When I eventually return to work (am taking a large chunk of time off when puppy arrives) I will be working 3 days a week. I have arranged doggie daycare with a lovely woman where it will be 1-to-1 for two days and sharing with one other dog for the other day. My pup will at this stage be 5.5 months. Some people have suggested to me that the pup may be happier staying at home while we are out and having a dog walker visit for an hour (not an hour's walk due to age) during this period. I am in two minds but admittedly at some point it would make life easier for me commuting wise if i didn't have to drop him to daycare and collect him so perhaps even two days doggie daycare and one day at home with the dog walker coming to visit would be a compromise. I have thought about all of this every which way and think to some degree it's something i'll have to do and see then which suits him best. I can do either option, he's worth all the money and time so it's not about that, it's more about what might be most beneficial to him and which he will enjoy most and benefit from. I haven't had a young pup in a long time, having concentrated on senior rescues and youngish dogs (10 months up) for the last years, always in the same breed as my pup.

I just want to do the best by him.

If it was your 5-6 month old pup, which option would you tend to go for?

If you'r happy that the doggy day care is 100% reliable and you know the other dog is good with pups I would say the day care would be better. I whole day from 8 - 5 is a long long time for a pup to be alone and I think he would benifit more from time with someone. Maybe as he grows and settled a compromise could be found but I would want my pup to have more company than just an hour out of an 8 or 9  hour day. Better to have someone call in for 3  x 1/2 hr visits to split the day up for him. Can you not do split shifts and work a little every day?
Aileen

The dog walker checking on him would be my choice of the two. I'm a bit of a control freak, I wouldn't really trust anyone else to look after my show pup, I'd be too worried about day care over exercising him. It's all too easy to ruin a promising puppy. Could a neighbour pop in to let him just out in the garden every couple of hours for a quick pee? Failing that then the dog walker (with strict instructions).

My concern about dog walkers and doggy day care is they may say what you want to hear but I know several that have way too many dogs in their care. Owners think their pup is just with one or two similar aged pups but it's actually dumped in a huge pen with 20 other dogs - and yes I do know somewhere like this :-(

There are great doggy day carers around, my dog sitter does day care as well and never has more than 3 well socialized adults at a time. She moves into my house when I go away but still does her dog walking during the day and as long as she is at my house in the mornings and all night and takes the girls out twice a day 9 - 10 and 3 -4 pm she fits her other walkers in between, coming back to me for lunch , They are all local to me anyway then she is back by 3 pm to stay with the girlies overnight again. If she has any regulars booked in for day care (she normally books the time off to come to me) her sister stays at her house and takes over day care, they are in buisness together. She knows my girlies walk sleep eat pattern and has no trouble working round it. She is a very very good sitter.
As with everything there are good and bad...do some homework first.
Aileen

I can't alter my work pattern but my partner (also the dogs' owner and adores them) doesn't leave for work until 10/10.30 and I am home, literally back in the house, by 5pm.

I have vetted the daycare lady thoroughly and am happy to use her, I just remember from the last time I mentioned this topic some people (maybe it was you Chaumsong) saying they preferred to use a walker.

Neighbours popping in aren't an option, but paying a sitter/walker to do so, is.

I am meeting the daycare lady and the jrt she has in daycare one day a week to see if he and my pup will be suitable for staying together for one day a week in advance.

I just want to do the right thing, I wish I didn't have to work but....

I haven't looked into it yet but if i ever decide to go the walker route this looks like a good option:

http://www.petsittersireland.com/services/pet-sitting/

When my last dog was a puppy I took her to a day care lady who was lovely. Thistle wasn't overkeen, but I figured it was a good compromise when I was working for 5 hours or so. When she got to 6 or 7 years old I did leave her at home for longer stretches and got a friend to pop in and walk her with their dog ( who happened to be her best doggie mate!!). I've never paid to have someone come to the house, but I would wonder how you'd know if they came for an hour - or what ever they'd agreed. At least when you take them somewhere you can be surer that they've had company. How much do people pay for carers to come to the house?
I am getting a new pup soon and am lucky enough to be able to cut down my working hours drastically and/or work from home and/or take her with me.

I agree Treacle, it's really a concern. I guess you're just working on trust but that has to develop over time. Unfortunately I am not in a situation where I can cut down on my hours any further than this, those 3 days must be worked.

Honestly, I think i'm just being silly. I've researched it all a thousand which ways, read references, met the girl face to face..... i just don't want to do anything wrong. I'm the same still with my 9 year old and my 3 year old adults.... puppy love eh?

Just out of interest - do dog carers/sitters insist on booster vaccinations ?

Well Inka - you are right - you DO have to trust people.
Your pooches are very lucky to have you worrying about them so much!! I am sure you will sort something out. Good luck with it.

If you don't trust them to tell the truth about their timings would you really trust them to a) have a key to access your house at any time knowing when you are out and b) look after and walk your dogs?

Depends on the walkers.  Mine doesn't for private walks but does for walks with one or two other dogs.

Depends on the individual I think but here in Ireland everyone insists on all vaccinations, including kennel cough. The titre testing argument has not gained any real momentum here for anyone who wishes to use a walker, boarding kennel, training facility etc.