Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:56 am Post subject: Now Puppy Day is loooming, I'm worried about leaving him...
Sorry everyone but I've just realised that I may be being cruel to puppy ...
We're hopefully picking puppy up on Friday after work or first thing Saturday morning. We're then at home all weekend to settle him in...Then on Monday and Tuesday, we're all working so will be out of the house from 7.30-5. I am going to come home at lunch time for an hour to feed him and let him out and my Mum will go in at least once to also feed him and let him out. He'll be in his crate from 7.30-10.00 then 11.00 - 12.30 then 1.00-5.00. Is that really mean generally and especially only on his third day at home?...Not sure how else to get round it and that will be his routine on a Monday and Tuesday - but the rest of the week we'll be around most of the time...
I've recently had to change my hours at work which is why I'm doing longer days but I could ask my Mum to pick the kids up at 3.30 and go to my house rather than hers so then someone will be home from about 3.45 which would be better...
Help! I need to know if this is ok? I'm also really worried about him crying when he's in his crate and we're not in as I feel sorry for him - obviously he'll be sleeping in his crate every night anyway but is it ok to start crate training him and getting him used to being in it over the weekend or is that a bit mean seeing as he's only just settling in...we'll probably leave the house at least once over the weekend anyway so I suppose he'll be in it then...
Sorry - feeling very nervous now! Am fine with kids but give me a dog and I go to jelly!...
I tink if you get yout mum to go home after picking the kids up then yest that would be better, apart from that a puppy needs sleep so i cant see a problem with the arrangements you have on hand....oh apart from one...... you are not going to want to go to work and leave him haha
yeah i think so too...will see what she says she's not too happy about having the kids most of the time, letting alone puppy-sitting hehe!...aw she's ok...
Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna want to leave him at all i tried to persuade my boss to let me bring him in but not sure she was too keen! lol!!
Also, forgot to ask about the other problem I have (I know, another one...) I have two cats who need to meet puppy...One is a two year old male and is very confident and cocky (typical cat!) but the other one is very timid, three-legged (she had an accident when she was a baby ) ten year old female. I've been told that I should let them get on with it and that I should bring the puppy into the room when the cats are in there for the first meeting so he knows his place and also shouldn't allow him to chase the cats (obviously!). Any more advice would be gratefully received. I guess that Leroy will just roll his eyes and put the puppy in his place if he tries anything but Bella will just be scared I think (though she has got a bit of an attitude on her and doesn't have any worries about hissing and growling at leroy when he tries to pinch her food!)...The puppy will be his crate in the kitchen when we're out and the cats are locked in the kitchen if they're not out so I guess they'll get used to each other...?
Ideally that is rather a lot of long times to leave puppy 5 days a week... Its not like they need to be stapled to your side day and night, but especially the 1 - 5 is a long old leave period for a baby.
I wouldn't cage him during the day to be honest. Not when you are going to be leaving for quite some time three times. Its not like its just a couple of hours to go shopping, its some fairly hefty periods.
I know we all have to work so this isn't judgemental, just practical.
If puppy is loose during the day in a confined room, a utility or kitchen is best, nowhere with carpet for a start with paper down, then yes it will set your housetraining back, but you can't know that puppy will be completely ready to toilet the two brief appearances you make in a 9 and a half hour day you are away... wow....
He may need to go elsewhen (is that a real word? Grin...) so paper down by the back door, room utterly dog proofed, no cables or power points below human waist height and its better than crating for those lengths of time.
I know you want to crate at night too, so imagine he would be in till like 6am, then out for an hour and a half, back in at 7.30am, out at lunchtime, back in till 5pm, out till 10pm then back in for 8 hours again.... no, its too long.
It is a pretty harsh regieme on a puppy. I know everyone is entitled to a dog and I know you care deeply for its welfare, I do hesitate though to say that your routine is beneficial to the puppy even though, undoubtably it will settle with it eventually.
Do leave a radio on pretty loudly for company.
Di
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
Hang on... I just reread this is only for Mondays and Tuesdays.... strike some of what i wrote from the record m'lud!
Ok, not ideal as I say but better than it being her routine 5 days a week... I would still not cage for all that time though in the daytime. safe room safe room safe room
I know now you aren't bringing pup home till sunday then this is her routine for Monday, be prepared that this will be pretty hard - can you not throw a sickie - or two
Di
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
Thanks Di (as always ) Sorry maybe I wrote it wrongly but these long days are only for two days a week on a Monday and Tuesday - the rest of the week there will be someone home most of the time (apart from popping out for the weekly shop or a coffee with the girls for an hour or two)
The thing is I can't really leave him out of his crate as our kitchen is massive and open plan with the dining room and conservatory. I was going to get a stairgate between the dining room and kitchen to keep puppy and/or my toddler out of/in the kitchen respectively but the area is too wide for even an extendable stair gate.
If I get my Mum to come to mine for 3.45 then the puppy will be in the crate from 7.30-10 then 10.30-12.30 then 1-3.45 two days a week which isn't too bad is it?...
No... no, its not so bad. Its hard relying on others though even family because of illness, tiredness, occasions when they have other plans and stuff... but I'm sure you will cope. I know you are racking your brains for the best way to do this and thats probably it for now and worry about when that can't be done when it happens...
Di
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
If you scroll down to the bottom of the page at the 'clippasafe' gates and extensions, you can put as many bits together as you need to extend the gate.
We put lots of bits together to span between two rooms while Baxter was a pup as we were doing building work up one end of our open plan house and we didn't want him getting hurt. You can see some of it in the pic below, but it went on for a good 2 metres or so!
Yes I know I just feel awful for him I was hoping to bring him home Friday so I could settle him in for a few days but now I can't have him till Sunday...i don't know what to do
I'm not too worried about long term as I know loads of people who don't work and would be happy to go in and let him out/take him for a quick walk or whatever, it's just trying to sort something out for the short term...I've even tried to switch my working days next week to Wednesday and Thursday so I can spend a couple of days with him, but I can't do that either as my childcare as no room for my toddler! ah well
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she's not too happy about having the kids most of the time, letting alone puppy-sitting hehe!...aw she's ok...
with paper down, then yes it will set your housetraining back, but you can't know that puppy will be completely ready to toilet the two brief appearances you make in a 9 and a half hour day you are away... wow....
) Sorry maybe I wrote it wrongly but these long days are only for two days a week on a Monday and Tuesday - the rest of the week there will be someone home most of the time (apart from popping out for the weekly shop or a coffee with the girls for an hour or two)
