I am planning on getting a teacup maltese, i work full time 5 times a week am i able to still get this dog?

Hello Nat, may I give you some advice?? Anything with ''tea cup'' on the beginning (or any other sort of consumer advertising silly name!) means that puppy would not be a good idea to get as it could be inbred and, therefore, very unhealthy. I recommend getting a normal maltese (they dont need to be any smaller!) you know will be healthy from a good breeder such as someone in the kennel club. You can search for breeders on this website http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/ Also those breeders will give you a lot of good advise on buying a puppy and will be happy to help if you have any problems!
As for work its depends on the amount of hours you work and whats fair on your puppy. Remember you need the right amount of time to train him/her so youll need to plan your time around your pup.
It really is worth getting in contact with a good breeder to ask advice as they will have have good advice for you (much better than mine anyway ;))

Hi sara, jus had a look at the pic of a maltese very long hair! is it ok if the hair is short on a maltese? whats the difference between maltese and a teacup? also heard of a maltese/poodle?

It depends how much help you will have when he's growing up. A little puppy can not stay home alone for 8 hours, but when fully grown up that isn't really a problem. Most people have to work and if having a dog ment not being able to work, most people in this world wouldn't have dogs ;) . My dogs were always happy to stay home and sleep while I was working and when I came back, we spent quality time together.......

There's no such thing as a Teacup a Maltese, is a Maltese.  They are small enough without making them even smaller and more prone to severe health problems.

Thanks i was worried of getting a dog coz i work full time and i also have two cats so probs wud have to keep an eye out first hehe

Hi Nat
I work full time and have a rottie pup. I come home every lunchtime to play with her for an hour and now its winter my OH is now home by 4pm. If I can't make it home for some reason, a neighbour used to come in, but now we have moved, I have got to get to know the new ones. I am sure that next door will come in if needed, as they have 2 dogs.
If you can't make it home during the day, do you have a friend or a neighbour who could come in and let the dog out?.
My older dog is fine to be left all day as was my previous dog, but I always leave the radio or TV on for them.
Good luck.

PS - don't worry about the cats, they will hide to begin with, but let them have a space where the dog can't get to. I have 2 cats and they go upstairs, the pup is in the utility room when we are at work as she may wreck the house. I don't want her chewing things she is not meant to.

I think in order for it to be a maltese it has to have the long hair, that is a breed trait. I would be very wary of someone who is selling teacup malteses, particularly if they have short hair. Teacup is just a bad breeders name for very small puppies who most likely are inbreed runts. Properly breed maltese dogs are beautiful as they are.

Hi,

To be honest if you work full time, I think that it would be quite cruel to have a dog unless you had someone who could come in regularly to play, walk and keep your dog company.  Dogs get lonely just like us, you would not leave a child all day on their own. A dog, pup will become bored and depressed.  We all love dogs and they bring us great joy, and we should also give the same love and companionship to them too. A dog can not be an accessory!  I'm sorry if it is not the reply that you wanted, but I think it would be best to maybe get a dog when you have the time for one, after all I am sure you would want a happy dog.

How many people do you know that don't work full time? Not many where I come from. We all have to work to survive, but does that mean we can't have dogs or kids? Not really...... if that was the case, we'd die out by now and dogs would only be walking around with old, retired people...lol. It's a hectic life and we all have to balance it somehow. People get used to everything and so do dogs. Mine have always been happy to sleep while we were at work or school and then when we got home, they spent the rest of the day playing and enjoying themselves.....

Hi,

Yes, I can understand your frustration and your point of view.  I note that you say dogs! This woman is getting A dog, no company, apart from cats, (which it can not play with) no sujestion of anyone popping in to check on it! Children have child minders or relatives to care for them whilst you are at work, we know this is a fact of life today as we all need to work. Working a few hours a day or full time maybe a few times a week is not so bad. But full time ALL week is not suitable.

If this lady starts work at 9am she has to leave her home at what 8am??? (Sorry just guessing don't know the facts) and if she works until 5pm she may not return until 6pm. No-one can justify leaving a poor dog alone for that lenght of time, and the RSPCA would certainly tell the lady not to have a dog. It would be much happier with a family or a pensioner as you put it, who can love and care for it and give it a good quality of life.

Of course when you open the door and see a happy dog come yapping up to you making a fuss and not leaving your side, you feel happy and think your dog is oh so happy, but you put a camera in your house and watch your dog throughout the day, sad, lonely, crying and barking tell me it is right!

We all want dogs, wanting one and feeling that we should still be able to have one is not always in the interest of the dog, but quite selfish.

Your dogs are older you have more than one for company, they can at least play with each other whilst there are no humans around, a single dog is alone, depressed and bored.

