Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

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Ovi0717
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Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

Post by Ovi0717 »

Hi!

So our darling Ovie has grown to be 4 months old now. Man time flies really fast! He's still nipping, but it's definitely reduced (for those of you who have been so helpful to my earlier woes).
My new query is about what to do when you you're off to work. So far I have been working at home, so have managed to be around quite a bit. But will be working out of the house soon. What do you do with a 4 month old?

(A) Send him to doggie day care -
The most obvious option (in my mind) but also the most expensive. It would put my mind at ease knowing he's not alone and has lots of friends to spend time with. But I worry he'll be less independent then and would expect to have people around him all the time.
(B) Have a dog walker take him out
Not sure I'm comfortable with someone coming home when I'm not there. But taking Ovie out for a bit would be great and he won't be alone full time. Also a bit cheaper. But here I'd worry about what he does for the rest of the time even though he does have lots of toys and enjoys spending time in his play pen. But is he too small to be by himself for a while?

Leaving him alone for the whole time we're away isn't an option as he's just been house trained and is doing very well in that department. Also I absolutely cannot have him be alone for 8 hours at this age anyway. But that being said, do older dogs manage hanging out at home while the parents are away at work?

Thank you so much for your answers so far. Ovie and us are very grateful.
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zeta1454
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Re: Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

Post by zeta1454 »

The only time that I have been in a situation where I was working through the day and had a young puppy was 9 years ago and we did have three other older dogs at home also. I was working down the road from our house so was able to walk back lunchtime but actually changed my working hours to have a 2 hour lunch break so as to be able to spend more time with the young one ( about 4 months old then). He was fine with the others for the two 3 hour sessions while I was away and as he had plenty of stimulation while I was with him, he was ready to snooze while I was out.

Dogs are never really "independent" as they are reliant for their whole lives on their human family meeting their needs for food, shelter, medical care and love & companionship. Mini schnauzers in particular are a breed that thrive on the company of people and many dogs do also enjoy the company of other animals (especially other dogs).

I would have thought that the doggy day care option would be the best for a young puppy as long as it is good quality. Up to a year old a puppy is still learning and needs to be in a supportive and social environment where it can learn how to behave with people and other dogs and be encouraged to interact safely with both.

Once a dog has reached maturity, it may be easier to use trusted dog walkers only but it can be very lonely for a dog if it is left for more than three hours without company. Older dogs will usually just sleep in our experience when left but younger dogs and puppies would be more inclined to get up to mischief / damage or destroy things which will be really detrimental to any training you have been doing as it can become a habit which will be hard to break.


I hope this helps and others who have used the services you describe may be able to add their experiences of both :)
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ~Roger Caras

Magic - Silversocks Sharade at Darksprite
Trilby - Darksprite Rosa Bud


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Ovi0717
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Re: Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

Post by Ovi0717 »

Thank you so much, Leigh. This is good information and always good to know what other puppy parents do.
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Riesen16
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Re: Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

Post by Riesen16 »

We waited until I stopped working full time before we brought home Ben, our Landseer. At the weekends we would go for hikes and wish we had a dog to accompany us.

When Ben was old enough to leave in the house, I found a job nearby half-time.

With the dogs that followed, one of us was always at home and we founded a GMBH (I think corporation company with the office at home).

Dog care centres are rare in Switzerland or maybe non-existent.

At four months a puppy shouldn't be left to other people, i.e. care centre or dog walkers.

Would you not think of a crate for the puppy with someone you know well coming in to let him out for a wee or whatever. If he has a little exercise beforehand, he will probably sleep well.

At four months, a puppy is very impressionable and to leave him to the care of a strange dog walker (puppies of 4 months shouldn't be walked long distances (20 minutes suffice) or even in puppy care. I admit "puppy/dog care centres" are practically unknown here.

This isn't a criticism - I just want to make you aware of the negative consequences.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck.

Gillian
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Riesen16
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Re: Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

Post by Riesen16 »

I have just posed the question of puppy care centres in Germany. They are not anywhere near as frequent as in England but one member said a good Care Centre might be better than hours alone.

I don't know how long he would be alone (hours).

