaped. So, then I tried tying him with 2 leashes to the stair railing, and he chewed thru that and escaped again.....meanwhile making messes in my house. So finally, I had to kennel him. That's where he stays when I'm at work and the kids are in school now. It works great. If I were you, I would have a penned off area where he can't get into trouble or choke on anything. The bathroom sounds good as long as he can't get into your cupboards, tear up your linoleum etc. Some people buy those metal fences that unfold to a little area for him to stay in. However, like I said, it all depends on what kind of puppy you purchase. Pitbulls are escape artists, so, it wouldn't work for him....obviously...haha! If you are in an apartment, I would look into a small dog. Good luck!!

Answer 5

If you are going to be home from noon on, I would think the pup would be fine the in the tiled bathroom, with a warm bed and paper in the opposite corner. No food, but plenty of water.and toys..

by his own physiology, a puppy can only hold his pee for about 1 hour per month of age...so keep your expectation realistic...He will have very little control, if any, of his poop, as he will have to go when he has to go..usually a few minutes after eating

-btw you should be ready for a sitution like this but i dont blame you dogs are a lot of fun!!! and i little tip when house breaking your dog dont use pads they are evry confusing to a dog!

Answer 6

Why don't you wait until you get a vacation, then get a little puppy!
The poor little baby will be insecure to be left alone when it doesn't know you. Do you have a vacation soon , that will give you and puppy a chance to get acquainted and bond together.
After a week of togetherness you will feel better about leaving puppy until you get home from work. A good idea is to leave a radio on so it doesn't feel lonely. A few safe toys and a warm fluffy blanket and a bowl of water should do the trick! Give it some thought as it takes a lot of patience but it's worth it. He will love you forever!

Answer 7

A good idea would be to spend time with your pup before you go to work, and most likely put the pup in a crate with toys. Make sure your pup is fed and watered before you leave, and has had a trip outside and done it's business. Put a couple of toys in the crate, like a bye-bye bone that has treats stuffed in the middle, like a kong or something. When you come home, let pup out, take pup outside so it can do it's thing, then feed and water it and take it out again 20-30 mintues later.

Answer 8

Crate train the dog, if you get home at noon you will have a way better chance of the crate making him happy while you work.Just get him use to going in the crate while you are away.They even use them as their own little houses while you are home.I wouldn't leave a puppy on a wood floor, they can get messy and in the crate they are not as apt to mess in there.They are so much fun and you'll have a friend for a long time......Let him pick you out, then all is well.

Answer 9

Wait until you have vacation time to spend with your pups the first few weeks they are with you and then, take some extra time during the week to spend with them. It will be worth it to you. After spending that amount of one on one time with your new pup you will know what to do to keep him or her occupied and satisfied during your work schedule. And, come home during your lunch break to let them do their biz so they keep up the training routine. Remember they have tiny bladders and have to go about every 2-4 hours.

I don't recommend crating dogs because it only solves your problem and, unless they really love their crate, it creates a different problem for them. I have two dogs and one goes absolutely nuts when I try to crate him. The other doesn't care one way or the other about the crate but gets upset when she is the only on inside.

Answer 10

I would go with the bathroom and gates. Tile floor will not absorb urine. Puppy pads will help. Best methodis puppy crates but the pup has to get out every couple of hours.