Hi I've posted here before and got loads of good advice for which I thank you all. I'm getting excited that I'm ringing the lady tomorrow with the Blue Roan Cocker Pups to get a date to view them! I'm like a child honest, read everything I can looked at buying everything (although not bought anything.) What I want to know is that I go to work twice a week from 9-3 (out of house 8.35-3.25 approx.) Do you think the puppy will be ok. I can take a couple of weeks off to let him settle in but the more I've been thinking about this the more it is concerning me. I am considering buying a crate/cage for puppy to be in at various times....a lot seem to think this is a good idea? is it? Many thanks from an almost 1st time puppy owner.

No it is not okay much to long for any pup you will end up having problems. you need to sort out for some one paid or not to come in and feed and let pup into garden, pups need 4 feeds aday.

I have to agree with corso you will end up having problems.Plus the pup will be starving.

Your pup will survive!! It's only 2 days a week & these days most of us have to go out & earn a living! If you can take a few weeks off at the beginning & gradually get him used to being left, it will help. If you buy a crate, make sure you buy a fairly big one if you are going to leave him in it for long periods & be prepared to clean up a hefty mess for a while. Once you've found you can leave him where he can't hurt himself (or your possessions), you can give him a bit more freedom.
You sound like a responsible owner & good homes are hard to find with very few people being at home all day every day, so don't feel too guilty about it. After all, you'll be leaving him longer than that every night when you go to bed.
as long as you have the other 5 days to give him plenty of company and attention, he'll be fine.

For the first few weeks, try and arrange for someone to come in, for about 30-45 mins, around mid day. You are getting everything else organised, and I'm sure you will be able to find someone who can help (advertise at your local Vet's if you cant find anyone by word of mouth).

As Anwen said, your pup WILL survive - but you will be extending his/her training period by a lot more than a couple of days a week. Using a crate will help with training in any case - but it will be a lot better if you can get someone in to him - after all, even if you have to pay someone, it will be for a couple of hours a week (cost around about £10 max, I would imagine) - and the effect on socialaisation of your puppy will be great!

Enjoy your puppy!!

REgards Margot

When I first got Ozzy my son (he is 15) came home for lunch to feed him and let him out or Idid on some days. Luckily when Ifor Tilly I was on my annual 10 wks summer holiday from work so I was home all day, every day.

Even now that they are older I still make sure that someone lets them out during the day on the days I am at work. My Mum only lives up the road, my son's school is only 5 mins walk and my neightbour is retired so it is easy for me.

If your pup has paper down, plenty of water and toys he should be ok though.

I think your puppy will be fine, and its only twice a week. Dogs adapt very well to their owners lifestyles and you will probably find your puppy will to yours.
When you get in make a big fuss of your puppy and spend time with it taking it out etc so it does not feel neglected you should have no problems.

Hi craigles,
We have a 12 week old yellow lab and i to work twice a week mon and fri. I leave the house at 8.40 and return at 4. We collected Becks on the wed i had that fri off work my daughter stayed with him on the mon then i returned to work the next friday. He therefore was in our home for 9 days before i left him. I made sure he was fed just as i left had plenty of toys and i left the radio on. I don't have a crate we leave him in the kitchen. I felt sick all day at work and couldn't wait to get home, i fussed him like mad and cuddled him all night. I now only leave the radio on when i am going to be at work(hopefully he will get used to this and not expect me back).
I did leave him for 2 hours at a time the 3 days before i had to go to work.
Don't worry your pup will soon learn and hopefully settle very quickly.
From lisa XX

Well thanks for all your replies, given me something to think about, I can get home in lunch time for about half hour to let him out and give him a meal, I've also decided that I will come home at 3pm, instead of going straight to daughters school thus shortening time alone on the two days by at least one hour. And for the first fortnight I'll make sure someone is here constantly with him, only leaving him for a little while each day and lengthening this steadily. (I will go into lounge and leave him in Kitchen to see how he is.) (is this a good idea?) My son works nights and doesn't actually go to bed till 10a.m ish' so there's another trip outside and something to eat as necessary. Should work, god I wish I didn't need to work! lol.

