12 hour shift with a PUP

[Whitney]

What do you guys do with your pups when (if) you work 12 hours? I'm currently on day shift and I'm not 100% sure what I'll be doing with my g-dood pup when he comes home, I looked into doggie day care but he can't go until he's had all of his puppy shots.

[Libby & Bentley]

I mostly work 12 hour nights..so it's not so bad, so my boyfriend watches him...and he sleeps through most of the shift. When I pick up day shift, etc...I put him in his kennel (which he has grown to love..and sleeps mostly during the day anyways)...then my boyfriend has an hour off at lunch time to take care of him, and gets done with work before me. So he's never actually in there for 12 hours straight..more like 4. I've also had my mom stop over to play with him in short bouts on days she has off. If your dog isn't as fond of his kennel as mine, gating off a small area on hard flooring would work too..he can still get his exercise that way

[Ronnie & Emma]

im getting my puppy in may.. in just 2 months !
now im having doubts ...with the realization that i have my preceptorship in late august. the puppy woudl be around 7 months. I can still manage with giving her walks twice a day. but im jsut thinking about meals....
waht are your suggestions ?

[Whitney]

I never ended up leaving my pup for 12 hours (though one time after working 3 nights I accidentally slept for 16 hours and he didnt even bark in his crate!). I had either my boyfriend or parents pupsit. I think it would be really hard to leave them for that long because they are going to be CRAAAZZZY when you let them out and you need to sleep! I don't know about in your area where you live but in Nashville there are always ads on craigslist for cheap dog walkers (they're college kids) for even 7-10 dollars a day.

[Jennifer and Jack]

When I got Jack he was eight weeks old and obviously to little for school. My mom was gracious enough to come up and stay with him for two weeks. After that, I hired a dog walker to come and let him out every four hours to go potty and then he went back in the crate. When I got home, I spent a lot of time playing with him and walking him etc.

Jack started daycare when he was 14 weeks old and he has thrived there. He attended for almost two years. I pulled him out in the last month because I am home now and I only work PRN. Daycare is IMO the best option for a puppy. You don't want you little dog to be home alone all day, They really, really need to be socialized to other dogs, cats, children, adults etc. I honestly believe because he was so well socialized and always had something to do to keep him busy, he never got in trouble in the house, never chewed the wrong thing etc.

 

I believe when they are real tiny, it is okay to leave them home in the crate, with lots of breaks to potty, They really do sleep a lot when they are little, I love the puppy stage they go from running around like a nut to sleeping in one second flat. My guy is about to turn two in March.

 

Enjoy your baby.

[RIDOODLES]

You really need to look into someone coming into your home every 3-4 hours to run & play with your pup and feed him/her..Your pup definatly needs compnay during the day while so little, it will become very depressed and lonely without some support. Hire a dog sitter..after you have checked their references..so many out of work are staring these types of services.

[Susan, Coby & Chloe]

I feel for you on this one - as a clinical review nurse, I've had the advantage of working from home the first week I brought Coby home before she went to puppy boot camp (with Aly Rodges in CA) for four weeks but I just picked her up yesterday and after working from home today I'll be returning to the office tomorrow. It's an 8 hour day and I work close to home but still - she's used to being in an active household with plenty of humans and dogs around so this is going to be a new experience.  It IS projection though - I'm sure I'll be feeling it worse than she is and I'll be sure to use the principles of "Movement and Migration" I learned while she was training (getting her out and about in the morning and proving more exercise as soon as I get home). I think that's the most important thing: proving that balance when you are home.

As soon as she is old enough - past 20 weeks - I will definitely consider the same doggie day care I used for my last ALD and he loved it there.  They kept the big and little dogs separate and I was impressed with the individualized attention they gave their dogs and the cleanliness they maintained. If you consider a day care, I'd definitely make inquiries first for recommendations, references with vets and other clients and stop in to make unannounced visits/observations.

We had also worked out a reciprocal type arrangement with a neighbor who had a golden my last dog loved and traded off on occasional days with dog watching.  That may be a viable alternative you might be able to work out with other nurses or professionals in your area, or even through doodlekisses.

If only we could take our little "therapy" dogs with us.....!