Getting A New Puppy

[LeeJane]

Hi All,

I broke up with my partner late last year and my partner has claimed the dog that we had together, an american staffy. As much as it hurts, I had to accept the fact that one of us is going to take the dog.

I have moved on and now ready to get a dog myself. I have experienced with uppy and training because I trained my staffy and had her since she was 8 weeks old.

I understand I cannot leave puppy at home for too long while I am at work. With my first puppy, I went home during lunch time to give her lunch and take her out for oitlet and played withher a little bit because my office was close to home. But I have moved away and I am not sure I can go home during lunch now to care ofr my puppy if i get one now.

I just want to know has anyone done this while having to work full time?

I think the worst case scenario is to negotiate with my boss to have 1 hour lunch instead of half an hour and go home during lunch to care forthe puppy.

or I will just have to adopt one. I just want to make sure I can commit to the pup 100% before I get one.

P.S. I am looking for a Golden Retriever.

thank you

[Guest english.ivy]

Well with my pup I got him at 8 weeks of age and stayed home for a week then went back to work as normal. He was alone with my 18 month old for nine hours a day, he turned out fine. Just played with him before work, gave him breakfast then a small afternoon tea as soon as I got home at 3:30pm and then dinner.

You'll find a lot of people work full time and have a pup home alone for the space of nine hours. Of course if the pup stays outside and doesn't need taking out for the toilet. Or a friend could come around and let the pup out around lunch time for you.

There is the option of getting an older pup/young dog from shelter

[Scarlett Dog]

i think regardless of whether you go for a puppy or rescue you'd need to take some time off to help them settle in. I got my puppy at 8 weeks, I took 2 weeks off to help her get settled before i went back to work. I just slowly got her used to being by herself. We haven't had any problems and me and my OH both work full time. The most she is ever alone is about 8 hours, most times it's 5.

I did look into doggy daycare as an option but it's pretty expensive if you do it 5 days a week

[Bundyburger]

I took a week for him to settle in, then it was back to work as normal. To me, you have to start as you mean to go on, otherwise it has potential to cause problems down the track. Some work places may not take kindly to you wanting to extend your break for an animal either.

My boy was penned inside, but you know what.. if i was to do it again, I'd leave him outside from day one, as thats what we have intended to do from day one. As we didn't, it caused more problems.. but now he's fine outside.

[Ons]

I got a golden retreiver at 8 weeks old

the breeder told me to keep him outside whilst I was at work as that is what I intended to do when he was older - he was fine

I was lucky enough for the first few days to go home and feed him at lunch with the odd missed day

take two weeks off work, the first week stay home to settle pup in, the second week go out longer and longer. then Good games in the morning with pup before you go to work to tire him out.

If you can try and get some one to feed him during the day but don't stress if you can't. Food as soon as you get home and then a latish supper should be fine for him.

[SmoothieGirl]

Depending upon cost considerations, how about using a Pet Service to come in and give puppy his lunch feeds. I have done this with two dogs now, well still with one of them. I found a lovely couple that run a pet minding and walking business local to me. They come in, play with the dog/s for about 20-30 mins and then feed puppy his lunch. I cut it out at 3 months of age, so its been a four week expense for each dog, but I feel better that pup has a break in a long day without me and it also balances out their blood sugar levels when they are still so little.

[moofius]

I would definitely recommend taking close to a week off work when you first get the puppy.

Use that time for separation training and just the basic house training in general.. I wouldn't expect to make much grounds in the house training, my female cocker spaniel took til pretty much 6 months old to come right and if someone comes to visit she can still get excited and pee on the carpet if I haven't taken her outside in the last 2-3 hours to go.

I think separation training is very important, the don't think the neighbours behind me did it and their dog was making noise for months during the day, and then they got another one which seemed to make things worse.

[FHRP]

Personally I'd try and negotiate the 1 hour lunch break if you can. I take a few days off when I get a pup, but no more than a week, my dogs must learn to cope with me working full time quickly. I do not leave pups outside when very young, I worry about them being stolen or causing too much noise (which if it doesn't pi$$ people off, just draws attention to the little bundle of cuteness!). My pups are penned inside and make the transition to outside when older no worries. I am lucky that I work very close to home and can go home every lunch time. However when I lived a lot further away I still made the trip home at lunch time for the first couple of months and stayed back a little later at work to make it up. Alternatively, do you know anyone who could go in and feed and toilet your pup during the day? A friend or family member?