it is advised that you dont turn the radio on when you leave, only turn the radio on if you have it on during the day normally, this is because turning the radio on is a signal that you are going to be leaving the dog alone and can sometimes contribute to the dog developing seperation anxiety disorders.
Our dogs at work have a radio on 24 hours a day, the dogs in the house have the tv on all day it only gets turned of at night when people are in bed, my own three dogs at home have never had a radioor the tv left on when we go out and all are happy with these arrangements.
if you get the pup used to having a radio on leave it on all the time only turning it off at night if you wish to
hth
tanya

I personally would say it's not fair on the pup, he won't have any routine and how do you go about feeding him 4/5 times a day, letting him out every hour or so to get him used to doing his business outside! My dog is now 6 months old, when we bought him the breeder asked (and checked us out) if I worked, if I did then she wouldn't sell him to us and to be honest if I worked (which I'm lucky enough not to have to) I wouldn't buy a dog.

Just my opinion though and I'm sure somebody will come along and say the exact opposite. ;-)

Jenny

I agree with you Jenny - leaving a young puppy for 7 hours a day even if for only 2 days a week is not desirable in any way & as a Cocker breeder myself, I would not be happy with a puppy of mine being left in this way & would need convincing that arrangements have been made for someone to come in & feed & play with the puppy during the time you are not there. If you are there most of the time the rest of the week, how is a puppy going to understand that one day you are there to let him outside to spend a penny & feed him & on another day, you are not there? Puppies need routine & lots of one-to-one attention & 7 hours is just too long to leave a young puppy - just my opinion as a Cocker owner & breeder :-)

Thank you for that I value your opinion as a Cocker Breeder. I am having second thoughts now about getting one and will talk over my reservations with the breeder I have found today. Thanks.

Jenny You are obviously very lucky that you do not need to work, the vast majority of us do. I have a husband who works, a mortgage and two children. If I did not work I would not be able to afford a lot of things including a dog, so are you saying that only people who are well off or on the social and at home all day can have dogs, does that mean that people like me who work parttime to provide a better life for my family do not have the right to own a dog. I am sure I am not the only one that finds your message offensive.

Hi Marierose,
Please don't be offended - but a pup's needs are very much like those of a human baby, and indeed, an adult dog's needs are similar to those of a young child.

How long would you be happy to leave a baby unattended? All day? All morning? No, I thought not - quite right too. Nor should a young pup be left - not if you want to get it housetrained etc - it won't learn without someone there to teach it!

There are many people nowadays (and I'm not saying that you are one of them!!) who seem to think that everyone has a right to own a dog. Not so, in my opinion. Dog ownership is a privilege which has to be earned. If people can't bear to sacrifice something from their lives in order to 'qualify' for dog ownership, then maybe they aren't ready to be owners.

Just my opinion, and not intended as a dig at anyone in particular.

oops sorry i totally read your post wrong i thought u meant everyday.Sorry if i appeard to be rude but i would have thought plenty of food water toys and your pup will manage without you.sorry if i seemed rude
Deb

hi Deb no you didn't seem rude, I asked for opinions and got them and very varying I do say. It gives me soemthing to think about. I would love not to work but I have to.....it's as simple as that. I'm supposed to be ringing breeder again today but am certainly thinking about not doing so and putting on hold getting a puppy until I have learnt a whole lot more, I really am a novice. My friend has two GSD's, Mildred is only 16 weeks the most beautiful thing you've ever seen and she is left between 9 and 3 every day (Mon-Fri), I'm not saying this is right or wrong as I don't know but she has the run of the conservatory and apart from a couple of accidents on floor never chews, she always has loads of toys, blankets and food/water and seems very well balanced, I don't know what to do! HELP. Lol.

I think that you have thought things out well, and leaving your pup only twice a week from 10 to 3 with you coming home at lunch sounds fine!

I think that your pup will be fine, the days that you work spend some time before you go playing with him and obviously when he is older take him for a good walk and he will be ok. I have to work part time and my two were always ok, they sleep alot in the day anyway. It sounds like you will be at home alot on the other days so don't worry, most people have to earn a living, unfortunately! You sound as though you are going to be a responsible owner so go get your pup, you could always take your pup with you to school in the car this will get him used to car journeys and you will find you will be really popluar!! Good luck.

As long as you can come home at lunch time your puppy will be fine on those two days. Some time alone helps dogs not to become too clingy.

