almost going back to work with new puppy

[Laura Deutsch]

Hi all,

Only you guys will "get" this !!!!

We got Molly on June 28th, knowing I'd have the summer to raise her, at least give her a great beginning. Now with only 3 weeks left before going back to school, I'm getting really uptight about her being crated so much of the day. We realized that we will have to get our dog walker here twice a day (the expense is crazy!!!!), but didn't realize that she likely wouldn't be able to do a full long walk at either end.I was hoping to do a long morning walk before I left for work and another when I got home, and another at night. Sometimes she will do a walk, but a lot of the time, she just sits and looks around and refuses to move. She's just 14 weeks, so walking is a lot to ask, but we only have 3 weeks left!!!!! Help!!! Have any of you left such a young pup alone so much? We have with other dogs, but not since I worked such long hours. Summers are not long enough!! I've spent most of it in this kitchen and lots of time on this laptop! Now I have to start doing schoolwork, but don't want to crate her when I'm home!!!!

Good luck to all of you almost back to workers!!

[shelly]

Oh Laura... I feel your pain. We got Tori on Memorial Day Weekend... it was an extended w/e of 5 days. That was really hard, BUT I did have my in-laws to come in and out. She DID stay in her crate until they came to let her out.... and she did adjust. At first we left her for about 3 hours she was walked, fed and played with for a total of about one hour... then put back in for a few more hours.... It was only for about 1 month until summer vacation.... then by September , she was let out only once between when I left and my son came home from high school.....BUT - since my 'education' from the good people on DK- I think now I would have definitely used an expen with her crate inside. when I went to work. It was very hard to gate her in only one room and I did NOT trust that she wouldn't find something to eat or chew. An expend would have given her more 'elbow' room during the times crated and keep her safe. Is your puppy a chew destroyer? - lol If not you can try gating in one room with a stuffed kong or favorite toys that can not be pulled apart or swallowed. And maybe the walker can only come in once during the day. The 3 walks you plan to give will probably be sufficient. Leave the puppy tethered on a long leash when you're home so she can feel free, but you will know she's safe. I am sure you will hear from many more knowledgeable people shortly who can offer more suggestions. But Tori did get used to the longer crate hours and after a good play session before I left she was FINE...and when I woke her in the morning, she really wasn't 'ready' to get up and she went right back to sleep for a while after her morning exercise, and the extra time in her crate was more than welcomed by her! Good luck with the start of school :(

[Kyoko]

I like the Ex-pen suggestion. This way, she will not get used to going to the bathroom in the create.

I got lucky without a real plan for Charlie when we got her ( March ) because it was between myself, high school age kids and the college age kid. So someone was always available within a couple of hours. Then the summer came. ( by then she was 6 ~ 7 months old.)

Look at the bright side, though. You have 3 weeks more, and she will be a little over 4 months old. And may be while you are at home, you can tether her or keep her near you by sectioning out the house ( So that she won't wonder around too far ) so that you wont need to crate her. I bought sectioning baby gate and sectioned out my house when Charlie was a little puppy. When I could not keep an
eye on her but wanted her to have some freedom, I kept her in the "Safe" section. Sort of like a big Ex-pen, I guess. I really liked it.

[shelly]

Did you post this in Puppy Madness too? Many can help you there too I'm sure.... BUT they will NOT be able to sympathsize as well with you with the "going back to work state of mind" LOL WE hear you all too well!

[Laura Deutsch]

Hi Shelly,
No, I didn't post it, although I should have. She is definitely a destroyer, so she needs to be crated. At this point, I wouldn't put it past her to not hold it in if she weren't in her crate. In fact, she has peed in her crate a few times. She seems to have come to us with some type of still yet to be defined urinary issue. The vet is hoping she will grow out of it. We've already had lots of expensive tests. Man......anyway, we will hope for the best and I'm sure she will get used to it, but I feel SOOOOOOOOs guilty going back to work and leaving her for those long hours.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Do you have doggie daycare in your area? If so, give it a try a few times before you go back to work on a regular basis. My friend took her lab to doggie daycare a few times a week and would then pick him up and go back to work in the afternoons. Nobody seemed to mind if her dog was in her classroom after school. A daycare near work is the best and it is easier than having someone come in to walk the dog daily. Max (the lab) would love to stay at home after a day at doggie daycare. It would totally wear him out. Get all her shots up to date anyway to be ready for whatever comes your way.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I really like Shelly's advice but just want to remind you that since she is only 14 weeks a long walk isn't necessary. Our solution was a doggy door and blocking the den/kitchen area. You should know by now - or soon what your pup is interested in chewing (the wrong stuff I mean). Ned liked (still) paper so books, magazines, directions and manuals (like how to program the tv remote or the phone) were toast or should I say shreds. Ned did not chew up pillows, but if they had zippers he could unzip, he would unzip them and destuff. We adjusted accordingly. I do feel your pain upon leaving Molly. Ned was our 4th puppy and 3 of them were summer acquired pups. Our first dog - we just put outside when we were gone. She used to dig every fall trying to look for us - I mean EVERY fall for 14 years. We know she missed us as much as we missed her.

[Laura Deutsch]

Molly chews everything, so I think we're stuck for the time being, keeping her in the crate. She also likes to dig. We'll cross our fingers and hope for the best.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Oh yes, and get plenty of chew toys for her. One of my puppies loved those little balls with treats inside that you have to roll around and play with to get the treats to fall out. He would be entertained for hours with that ball. After you have checked her out on a new toy, put it away and just take it out when you are leaving. They need new things to entertain them also.