SparkyTansy Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Hi all My sister is getting a new puppy in a few weeks and plans to have him outside during work hours (7.40-5.30 Mon-Fri). I have tried to talk her into keeping the pup inside for the first few weeks but I need confirmation (having never had an outside puppy so young before myself) is it in any way dangerous to have a young puppy (we are talking from 8 weeks) outside, due to the many things that he could catch? Her excuse is that she doesnt want him to get used to being inside... Please help I need confirmation that it isn't a good idea... Please let me know if it is ok... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Not sure where you are but the puppy will be: Very, very lonely Bored and probably Cold Puppies are supposed to eat several meals a day for one thing. I work for a rescue group and we do not rehome puppies or usually dogs under 3-4 years where someone is out for this length of time, Monday to Friday. Why are so many dogs aged under 2 in pounds? I think 8 weeks is very young to be separated from it's mother and siblings. Company is extremely important for a young dog, particularly a puppy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I don't think there will be a problem, but I guess it depends on the breed. It shouldn't matter with the larger breeds but obviously if it was a Pom or something, thats different. It's hard with a small pup and for someone working all day as if you keep it inside - where with puppy toilet? I dunno, but honestly in my limited experience having a pup outside it is no problem, but I live in suburbia and my youngest pup has only been 10wks not 8. When I get my next one i'm going to try and take a wk or 2 off to work with the pup also, so I guess that is the best help I can give :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaves Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I have a small pup and since i got her at 8 weeks she has been crated when we are at work. We have plenty of toys etc in her crate and leave dry food for her to have during the day and she has breakfast and dinner. I would recommend a crate to her. It helps with toilet training too. My girl has very few accidents inside, even in her crate she does not make a mess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Kristie - can I ask how long your puppy is in a crate during the day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne_Fury Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Is crating a pup for that length of time a good idea though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 CF - that's why I ask my question as to how long this is actually for? If it's for any more than a few hours at a time, I would say this is not a great idea. There are other ways of stopping a dog from wee/poo ing in your home - housetraining. Having fostered a young dog recently that I believe was left locked up permanently, possibly in a bathroom, until it was taken to the pound, this dog was a very damaged little soul. My dogs have the run of the house and garden while I'm out. They are all very happy as they have each other, even though I work fulltime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaves Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 She is in it for a couple of hours at a time, my husband can go home during the day and has play breaks with her. About 10am and 2pm. He leaves at 8-8.30 and i am home by 5. So she is not locked up for 10 hours a day or anything at once. She is also not damaged in any way. She is very outgoing and playful. Listens well, most of the tiime, and enjoys the cats company as well as ours. She is doing very well at obedience adn her training. She does not mess inside and goes to the door to let us know she needs to go out. She does not use her crate to go to the loo in either. Somehting that ater 2 weeks she did not do. She is out of the crate from when i get home until we leave in the morning as she sleeps most nights with us. We spend heaps of time with her. I would prefer not to have to crate her at all but as i believe she is still too young to be outside during the day, she is in her crate. I understand your concerns, adn that is why mys husband goes home and spends 30-45 minutes with her at each break during the day. I didn't mean to have the pup in the crate for 10 hours straight, but that it could help instead of having the pup outside from teh word go. But on the otherhand, my parents have always had their pups putside from the word go, as i imagine a lot of people have done before. There dogs have always been friendly, happy and well. All have lived to a very old age (14-17 years), but if your sister could visit the pup during the day to break it up or her partner if she has one, it would be beneficial to her and the pup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne_Fury Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Kristie, didnt' mean to imply that you did leave your pup crated 10 hours per day just that I wasn't sure whether it was a good idea to do just that, leave a pup or any dog crated for such a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkyTansy Posted July 4, 2006 Author Share Posted July 4, 2006 (edited) Not sure where you are but the puppy will be:Very, very lonely Bored and probably Cold Puppies are supposed to eat several meals a day for one thing. I work for a rescue group and we do not rehome puppies or usually dogs under 3-4 years where someone is out for this length of time, Monday to Friday. Why are so many dogs aged under 2 in pounds? I think 8 weeks is very young to be separated from it's mother and siblings. Company is extremely important for a young dog, particularly a puppy. I am aware of company being a need for a puppy however this was not my concern, as he will have a neighbour come over during the day to feed him the extra meals he requires and spend some time with him. I also am not concerned at the fact he is 8 weeks, because as far as I am aware 8 weeks is the best time for a puppy to join it's new home, as i thought many breeders would concur. My general concern was that there are diseases around (parvo etc) that puppy could catch if exposed. There is nothing in her yard but being in a suburban area, there are dogs on both sides of her, which may or may not have been vaccinated. I fear for the health, as I know that the rest is taken care of. All I want to know is, is it possible for him to catch anything by being outside at such a young age. Edited July 4, 2006 by SparkyTansy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaves Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 THats ok. I know you didn't. I tried to make my reply as non snappy as possible and apologise if it came out that way, it was not meant to. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog_Horse_Girl Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 In my experience, many shelters, rescues and breeders refuse to rehome pups if they are to be housed outdoors. This is b/c a young (baby) pup is not able to regulate its temperature as well as a grown (mature, adult) dog. It is also vulnerable to threats from bigger predators (dogs, sometimes cats, larger birds of prey, as just three examples), from illness that can be passed through soil, and from pests including fleas and ticks. If this were me, I'd be keeping such a young (baby) pup indoors. Unless you are referring to a very hardy breed, such as a malamute/husky/maremma/GSD or similar type of dog, then it's not a very good idea to house such a youngster outside, esp if nobody is home to keep a close eye on the pup. Perhaps your friend can leave their pup indoors somewhere safe, such as the kitchen? Or crated in the most-used room of the house? Their neighbour can still feed and otherwise care for the pup, the pup learns house training, and is kept warm/dry/safe indoors. