Having a puppy whilst working

[skysky69]

Just wondering what people's opinions are with regard to having a puppy and working. I currently work Monday to Friday for 4 hours a day. I leave the house at 8.50am and get back in just after one so any puppy would be left for 4 hours 15 minutes. I don't really have time to walk dogs in the morning and my lab is such a couch potato that she doesn't really wake up until after lunch now anyway as this is our routine. When I get home from work the dogs normally go out then. When my lab was a puppy I used a crate and knowing how mischevious huskies can be, I would want to crate train the puppy so that whilst I am at work, it would be in the crate - is 4 hours too much?

Any opinions would be gratefully received!

P.S. Only 2 weeks to Aviemore - HOW EXCITED!

[Mazz]

Well, in an ideal world, 4 hours would not be necessary, but then this is not an ideal world. Don't know if you have Kong or not, but would suggest you get one. We fill one with peanut butter and give it to Zoya everyday as we put her in her kennel. Zoya is alone for 8 hours, in a kennel now rather than a crate. We turn the radio on for her. She has done this since she was about 10 weeks old. It's her routine, and she does fine. Four hours is a lot better than eight hours. I would make sure to spend a lot of quality time with your new puppy, and make sure the puppy adjusts to the new home. It would be best if you could be with the puppy for the first few days before leaving in the crate. Also, you may have to adjust your wake up time, because a puppy is not going to wait until you get home from work to go potty. In fact, a puppy is going to be wanting to go potty about every hour or two. Gradually you'll be able to go all night without having to get up and take the puppy outside, but it's going to be a few months.

[Sarah]

Me and hubby work full time, they're left for 4 hours in a morning and 2 hours in the afternoon - as pups they managed quite well - having said that i walked them before leaving for work - but as a pup, you cant walk them too far (5 mins per month of age is recommended) this tires them out

They've got into a routine now, so on a saturday, they're very snoozy in the morning and then bouncing off the walls as always in the afternoon lol

[Dunc]

In short 4 hours is fine

[Guest snowdog]

when im at work my three left 5 hours, have mum next door to check in on um they have seperate enclosures outside but i reckon 4 hours fine

[stacym]

My puppy is left for 5 hours on a tuesday when i go to work i leave him with a frozen kong i asked neighbours to keep an ear open and both reports have been that they have not heard him he does start now as soon as he hears the key in the door but he does that when hes been left 15 mins lol. When we first started to crate train with door shut we left house and stood outside for few mins at a time just to listen but not a murmur until later on when he realised key sound meant we were home. In short 4 hours a day is fine.

Stacy x

[Tootz]

We are getting our 8 week old pup next friday. Me and my dad work full time but my mum only works 3 days a week from 9-2pm. I come home at 12 for lunch but apart from that, ours will be alone for 5 hours tues, weds and thurs. We have arrangements with a friend of ours who also has another dog and they have agreed to puppy-sit for 1 or 2 of the days that my mum is at work. I think this will help him socialise with other dogs and stop him from feeling lonely. We were going to have him puppy-sitted for all of the 3 days but we want him to get used to being on his own some of the time other wise he will get too dependant.

As long as he has a crate and plenty of toys to chew on he will be fine.