It would be a very good idea to have a few weeks of work to begin with as your puppy will be very young then, and as you said gradually increase the time he/she is left.

Good Luck

thank you

thanks for that, I will be home most of the time on my free days. Yes I did put in a previous posting I would come home before going to school to fetch my daughter and I bet I will be popular with a puppy in tow! (not literally) lol.

I truly hope you get what you are looking for.You will be so popular with kids and everyone alike,puppies are just too sweet,hard work but worth it.And im sure your puppy will be absolutely fine.Like i said ive never had a problem with any of mine,here or when they go there new homes.
Good luck #Deb

thank you so much for those reassuring words, I was beginning to have 2nd thoughts about getting one, I have put a lot of thought into getting one by making sure timing is right, children are growing up (youngest 10 now).

Hi

The problem is that at 16 weeks she probably will be ok - its when they get to 6 months and are going through the destructive stage :)

For what its worth, I think you can reasonably leave a pup for this long, BUT, you must get someone to come in and check him, feed him, and let him out until he is a fair bit older. Otherwise you will find that housetraining and your routine will take a long time to fall into place.

I would also not leave a dog in a conservatory - they can get very hot, and they are great places to chew :(

Good luck

thanks for message Chloe, I think I didn't clarify the conservatory situation properly my fault totally, It is a Conservatory built onto the house, it links with the kitchen and another room they use as an office type room, therefore it's not closed in so can actually be quite cool in there when heatings on low as I found out yesterday! They do have a stair gate on the doorway leading to the kitchen.

If you have your heart set on getting one,and you do sound really responsible asking first.Im sure for couple of days,few hours each,it will be ok.If you can get someone to come in and feed him.I have to say i have had to leave some of mine when they were young for 4 or 5 hours.Not through choice,but sometimes like you say you have to work.What i did was put their bed in the kitchen plenty of newspapers lots of water and dry puppy food.Couple of little chew sticks.And i must say i swear they were in the exact same spot as when i left them when i returned.Never did them any harm because they had so much love and fuss on my return and the rest of the week.I must say i leave the radio on or the tv all the time.And they are all now in there new homes and are doing absolutely fine.And the one i kept is a complete sweetie never did her any harm.But thats only my opinion.
Good luck though in whatever you do
Deb

thanks Deb for message, I feel a bit better now. I've decided I'm going to ring the breeder as soon as I've typed this. I can leave him in the kitchen that isn't a problem we have a tiled floor, no wires showing anywhere (I can always take the bin into the utility room.) I like to feel I will be a more than responsible dog owner and my family and I are sooooo excited it's unreal. The puppy will be loved by everyone and given lots of attention it's just sad on two day which are not static I need to earn some money! I've read Perfect Puppy and have two other books by Ian Dunbar on order, I realise no amount of reading will give me experience but to have some knowledge first I find always helps in any new thing one takes on. I'll give the lady a ring and see what she says because I am going to be totally honest with her too, then it will be at her discretion if she let's me have a pup.

You have got all worked out and obviously have the pups welfare at heart so go for it!!!!I wish more people put as much thought into getting a pup as you obviously have done, enjoy:)

Hi

Without getting drawn into this debate and ending up getting lynched, I go out to work and have to leave Molly at home. Yes, I knew this before we got her and no, it didn't put me (or the breeder) off.

Unfortunatley we don't all have the luxury of not having to work and if I didn't work I wouldn't have been able to afford the dog in the first place.

She gets walked before I go and then the minute I get home and hubby pops home at least twice to check on her during the day. I don't think she suffers as a result, in fact, on the days I've been at home and I'm normally out she just sleeps. I know several people who don't work and yet their dogs rarely get walked and often just get shut in the garden to bark and upset themselves. I'm not saying everyone or even a great number of people do this but I do know people that do.

It doesn't sound as though your pup will actually be left that long and I'm sure you'll make up for it when you are there.