Gillian
Ovi0717
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Re: Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

Post by Ovi0717 »

Hi Gillian,

Thanks for your comments. It's good to know what you feel is sufficient for a 4 month old puppy. Maybe I will wait until he's a bit older before sending him to puppy daycare. I'm still not sure when I'll be working away from home yet, but I wanted to know what other puppy parents do / have done.
Thanks for posting the question elsewhere as well. I do know that as long as he's with other dogs, he will be really happy, which is why I'm considering daycare. Of course we would make sure he only gets the best care and attention.

Appreciate your comments =)
CharleyP
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Re: Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

Post by CharleyP »

Hi, we are in exactly the same situation. I have returned to work this week and had to decide why was best for our four month old puppy Franklin. It depends on your puppy but I didn't like the thought of day care, as Franklin likes his surroundings. I had been able to leave him all morning for the past month or so, as I discovered he just sleeps he whole time! So I searched long and hard for a good dog walker who offered pop in sessions (home visits). I have a great woman who comes twice a day - 11am and 3pm for an hour. She will take him out on his own, play with him and feed him at midday. She has even taken him out with some other dogs, and will start to introduce him to her van and group walks when he is ready. It is expensive though! But I'm happy to pay whatever, as long as Franklin has the best care while we are at work. We also get up early to make sure we spend quality time with him before work and after work.
AnnieMoon
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Re: Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

Post by AnnieMoon »

I know this is old, but maybe I can use it to post a question. Harriet is 3 months old and she arrived home one week ago. Unfortunately we had to start working 5 days after her arrival. The good thing is I leave home later in the morning and my boyfriend comes home for lunch time, so we can feed and walk her three times a day. But my question is about the time she spends alone, as I imagine she gets bored (although she still sleeps a lot). 2 questions I have:
1)Is it better leave her in a room with a safety fence in the doorway or is it better to open the house for her? Right now, when we are at home, we just let her be anywhere in the house (except our room because my boyfriend might have some allergy so we keep this room for him to sleep well in case of allergy), but at night we put her in her room for sleep and she just weeps for two seconds and goes to sleep. But we don't know what's best for her when we are not at home.
2)What are the best things we can leave her so she won't get bored? or at least get less bored.

Thanks!!!
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Riesen16
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Re: Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

Post by Riesen16 »

Do you have a crate for her?
She won't get bored. She will probably just sleep until you return.

Do not leave her the house for free - there she will realise what she can do as an "architect" and redesign your whole house.

Trust me
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zeta1454
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Re: Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

Post by zeta1454 »

I agree with Gill that you are best leaving Harriet confined either in a crate or playpen and do not give her the run of the house. Dogs can feel more anxious if they find themselves alone in a large area than if they have a safe secure den of their own. If you do not use a crate or playpen and want to just confine her to a room with a safety gate, you need to be sure there is nothing in the room she can damage or cause harm to herself. Left alone, most dogs especially when young will look for things to chew - skirting board, table legs, chairs, carpet, rugs anything they can get their teeth into - if they are anxious, bored or teething.
You could leave a safe chew toy such as a Kong or scatter some of her kibble in different hiding places for her to try and find but, as Gill says, as long as she has been exercised and been out to toilet before you leave, she will probably just sleep while you are out, if it is only for a couple of hours or so.
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ~Roger Caras

Magic - Silversocks Sharade at Darksprite
Trilby - Darksprite Rosa Bud


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AnnieMoon
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Re: Working Puppy Parents, What does your Doggie do?

Post by AnnieMoon »

Sorry guys I didn't see your replies!

But finally we did as you told me anyway. We left her in her room with nothing but water, bed and lots of chewing toys. As she had nothing to chew, she chewed a corner of the room wall. Since we use a spray in that corner she just chew her toys and her bed sometimes (I know because I have a webcam to see her). If I fill the kong with some food and give her just the moment before I leave, she doesn't cry at all. In that aspect she seems very well trained, she doesn't cry at night or when left alone since day one. Also I found out she is more calmed if I say goodbye rather if I leave without saying anything. I was very worried about it because we live in a flat and we have some neighbours that could complain, but luckily she's an angel.
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