Our opinions will differ, but sorry I feel it is completely wrong! LOL

Oh yeah, working from 9am till 8pm would be much too long for any dog. But I was thinking more of a normal 9-5 hours. Depends on how far from work she lives. Don't know about UK, but here in Europe that's quite normal. It is however much, much too long for a little puppy, so while the dog is still growing up and learning about the rules of the house, someone MUST be with him. We have had few dogs and sometimes just one at the time and they all were pretty happy and sleeping most of the day anyway. Not a sound was heard as my neighbor said. And funny enough, even when we're home all day long they sleep through most of it and usually become active in the afternoon. Obviously it works for them.....

SaraN's advice on any 'breed' beginning with the word 'teacup' is very sound. They're produced by people who know nothing about the breed standard and are frequently unhealthy specimens, sold to well-meaning but gullible people.

As for working fulltime - never leave a house-trained dog longer than you can last without needing to visit the lavatory. An untrained puppy can be left for an hour or two maximum. If you can't be there you'll have to arrange for someone else to be instead.
:)

I'd never want to deny anyone the pleasure of having a dog but sometimes you have to ask yourself whether now is the right time and whether wanting a dog is mainly about YOUR desire for one because you simply MUST have one,  rather than what's best for a dog. Lots of people work and keep dogs without any problem but for sure, you really can't get a little pup and expect to leave it for an 8-hour working day, 5 days a week. Also the comments about "teacup" varieties are really sound and I wonder whether you are making your choice on "cuteness" grounds. Apologies, of course, if you've researched the breed and know differently!

Hi, I know plenty of people who work 5-6 days aweek who owns dogs.

But pups usualy need alot of care and cant be left on their own for a number of hours, so its best get a relative or a friend to go check up on him.

My friend has two pup Staffordshire Bull Terriers, they're both brothers, reason he got two was to keep each other company and it seems to work well when hes out at work.

Times change and dogs have had to adapt to living in a human world. People have to work now often not by choice. I work full time and by proof I can say that it can be done but you have to plan very carefully, be prepared to give up your free time totally to your dog, research the breed carefully, etc I got a pup during the summer holidays so that there was me or someone there for 7 weeks to settle him in and train him. I come home at lunch time and also have a dog walker at the moment. He has a crate to sleep in and toys to play with during the day. I am always thinking up new ways to keep his mind stimulated while I am at work. I have videoed him and he is perfectly happy during the day in fact he sleeps a lot if I am not there and sleeps a lot even if I am with him all day, so dogs do not need company 24 hours a day whatever some people might say. People who tell you its cruel are being emotive and have no evidence to back it up. You must think about it carefully though and think "what if" to problems which might arise so you can plan a way around them in advance.

Just to pick up on your last point.  Getting two pups at one time will give them company in the short term, but long term it can cause more problems, especially if the reason for having two is because you can't give them enough time.

For a start two male staffs once mature are very likely to fight, and even less dominant breeds will often do so as being the same age they need to establish who is higher ranking.  If there were several years between them they are more likely to accept the older as the higher ranking and then have no reason to fight for the position.

Also it is only natural that they will bond more with their own kind than you so training can become more difficult, especially trying to train two dogs when there isn't time for one.

Two pups reliant on each other for company will suffer when seperated which can be for various reasons, such as illness or death, as well as a bitch being in season if they are of different sexes.

I have read  most of the replies but have to agree, with some leaving a pup long hours is not really a good idea. What does that pup do during the day? read the paper, watch TV? I know todays world is not ideal and we all have to work, but you do have to plan it properly.
We at rescue get more dogs in becuase of working hours than anything else,the number of time I have heard "We didnt really realise the commitment involved," or "we dont have the time to walk him/her"
I would not stop anyone from getting a dog, but please think very carefully before you get one,can you get someone to come in and see to the dog?,ask yourself WHY do you want a dog, a puppy needs socialising,house training,and those of us with dogs all know the first 12 months are the most important. If you want a well behaved,well socialised dog,trained dog, you have to put in the work....
All I am saying is think carefully, I wouldnt like another dog ending up in rescue because he/she was bought without some careful thought and planning, before going into dog ownership, very carefully.

To Brainless,

I know what you mean by having two males together because of the dominace and so on.

But they're not my dogs ? it isnt me who owns them its a friend and i havent got two male dogs but a male and a bitch.

I've said this to my friend a few times about the dominace between male dogs but...he just carried on with his plans.

I'd also say that it depends on the breed, because some breeds are more willing to be left alone for long periods than other breeds. 

Some breeds just can't deal with long periods alone, every day, and will become very destructive or vocal if left.

Obviously a puppy of any breed can't be left very long at all.  Maybe you could get a rescue (adult) dog?

I work 2 and 1/2 days a week my husband 5 days, the days i am at work are not much different to when i am off, Tyler is fast asleep downstairs at the moment as he would be when i am at work. I agree it would be cruel to leave a dog all day, but if someone pops back at lunchtime and takes the dog for a quick walk i don't think there would be any harm in that. Dogs do need there own space as much as we do.