Your pup will be fine. I've already talked about this with someone on here before and they were getting negative comments too but in the end more people came on and agreed with me. My boyfriend and i both work full time and our pup's turning out great! I do go home at lunch time and feed her but if you can't, leave a key with a neighbour and i'm sure they'll be happy to help. We have never fed her 4-5 times a day either...she gets fed in the morning when i get up, then at lunch time when i come home and her last feed is when we're sitting having dinner. You have to get your pup into your routine as soon as possible or it'll be a lot harder in the long run. When i get home at night she also has her walk. Your pup will cry for the first few days that you leave it but this will stop. I hated leaving and hearing her cry but i think it's bad for a pup to have too much attention and someone staying around 24/7. Oh and i just leave her in the kitchen with her bed, bowl and toys.

Nothing wrong with a working owner having a pup, as long as they don't work LONG hours (ie a 9 hour day incl. travel as opposed to a 6 hour day) and someone checks on the pup at least once, preferably several times.

Some breeds just will not cope very well - i had 2 Belgians and they destroyed a bit through chewing etc, my fault, i was able to change my work but others are not so lucky ;)

I loathe the idea of crating ALL day, that is totally wrong and i do i am sorry to say disagree strongly with an earlier poster who seemed to feel that was fine, but left in a safe area such as kitchen etc, with toys (safe ones! ) and so on it may work :)

Downsides are, it will probably take much longer to housetrain, and may chew out of boredom, or bark etc. :(

When you are at home, get the pup used to spending time without you by use of childgates etc, so dog can be put in one room whilst you are say, washing up in the kitchen. It will help build up a small amount of independence! ;)

Llindsay

Forgot about the chewing!! Sooty chewed the wallpaper on the kitchen walls! Has stopped this now. Also best thing to do is put down a training pad for her to do her business on whilst your out. Thanks for agreeing Lindsay! I'm sure more people will come on by the end of the evening! Sometimes i think they're too frightened but remember...everyone is entitled to there own opinion whether good or bad.

I agree with Lindsay. It's fine to work (most of us have to!), but make sure that you have someone coming in to check on your pup regularly, to spend a bit of time with them and let them out to "do their business". I'm very lucky as I only work for a couple of hours at a time and can come home to let the gang out! But please don't leave your pup in a crate for more that 2 hours at a time.
Good luck,
Sarah.

Hi Sarah, no i won't be leaving him in a crate, he will have run of kitchen, I'm getting a crate (well borrowing!) and don't know if I actually like them or agree with them but will see how I get on with it. I've bought a book tonight in respect of dog /house training purely for the section on crates so I'll see how I go with that. I feel so much better with peoples positive comments in respect of leaving a puppy. I rang the breeder and although concerned about me working gave me good advice almost the same as i got from here and I'm going to view on November 9th! yippee

Not long to go then;)
Enjoy:)

Sarah.

How confusing it must be for this person. Well here is my opinion Craigles. If you must get a puppy and work 8 hours twice a week. Before you decide on leaving this puppy for that length of time, even though its only a few days a week....think how that puppy would feel, it would be so confused and lonely for him/her and strange.
If you could be with the puppy for at least 6 to 12 months, training, socializing it etc in between getting into a routine of leaving the pup on its own for say 10 mins a day, then 15 minutes......so on.....you would have a much happier puppy rather than a naughty unsocialized one.
Then once it gets used to that routine of you not being there it will be a more content puppy.

Well, here's my input for what its worth :) Xena, Craigles isn't going to be leaving her puppy for 8 hours a day twice a week. She has already said she can adjust the time she gets back from work, and that she can come home for lunch to see to the puppy. She has also said her son works nights and does not go to bed until 10am. So the time the puppy is actually going to be alone is far less than a straight 8 hours. Also, her son is a presence in the house, and it may be that he would be willing for a few weeks to get up for 10 mins or so at some point to let puppy out to help with the house training.

I respect your opinion Xena, and everyone has different views which is what makes life interesting :) But I don't think Craigles is going to end up with a naughty unsocialised pup with the regime she is suggesting. She seems to me to be very caring and will work very hard to ensure that her pup is encouraged to grow up into a well rounded and much loved pet. I think that what she is suggesting is perfectly acceptable and if I were her I would not be put off having a pup.

Lesley

Thats wonderful news if the puppy is going to spend more time with the family rather than being left alone for long periods, so many are which is what makes me wonder why people have pets if they are never going to be there to love and care for them, but Craigles seems to know what she is doing, and as long has the puppy is happy then I am :0)

Thanks for your imput.