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 (edited) There's being left safely outside and merely being left outdoors. Will the pup have adequate shelter.. the right kennel or access to a warm, safe, cosy place (NOT just the laundry or garage unless proper shelter is set up there) will be important.. Then there's the yard.. is it puppy safe? Are the fences truly adequate for a pup that will be able to squeeze through far smaller gaps than its owners are likely to consider a problem. What toxic plants are out there for a curious pup to chew? Will there be stimulating toys etc? Left on its own, a pup will find ways to amuse itself - one way or the other.. digging, tearing up the irrigation system etc are all options for a bored and unrestricted pup. No point in blaming the pup if this happens. Lots of pups cope on their own from 8 weeks on. But there are a number of minimal standards that need to be met for this to work well. I don't think its appropriate to rely on a neighbour for feeds and company - a family's dog should be a family's responsiblity to feed and raise. What happens if a gate gets left open etc? Who do they want the pup to bond to - the neighbour or them? How will the neighbour be weaned out of caring arrangements. My first option would always be for a dog door and limited access to a warm and cosy spot inside. The owner should try to do at least some of the during the day feeds. Edited July 4, 2006 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 The puppy will be quite healthy outside provided it has somewhere warm and comfortable to sleep and is fed three times daily. At eight weeks it is perfectly able to regulate its temperature and it's highly unlikely that it will pick up anything from the dogs next door. The puppy will whinge and cry to start with but will soon get used to the routine. I put my puppies outside at four weeks of age and have never had a problem. It would be a good idea if she checks her yard thoroughly for poisonous plants, holes in the fence or anything that she thinks may pose a danger to the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fit for a King Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I don't think there will be a problem, but I guess it depends on the breed. It shouldn't matter with the larger breeds but obviously if it was a Pom or something, thats different. Sorry but I don't agree - big, small or indifferent - just plonking an 8 week old pup in a backyard is IMO negligent. Miranda - you say you put your pups out at 4 weeks - do you then just leave them out and go away for 8 hours at a time? I certainly wouldn't. if I get a new pup at 8 weeks into the house I take time off and acclimatise them and over time leave them for short periods then longer periods - but I am talking over the ensuing 3 - 4 weeks and mine have other dogs for company. A pup at 8 weeks left alone in a yard with a neighbour just plonking food down every few hours is NOT IMO good practice and I'm sure you may end up with a pup that barks. whines and makes a pest of itself at su=ddenly being in such circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I got a new pup recently. Luckily work is flexible enough that I was able to do shorter days - 7 - 1 - until the pup settled in. All the dogs are outside during the day when I work, the pup is in a separate area when I am not home. I think it depends on the breed. A small or toy breed is obviously not suited to being outside in this weather, but a hardier breed would be OK, of course providing shelter and fences are fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisys Mum Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 IMHO its not a good idea,puppies need a lot of socialisation/comfort your sister doesnt want to end up with a dog with seperation anxiety/distructive tendancies maybe she needs to ask herself why she is getting a puppy and maybe she is more suited to an older dog :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I don't think there will be a problem, but I guess it depends on the breed. It shouldn't matter with the larger breeds but obviously if it was a Pom or something, thats different. Sorry but I don't agree - big, small or indifferent - just plonking an 8 week old pup in a backyard is IMO negligent. Miranda - you say you put your pups out at 4 weeks - do you then just leave them out and go away for 8 hours at a time? I certainly wouldn't. if I get a new pup at 8 weeks into the house I take time off and acclimatise them and over time leave them for short periods then longer periods - but I am talking over the ensuing 3 - 4 weeks and mine have other dogs for company. A pup at 8 weeks left alone in a yard with a neighbour just plonking food down every few hours is NOT IMO good practice and I'm sure you may end up with a pup that barks. whines and makes a pest of itself at su=ddenly being in such circumstances. Russaird unfortunately many people buy puppies at the weekend, keep them outside and go back to work on Monday, it's a fact of life. I didn't say that I agreed with it I simply stated that the puppy would be perfectly healthy kept outside at eight weeks provided that it had somewhere warm to sleep and was fed three times a day. I mentioned my puppies going outside at four weeks to illustrate that an eight week old puppy is old enough to regulate its temperature. The poster asked if the puppy would be physically healthy and I said that it would, the puppy's emotional wellbeing is a different thing entirely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkyTansy Posted July 4, 2006 Author Share Posted July 4, 2006 It seems there are many differing opinions on this subject. I think I will have my sister speak to her breeder about this as I am sure the breeder is already aware that my sister works. As Miranda says, my original post was about the health of the puppy being outdoors and that seems to have the differing opinions but I think i know the answer to that now. As for the other things (lonliness, feeding etc) that is another issue that must be solved. I would just like to point out that working and not being able to get time off/bring puppy to work is a problem faced by many people who obtain puppies... I was lucky my mum lives near me, but my sister isn't as lucky. She works in the city and I work 40 minutes drive from my home. Not easy get around this issue... I know about the whole considering an adult thing too... but she wants a puppy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
^Groomey^ Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Hello, im also getting my rottweiler pup soon, and was just thinking. Rottweilers become fairly big when full grown, so if i was to buy and large crate so that it can be used when the dog is fully grown, would i be able to use the crate when the dog is a pup. Or am i better of, buying a small one then upsizing later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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