I am getting a wire fox terrier puppy in a few weeks and lots of people have told me to buy a cage to keep her in a night and when i go out. I will be in for a week at first(half term) but then i have to go to sixth form during the day. should i put my puppy in the cage during my time at school(6-7 hours) or put her outside with my other dog or put her in a room with newspaper down? Also do you think that this is cruel because i don't know what to make of it?
thanks everybody xXx

Why are you getting a puppy if you cant be there to look after it?. It will be ok in the cage during the night but I think it best if it goes with you other dog when you are at school. Hope they get on together ok or you will have problems.

Rachel your other thread on here less than 30 mins ago you were asking for help in locating a Wire Fox Terrier Puppy and now on this thread it would appear that you are getting one in a couple of weeks. Congratulations on finding one so quickly.

Gosh only 30 minutes in between each posting........that must be a record time to find the right dog !!!!!!!!

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Yes...and what a lucky dog it will be...I mean...wouldnt you love to be at home all day on your own?!? :rolleyes:

Yes I would Steph..............I mean just think daytime telly !!!!

I think you're all being a bit harsh with Rachel, she is trying to find out what will be best for her new pup. Maybe some informative advice would be better.

liberty:)

IMHO a dog should not be left alone for 3 hours max, obviously there are occasional days when this won't be possible but not everyday it would be cruel.
I think you should maybe reconsider and get a suitable pet, a cat? You already have one dog.

Sarah

3 hours is in fact a very short time - I wonder how many dogs whose owners do not work leave them regularly for more than that - to go shopping, go to parent meetings/events, go to the cinema, eat out, visit relatives etc etc. There are an awful lot of normal regular activities that will mean someone is out of the house for more than 3 hours.

I would be very interested to know how many people on this board are actually with their dogs 21 hours a day!

Janet

There's someone available in our house 99% of the time! :p ...... I work 3 days a week, and my husband works 3 nights a week. It's very unusual we're all out at the same time, and we make sure we're not out more than 4 hours without popping back to check - and these are adult animals, not puppies. I certainly wouldn't leave a puppy unattended that long.
:)

Janet I fortunately am able not to work (mu husband earns enough). My dog is definitely with me 21 hours a day if not the full 24. I do my shopping of an evening (less busy anyway) and if we have to go out for the day my father has her.
She comes to school with us in the car as she loves car rides.. I may be wrong but my family and pets are my life as i find humans are less reliable lol. What i could of done during the day can be done of an evening, Simple!!

Sarah

I'm with mine 24 hours a day 95% of the time. Although sometimes I wish I wasn't :rolleyes: :p

Yes Lliberty, I apologise, I was being harsh., I am having a really crap day :( , so..sorry Rachel

But, seriously, that is far too long to leave a dog alone...a dog of any age really, but a puppy...how will he ever get to know you...how would you toilet train, or obedience train.
There are so many things to think about when getting a new dog...whatever age you get it from..and I just tink that this isnt your time. In time you will get one, but you will be more settled, and will have a clearer idea of what you will be doing with your life. What happens if you go to uni....then what would happen with the dog? A lot of landlords dont allow dogs, and the first year you would be in halls f residence which deffinatly wouldnt allow dogs. I dont think you have thought this through.
You will appreciate the dog far more when you get it after waiting for it. Trust me.
steph
:)

Hi Rachel

It would be cruel to leave your puppy for that amuont of time, crated or uncrated. Young puppies need to be stimulated, played with and, of course house trained, and you can't do that if you are not there. Why not rethink and get a slightly older rescue dog who is used to being alone - a retired greyhound maybe?

Your puppy will have problems if you crate him/her for long periods, and will never learn how to behave if you are not there to teach him/her. Please reconsider - crating is not a solution to keeping a puppy amused for hours on end.

Chloe :)

Hiya
I have a friend who had a pup and was with it for the first week then crated it when she too went to school from 9am-4pm, it hasn't done the dog any harm. But I personally would want to spend more time with a young pup before leaving it for that length of time, my mum wanted to wait for our pup until I could afford her properly and had a job, but I wanted her now as I can spend all the time in the world with her and when I do find work she will be older. I crate her at night and when we go out because you hear about stories of a dog attacking a pup when they were left, I just want her to be a bit bigger before I leave her with my other two although I am pretty certain they'd never do anything but you never know.

