How Much Time Does a Puppy Need, Leaving at a Hotel

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hayallily
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Joined: 01 Mar 2018, 04:28
First Name: Lily

How Much Time Does a Puppy Need, Leaving at a Hotel

Post by hayallily »

Hi,

We are a family of three with a 13 year old daughter, living in a city apartment with a communal green space. As we were considering adding a puppy to our family, a friend informed us that a 12 week old Mini Schnauzer girl "Honey" (the mother is her dog) up for adoption. We know her parents and she was raised in a reliable home with kids until now so she seems the perfect puppy for us. Yet I cannot figure out if I can fit taking care of a puppy in our schedule (since we weren't prepared for that) and would like to get your advice on what awaits us.

- I work from home so I can take her out for a walk 3-4 times a day and spend a few hours for training and playtime. But I am a writer and committed to submit my book in 3 months which means that I need a substantial amount of quiet time daily to be able to write. How much of my daily time should I expect to allocate to Honey as a puppy and for how long?

- We have 4 upcoming trips until she turns 1. Do you think it would be OK to leave her at a dog hotel at such a young age?

Thanks!
Last edited by hayallily on 01 Mar 2018, 10:32, edited 1 time in total.
Oscar 12345
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Re: How Much Time Does a Puppy Need, Leaving at a Hotel

Post by Oscar 12345 »

Lily, first well done for reaching out because this is a big big decision. I think the answer to your question is in this sentence.

"Yet I cannot figure out if I can fit taking care of a puppy in our schedule". If you don't know or are unsure then don't take this puppy on, it is guaranteed to turn your schedule upside down so if it isn't a flexible one that could work around the puppy then it is going to be very very hard. It's not fair on you or the puppy. Puppies take a huge amount of time and effort and you should think of it as a decision that affects the next 13-15 years of your life. Even for someone like me who is retired, had other dogs, knows what to expect my newest addition has been a shock to the system. Do it at a time when you can really put the pup first would be my advice. There will be other puppies and opportunities that give you both a much better chance of really enjoying the incredible experience that owning a puppy brings.
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mikegoodson1
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Re: How Much Time Does a Puppy Need, Leaving at a Hotel

Post by mikegoodson1 »

My wife works from home 4 days a week, I cover the other day that she goes into London, also working from home. We have two mini Schnauzers, one is 2 and the other is 5 months old.

Both we had since they were 8 weeks old. Others may have different experience and I guess too it depends on how you are as a person but you just cannot guarantee quiet time with a puppy (even when they are 2 years old it can be tough). They need very regular toilet breaks, they need playtime, they need love and they need attention. It's true that they do sleep a lot but you want that to be a 'good' sleep - by that I mean that they have played/had fun and worn themselves out rather than being bored.

My wife struggles a little now and again when working from home because yes there are quiet times when they have had their walk or play and are sleeping but the slightest noise will wake them, especially if they think someone is at the door or walking past one of the windows and then they are off, barking away to warn us there is imminent danger :) This can be a pain when you are on a conference call with someone or video call :(

I really don't want to put you off, they are such a lovely breed of dog but probably for any younger dog, you just cannot set your watch by having some peace and quiet to work in - BUT if you are flexible with your working arrangements then they are definitely rewarding. A friend of mine said to me once that "only good people have dogs" and I really believe that.

In terms of the dog hotel/kennels, I cannot comment as I have never left my dogs at one. We either take them away with us if possible, or we have been lucky enough that my mother-in-law looks after them or otherwise we have a cracking dog sitter (who Oscar goes to one day a week for fun with pals) who has had them.

Again the early weeks/months are really important to strike up that bond/trust with both of you (dog and human).

Just my experience, that's all - good luck with whatever you decide.
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zeta1454
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Re: How Much Time Does a Puppy Need, Leaving at a Hotel

Post by zeta1454 »

Hello Lily and welcome to the Forum :)

I agree with the posts above that this does not sound the right time to be introducing a puppy into your family. The decision to add a dog to the home should be done after plenty of preparation, learning about the breed - characteristics, grooming, health issues etc and preferably getting to know and speak to breeders and owners about their dogs and what their needs will be.

A miniature schnauzer is a companion dog which thrives on company and will not take well to being left in kennels or for long periods alone - they want to be with their family. It would be especially difficult to leave a puppy so many times during its first year whether in kennels or dog home boarding as this is the time you and the family should be spending bonding with and training your new addition. As said above, young puppies up to a year can demand a lot of attention, they need someone to be there much of the time able to play with, walk out, toilet train etc.

Adding a dog to the family is a wonderful experience but must be done with planning, good timing to enable the most time possible to be around to concentrate on the puppy, and knowing that a dog in the family can mean huge changes. There are still few places which accept dogs e.g. in restaurants, places of interest (stately homes/ formal gardens etc) which can limit where you go on days out. If you are going out for a while, you cannot just leave the puppy or dog alone in the apartment. If you are having a dog as part of your family, holidays too may need to change.
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ~Roger Caras

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