have you left your dog for a few hours

[Ronnie & Emma]

Hi guys,
i was jsut wondering if you guys have experienced leaving your puppy for 6 hours (school).
she'll be 10 weeks by then .. this is my last option . im thinking of leaving her in the bathroom and have puppy pads on the floor and a baby gate to block the entrance.

[Lori]

Just make sure you have a child proof lock on the cabinet in the bathroom so she can't get anything out of there.
Although Casper would have chewed the lock off of the cabinet...

[Tina J.]

get the toilet paper out of reach! And take all the soap and toys and stuff out of the bathtub! We left Boo in the bathroom like that when she was very young and I hated it. It was such a mess. Even with puppy pads, they pee on it, then walk in it and lay in it. I always had to clean, mop, bathe her... It'll be a mess, but I felt like she was safe. She played in the tub a lot. That's why I said remove everything from the tub...

Good luck.

Tina J.

[Lynne B]

When my dogs were that age, I kept them on a tether in an area of the house where we don't have carpet. I use about a 10 foot tether, put down puppy pads, food, water toys and something to sleep on.

[Ronnie & Emma]

tina j,
yeah im thinking she may pee/poo all over the place. but then again it gives her a bit of space to walk around. I dont want to leave her in just the crate. that is too long for her to be in it.
how about if i move a crate into the washroom ..would that be better. it would be very squishy in there

[Tina J.]

she might rest in the crate, rather than in the pee and poop... That might be a good idea, to put the crate in the bathroom, so she could go in and out of it during the day. Pups generally don't mess in the crate...

I don't know if it's necessary or not, but I always leave a t.v. or radio on too... so every little noise doesn't upset her...

Tina J.

[Donna K & Quincy]

I wouldn't leave a puppy unattended on a tether, the possibility for the puppy to get tangled and come to serious harm is just too great.

[Tracy A]

I agree with Donna. Mousse always gets his legs or even his whole body wrapped up in his leash if I tether him, even for a few minutes. I think the crate in the bathroom is a good idea.

[Minga & Malu & Costa]

Malu stays in his kennel while I am at work during the day. He is 10 1/2 weeks. He has been staying in it since he was 8 weeks. I leave at about 9 am, then come home at 12-1 pm, then I am gone from 1 til around 7 pm. He has never had an accident in his kennel, day or night. He has a hamster-type water bottle for the kennel, and usually a little bit of kibble in his puzzle ball or kong. He also has been sleeping in his bedtime kennel from 9:30 or 10 pm until about 7:30 am since he was 8 weeks and 5 days.

So basically, if she has been in the kennel for several hours at a time with no problems, I don't see why not!

I am against tethering any dog for any reason, my uncle's dog hung himself that way. So it is a much better idea to put the crate with door open in a bathroom or other room she cannot get into anything or chew anything.

[Adina P]

ANY chance someone you trust could stop by half way through the day to let puppy out to pee/poo? Some puppies can hold it that long by 10 weeks...but I know mine wouldn't have made it.

[Sandy]

Crates are your friend. When Laika was 18 wks I went back to work and she was in her crate all day. (8-6pm) and this is still the case (She's almost 7 months now). I walk her every morning (early) and we have a dog walker who takes her out for 1 1/2hrs and feeds her lunch. My husband walks her when he gets home and usually ends up at a local dog park for some puppy play.

When she was very young, the dog walker would feed her lunch and then take her for a walk alone or with another young puppy (but never more than the two). They call this a "puppy visit", and it's GREAT for puppies who need a mid-day break. It's even better if you can come home for lunch yourself (cause your pup loves you MORE) but Laika's time with Sue was wonderful. When she got a little older, bigger, and more dog park confident we started her with a grown dog walker who takes her on back woods adventures with 5 other grown dogs of many breed varieties. I know that this is too much info, but my point is, is that a mid day break is a good idea. A tired puppy is a happy puppy and even if it means a little budget work (and no more Starbucks) it will make your puppies life even more wonderful.

10 weeks is young, but you have a smart puppy there. She will prob. laugh at the puppy gate and eat all the toilet paper... maybe even chew up the puppy pads LOL What ever happens, don't get mad at her. Try out what works for your pup and you and remember it's all a bit of an experiment. Just make sure she's safe. (see, that's why I believe in crates - we were too scared to let her get into trouble) Keep positive and give your puppy lots of love when you get home.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

6 hours will probably be too long. Peri could go about 3 hours at 10 weeks. I have always worked full time and Peri loves her crate; but we always were able to give her breaks when she was that little. Even now at 1 year, I don't leave her longer than 4 hours in her crate. We are at a different point though and transitioning her to full freedom.

[Christine & Shelby]

I crated Shelby from the day she came home at 8 weeks. She is crated during the day while I am at work. I leave around 8:00am or 8:15am... come home at 1:15pm, take her for a walk and then head back to work. I return home anywhere between 5:30pm and 7:00pm each night. She has done great - she never pottied in her crate.... had an accident about a week ago, but that was due to a legitimate problem. No worries - she is all better now. Are you crate training?