Also I think people are being a bit hard on you, I know LOADS of people who work full time and have either one dog or more. And these dogs are happy well adjusted dogs, it's not fair to say because you leave a dog all day you're a rubbish owner and the dog will have problems. People have to go out and earn a living to be able to keep the dog. When I am at home with mine they usually sleep all day anyway. I got my two at 6months and they had always been left at home, but they get more enjoyment out of life than other people I know with dogs who are at home with them all day.

Gina

What did you do with your other dog or did you get him/her when it was oldeR?

i haven't actually located a dog yet but am really hoping that i can find one for 1/2 term! i am just considering my options. when i got my other dog he went round to my neighbours who looked after him during the day becasue she is retired (but active) and is a real dog lover. I will be doing the same with my new puppy, i believe interaction with different people will help her be a more rounded puppy.i have heard that i should crate her instead. i am planning to go to Wolverhampton uni which is a short bus ride away so i won't have to leave home! i have had a kitten but had to rehome it beacuse my dad has bed asma and it caused him to have an asma attack, wheras wire haire fox teriers don't affect him, my current W.H.F terrier doesn't as he doesn't shed!
Thanks for the info guys! its very apreciated
luv rach xXx

You're not far from me then, I live just outside Wolverhampton. Good luck in your search for a pup :-)

thankyou gina! i live near Codsall
xXx

Gina, i do feel that even if the pup you know was OK after being crated from 9 -4pm, it is still an absolutely unfair thing to do to a dog ..... :( How does a pup hold on that long, or does it learn to mess in its crate and then have to sit there....:(

When i was homechecking for the RSPCA, we said 4 hours alone maximum for an adult, housetrained and happy dog. 7 hours must seem like forever for a puppy. It's wrong, plain and simple, and i am someone who would use a crate myself.

To the original poster, first of all it is good that you are after advice. I would suggest grabbing a copy of "The perfect Puppy" by Gwen Bailey as it is so good for reminding prospective owners of a pup's needs.

If you already have a dog, why not keep them both in the kitchen where they cannot do to much harm? Spray units, chair legs etc with Bitter Apple, oil of cloves or Vicks to stop chewing as most pups will chew. And please try to visit at lunchtime etc or it will not be fair on the little chap.

Lindsay

thanks for the advice Lindsay! where can i purchase the book 'The Perfect Puppy'? and how much is it? do you have/had a puppy and what do you do with it when you when you leave for work ect
rachel

Hi Rachel,
The book can be purchased from high street bookshops, or bought over the Net. The publisher's price is £12.99. It is an absolute must for any new puppy owner.
:)

I agree Rachel, it is an absolutely brilliant book. I'm getting my puppy on Friday and I already have a 6.5yr old golden retriever, and it's amzing how much I'd forgotten Well worth the money....I got mine over the net from Amazon, next day delivery :)
Good Luck with whatever you decide, at least you're weighing up all your options :)
Sharon

Yes I do agree for a pup it is a long time, but they used a big crate and covered half in newspaper half in bedding. I do the same with my sheltie, but she's only left at night. What they (and I did when Cas was crated during the day) is tie kongs from the top of the cage so it keeps them busy and put in safe toys. I know so many people who work 9-5 and have dog/s, it can be done, you've just got to be sensible about it.

You may know lots of people who work 9-5 and it works well for them, but what about the dogs mental state???? Its like solitary confinement.

Its an absolute certainty that anyone working more than 4 hours per day would never ever get a puppy from me.

JMO

Jayne

I own three dogs, one a 14 week old pup. I also work full time, when i can be bothered to go in. I manage all this by working the oposite shift to my husband. To leave a dog of any age alone for a long time is cruel. Would you leave a child under 15 alone to fend for themselves? I dont think so.
Maby you think i am silly for comparing a dog to a child but you need to remember that a dog is just as dependant on its owner as a child is its parent. It needs social stimulation and guidance as to how to behave. Can you offer it?
Think about it. If you cannot be a parent to your dog then do not go out and but one.