:)

I think that the pup will be fine with the regime outlined. In fact, IMO a puppy adapts very well to being left for reasonable periods of time at an early age, and it prevents problems later on. It becomes part of their life, and (I work part-time) i've never had a problem with any of my dogs. In fact they look quite disappointed when I don't go out, as they look forward so much to the raw bone that they have only when I go out! I think it would be much harder if a pup got used to someone being around the whole time, and then for them to adapt to their owner leaving them a couple of days a week. I do stress that it should be reasonable amounts of time, I am not in any way advocating anyone leaving a dog on it's own most of the time.
Mine also get a long walk (free running in the park) for at least three quarters of an hour each morning before I go out - regardless of weather etc.
Good luck, and enjoy your pup. You sound as though you will provide a loving and caring home.
Kat

Not wishing to sound negative here, but can you tell me how you housetrain a pup when a couple of days per week there is nobody around to let it out? My pup is now 6 months old, on average he was being let out every 1/2 hour to teach him where he was supposed to do his business! How does a pup learn if he's not getting constant training? Even somebody calling in for a hour or so a day isn't going to stop the pup peeing indoors. This isn't a nasty comment, just an enquiry really, so please don't take it the wrong way :-)

Don't get me wrong, I didn't stay 24/7 with my pup, we went out for 1/2 hour, then progressed to 1 hour, but at the moment the max. I would leave him is 2 hours (at 6 months old)

Just my opinion though! ;-)

I don't believe in getting a dog when you can't be there for the majority of the time but sometimes you just have to draw the line.
This lady sounds very responsible and has given it alot of thought, and 2 working days a week it's hardly rspca material. As long as you get someone to call in on it to feed/exercise it i can't see a problem.

I would imagine it would add on an extra few weeks house training/general training but if you can cope with that, then why not!

Sarah

I posted this when I first decided to get a puppy!  Well I changed my working hours and my hubby changed his a lot so one of us is here with him 24/7.  I now know why it is so important to be with a pup, I couldn't leave him,  we're lucky to be able to change working hours to suit not all can and my old girl (Nel) would wait for ever to go to loo sit cross legged all day but didn't realise how time consuming a small bundle of fun is!  He is coming on lovely he's been with us nearly two weeks now, sits on command for his dinner and treats of course.  I 99% housetrained and he is gorgeous and I can't imagine life without him.  Hope to have many happy years with him, I've had Nell 9 yrs and she is 13yr old now.

your puppy will be fine they don't need to be fed 4 times a day like a baby  your find he won't eat it anyway ,leave some food down if your worried  someone suggested that it would be the same as leaving a baby on its own! you can't compare the two, dogs adapt you don't need to mollycoddle them ,leaving them for 2 days a week with food,water ,toys and some puppy pads to toilet on sounds like a luxury compared to how some dogs live ,outside in kennels for example

Actually Jackie R, young puppies do need to be fed 4 times a day! And they need to be taken outside every hour or so for house training! Not easy to do if nobody's there! It sounds as though Lesley is doing everything right - the pup is nearly housetrained after 2 weeks. The more effort you put in, the quicker the results!

Dogs of course can survive on two meals a day but they develop better on four, Obi was on 5 meals when we brought him home but he has actually cut out the fifth feed by himself.  He is always hungry every four or five hours, and especially enjoys his milky feeds which his breeder has said I should continue until he is at least 10 weeks.  He is also almost toilet trained at 8 weeks old as we are there 99% of the time to let him out regularly
You get out what you put in ....

Hi Lesley, I'm glad everything is working out with your puppy :)
You obviously put in a lot of thought before you got your puppy, and it's great that you were able to change your hours to suit.
I work three mornings a week, from 9 -1, granted I only work 5 minutes from the house :)  and although I took three weeks off work, when we brought Diesel home, I was so worried about leaving him, but he was fine, he's been housetrained basically since the first week, we've only had one little puddle in the house and that's it. He's coming on brilliantly and he loves his crate, so I'm safe in the knowledge, that he's safe, Baillies safe and my house is safe
Sharon
XX

A little puddle ?? from a Great Dane

Claire :D :D

:D @ Claire - well it was a little puddle compared to now
Sharon
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