Hiya
They are very well adjusted happy dogs living life to the full, they spend their spare time doing agility and you couldn't ask for fitter, healthier, happy dogs. Dizzy was left alone when she was a pup, we took her on at 6 months and she was left alone when we were at work and school, she too is a happy dog, people have said to me how happy she is and that she's the happiest dog they've ever met. All she does is sleep all day and same with Cas, we put a camcorder in while we were out.
Gina
PS It's not solitary confinement as they have another dog to play with and keep them company.

Hi Rachel

I have had 3 pups - the last one is now 2 and a half! I used a crate for her, but never when i went out - I have an active imagination and would worry she would panic or hear a noise and feel trapped.I used the crate mainly for quiet times when i was upstairs making beds and i wanted her to be safe from electrical wires etc. Also found it useful if we had visitors eg the gas man, who may not be keen on dogs but who needed to get into several rooms - decorators, whatever :)

The first 2 dogs i never used crates - had never heard of them! Our family dogs never had crates either. I kept my first 2 BSDs when i was single and walked them before work, rain or shine, and came home at lunchtime, but had all sort of problems - house destroying, neighbour trouble - it was awful, so i basically changed mywhole life and became a landlady working from home. It wasn't fair to my lovely dogs to do anything else, and i am so grateful i was in the positionto be able to do that :)

Dogs are all different, mine were really working dogs and even a purpose built run in the garden was not right, they craved human interaction. I learnt a big lesson from my experiences.

My next BSD - well, she is a lucky girl, i am able to be home most of the time and so dont have that problem any more :)

If you do decide to crate, leave the collar off as some pups have been strangled in their crates by their collars.....

Best wishes
Lindsay

Just out of curiosity who's going to feed this little puppy?surely to begin life they have small,regular meals during the day and toilet train it?I too am getting another dog very shortly,my first dog recently died aged 14yrs and because I too have to be out 3 days a week(I work for a charity and cannot take a dog with me unfortunately)my husband will be taking the puppy with him to work.They have to socialise,after all they are 'pack' animals by nature.
I don't mean to be cruel but I do think you should reconsider the reasons for wanting this puppy,it's welfare must come first!

Under RSPCA rules, NCDL rules AND Great Dane adoption society (and possibly more) They wouldn't allow you to have one of their dogs and the majority of them are mature dogs that wouldn't need as much attention so a pup would need more than you could give.
Please remember that other family dogs are not babysitters they will need space from the pup and if you aren't there to supervise i would seriously re-consider.
And for the person who said "Their dogs sleep all day" where is the sense in that it's obvious that's what it will do, what else is there? They need stimulation.

Please re-consider...

Unfortunately, i am going to be in the position of being at work full-time with a pup on the way. Initially my boss said it was fine to bring the puppy in to work but now he has gone back on his original decision. However, my partner and I will be taking a month off of work (1 week for her, 3 weeks for me) to get the pup settled in and at least start the house breaking and so on. I then am going to be getting a sitter to come and check on the dog for an hour during the day.
It's not an ideal situation I know. But it's the best I can do until I moan at the boss enough for him to give in. I will beat him (the boss NOT the dog!)

Hi Tim,

I took a month off work to care for my dog Jasper, (now 5 and a half months old). I was strict with him at the start and VERY gradually built up the amount of time he spent alone (I remember the first time I left him alone in the house - it must have been for all of 5minutes but I still felt as guilty as hell!)

It was really hard work but it has paid off as he is now house trained, crate trained (at home and in the car) and is currently succeeding in learning basic commands. Im now back at work (9 - 4.30) and have a neighbour who pops in at lunch to feed him, let him out and generally make a fuss of him! There are days when I feel guilty about the hours he is alone but I do everything I can to make him comfortable - he has access to the entire kitchen, has lots of chew toys and 'stimulation' toys like the Kong, the crate door is removed so that he has free access in and out, and the radio is kept on to break the house silence.

I love him to bits and want him to have a happy, fullfilled life, and would love to have the luxury of being able to spend all day with him, but at the monent I have to work the hours I do.

If anyone has ideas on how to make alone time easier on a dog please pass them on!

Buff x

Hiya
It got me thinking last night, virtually everyone in our village has a dog, most work full time. I was thinking numbers last night, I know of 4 agressive dogs which I stay away from and these dogs are home all day with their owners. In my lane there are about 5 households with dogs and people who are at home all day, not once, I'm not just saying this, but not once have I ever seen them walk the dog. I know about 8 people who I regularly met when I walked my before and after school who worked full time and all of the dogs are happy and well-adjusted. The dogs being a sheltie, 2 labs, a weimaraner, a dalmation, a golden retriever, a beardie and lurcher. They've all had them as pups and they're happy dogs and do not have a 'mental' problem, you can't go round saying that all dogs left home alone have problems. I agree it is better for the dog to have someone with them, but it doesn't always work out this way. And the RSPCA and the NCDL will rehome to people who work all day if you have another dog, as we went there when we were looking for our second dog.
Gina
PS Meant to say surely shutting a dog at home all day with someone and never taking them for a walk is worse than walking them and training them and leaving them at home. I wouldn't have left my dogs if it had made them unhappy I love them to pieces, I was physically sick all night when we thought we were going to lose Diz.

Hmm just because YOU don't see these dogs being walked does not mean they are not! I work full time and I get up at 4.30 - 5.00 am to walk mine a good hour or two before I go to work in the morning (I drive to the downs) and in the evening I am out again either walking or training. I never meet anyone and so I am sure there are quite a few people who believe mine are never walked either! :)

I am at home all day long and they never walk them, it is a small village, everyone knows everyone and what everyone is up to. I know they aren't walked at all. Poor things, one is a doberman who is used just for a guard purpose, the other a boxer, the other a x-breed, another couple of x-breeds (who bark all day long and their owner never shuts them up) and the other a x-breed too. We have a field for dog walking and everyone goes there, you get to meet everyone, but if you walk during the day you hardly meet anyone as most are at work, but if you go about 7:30am or 5pm most people are down there.
Gina

You are talking in two extremes - there are plenty of people who work all day, then go out at night, and spend NO time with their dogs, and don't walk them. In that case, I am sure the dog would rather someone was at home with them than have a walk!

I don't agree with some people who get dogs and then go to work. I feel desperately sorry for small puppies left at home, but, these days, it unrealistic to expect that everyone with a dog should be at home all day - in that case a dog walker/visitor is an absolute must.

Yes that's what I was trying to point out, you can't really generalise.
Gina

Chloe, I work from 8-6 my partner works from 10-2.30. Within that time i come home and take him out for a walk for half an hour so effectively the dog is left for a grand total of 3 hours.
I get up at 6am and try to convince him to go for a walk or training 40 mins. I get ready for work whilst the little one plays with him. Then at lunch i take him out for half an hour to pound the pavement. Spend a further half an hour fusing him before i go back to work. Then partner gets in at 2.30 where he goes off to the park for rough and tumble with Bradleys two boxer dog friends. Then im home at 6.30pm for 30 mins of training and pavement pounding.
Trust me Bradley is very very happy when i walk out the door so he can rest and have me time.
As a family we keep his mind and body active even though we work full time.

I work on a small industrial estate where there a couple of other dogs on site. I've just had a chat with one of the blokes who has his dog on site and he says he may be able to have my dog over with him during the day. I would be able to go out and see my dog as well as the dog having a few others to play with. I'll see how I go with my month off and then see if he is still serious about it.
Fingers crossed.

Thats exactly what I mean. It is possible to have a dog and leave it - but I cannot agree with people who leave pups for 8 or 9 hour stretches. I have left my danes all day when we have gone to Alton Towers or something, but my friend comes in and lets them out for 2 hours in the middle, feeds and plays with them. I could never imagine leaving a single pup all day every day.... :(

I agree it's not ideal, but some people just haven't got a choice. I was told I could bring mine in by my boss. I double checked with him as I was going to put a deposit down (non-refundable) and he said no problem. A month down the line and he has made a big u-turn and is now saying no. I could throttle him really. So it's either a sitter during the day to check on the dog or hopefully have him on another part of the site.

But they DO have a choice. If (unlike you) they purchase a puppy knowing full well they work ten hours a day (inc travelling) can't get home at lunch and can't afford/don't want a dog sitter, then they have the choice not to get a dog! There are people actively purchasing puppies all the time in the above circumstances, who then can't understand why the dog rips the house up (and crating all day is NOT an option), can't understand why the pups not housetrained, and who suffers? The poor dog when it ends up in rescue!

Chloe :)

Exactly - I waited until my youngest was 13 before getting a dog because (as my husband was abroad a lot) I knew that the only way that I could have walked the dog early morning and evenings was to drag the two children out with me - they wouldn't have liked that if the weather was bad and the dog wouldn't have liked not having walks. So, I didn't get a dog - I waited until the tiome was right and I could leave my children at home.

It's a very strange world that we live in today where people think that they have the right to do anything, even if their circumstances don't really allow it :(

Daisy

Its a world where people think only of themselves, and not whats right for the animal. A dog is not a toy, to be put in a cupboard and discarded when you have to go to work or the kids get bored. Thats the problem, people buy puppies like they buy a bicycle.

You've put your finger on it there, Daisy. People seem to think that they have an automatic right to have a dog - as if it's just another 'thing', along with the TV, microwave and latest mobile phone.

If more people saw having a dog as a privilege that they need to earn, then there would be fewer dogs ending up in rescue when either the novelty has worn off or people finally realise the hard work involved.

Hi Guys!
Am very interested in reading all your opinions on this...We are going to be picking up our puppy at the end of this month (cant wait but now need to get VERY prepared!!) and both myself and my partner work full time. We are both taking a week off so the puppy will be with us for that week but it will also give me the chance to introduce him to someone who will be quite close to him in his early years - his pet sitter...

I work 8.30am until 6.00pm and even though I only live five minutes from home, so I can come home for an hour at lunch I wasn't happy leaving a puppy for that length of time. I plan on the pet sitter coming round at about 11.30 and staying until about 2.30.

The way I look at it is I have been longing for a dog again for so long and for about the cost of a bottle of wine a night and a nice pair of boots a month, I can create a situation whereby I will be raising a well-balance, well-loved - but most importantly happy dog. It put things into perspective for me!

I know in this day and age people have to work (you're so lucky you that don't :-) ) but there are ways around leaving a small puppy along for long lengths of time.

Good luck to you all.
Lucy

Thanks for all the responses - it seems that some people genuinely are with their dogs 24 hours a day - lucky you! I guess it is easier to arrange that with several people in the house. My partner and I both work full time but both in jobs with very flexible hours and that allow working at home about half the week so ours (both veterans now) are left on average between 4 and 5 hours a day. I am 5 minutes from home so can come home for lunch also. I also agree most stuff (shopping, socialising etc) can be done in the evening (actually I do my shopping via the Internet! :) ) - but strangely perhaps we tend to want to do at least the socialising together! :)

I do agree completely though that there is no way a puppy should be left for so long - I wouldn't leave one for the 4-5 hours let alone all day! Puppies need extra feeding, socialising, training. You can't do that if you are not there. Older dogs do tend to sleep a lot more if they have had a good walk before being left. I know this as when I am working at home and with my girls they often choose to sleep on the sofa rather than be in the office interacting with me!! ;) And sometimes when I come home early (ie when they have only been left an hour or so) they don't even get up but just open one eye reproachfully as if to say: what are you doing back so soon - you woke me up!

Of course Maremmas are bred to sleep all day - that is what they do when out on the job! If you go to Abruzzo in Italy you'll see them dozing in the shade all over the place with their flocks nearby. Of course if something threatens they are into action in a shot but if they were active all the time they would disturb the sheep so they are genetically programmed to be lazy! ;)

Janet

hiya
i will be getting my puppy in 1/2 term so i will have 10 days with it at 1st. then i plan that during the day my auntie who lives next door (god parents) will take her over to her houe during the day-she is retired so my puppy will not be left on its own at all really maybe 2 hours max then she will be in the kitchen with lots of toys and stimulation. When it is old enough to go out i already get up at 6 in the morning to take my dog Jack a walk for an hour so pup will come with me. when i get home i go out for a hour and a half- we have a really large wood near us, for a second walk. Jack can't manage much more exersise than that hes 13! bless!
thanks for all the advice
rachel xXx

Remember, your pup wont be able to manage an hour, then and hour and a half...you will need to start off with much shorter walks and gradually increase them.

Have you located a puppy then Rachel? Ready for collection for you to have when it is half term.