How long can a puppy be left alone?

[Jenn Suchniak]

Okay, I am looking for some advice here! :) As a disclaimer, yes, i knew what we were getting into, no I don't want to ditch the pup, and yes, i understand he is a part of the family, and will need lots of care and attention, just like the 4 kiddos. :)

We are a big outdorsy family, always on the go, BUT most we do a dog will fit great in with. The issue is a puppy .... not so much! :) My husband was promoted at work this week. He's in the military, and this is unlike any promotion he's recieved before. There is a greuling 6 week induction (similar to pledging a frat). We had a family function to attend this afternoon. I waivered back and forth on bringing the puppy, but decided to keep him home until his next round of vax's. The total time gone was 3 hours.

We ran him hard outside this morning, made sure he used the potty often, hoping he'd sleep most of the time (he was crated), and poss. have a pee accident before we got home. Well, he pooped. In his crate. And it was EVERYWHERE. oh man, we walked in and the smell! it was on the walls, the crate, the dog (of course), the carpet. I'm having a hard time here. I know it was probably a smidge too long. I know he probably didn't want to poop in the crate, but I am wondering (especially with moving with dh gone in two weeks), how will i get ANYthing done?!

My husband was actually able to help get him and the crate washed before he had to head back to his work stuff, but .... now what? What is a reasonable time to leave him? He's 8.5 weeks old now. Still a baby! We just moved here, so I don't really know anyone to help out (but I may have found someone today while at DH's work function).

The house still smells. I've washed the carpet twice, and the crate is still outside. I sprayed it down with Nature's Miracle after washing it. It's out in the sun, and then I'm going to spray it down one mroe time before I bring it in.

I feel so bad for him. We should have just brought him. But with the guardia, I just didn't want him out with so many people already.

As I glance back over this, It's very much a vent, and I'm sorry! This promotion and moving business is just really stressful, so I think when I walked in to a house of poo, it just seemed like way too much to deal with all of the sudden. :/

I will say, we've left him alone twice this week (to sign the papers for our new house, and to take the kids for haircuts) for about 90 minutes each time and he did marvelous. So maybe that is my answer for now .... not much more than an hour? What do people that work do when they first get a puppy?!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Just to chime in - it will get easier especially when the Giardia is gone.    Feel free to vent - having a place to talk about it will help. An ex pen will help you keep him confined.

[Jenn Suchniak]

thank you! :)

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

Hang in there...It does get better. The first couple of weeks are tough even when everything goes smoothly...Throw in giardia, your DH promotion, new house, move and so on and you have your hands full lol

As far as the poopie smell in the carpet is concerned. If it's not out yet, saturate the area with straight white vinegar and let it sit about 10 minutes or so then keep dabbing til the area is pretty dry...It worked for me!!

Good luck and hang in there, before you know it your puppy will be a dog and you will miss the little guy that he once was...

[Jenn Suchniak]

thanks! we just got home fomr a long walk to the lake to feed the ducks and i was happy to NOT smell it when we walked in, but it's been really hot here today (for western washington), so i might just do that incase. i'd hate to have the smell take over the whole house. yucko.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

When you have a chance go to Jane Rooney and Stuarts page and read about when she brought her Stuart home.  He had Guardia as well.   She was just about ready to pull her hair out at times.  Stuart is now a big ole boy that she is totally in love with.  She survived and we know you will as well.  Feel free to vent all you want.  We have all been there and all had those days where we wondered what the heck we got ourselves into! 

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Aaah those puppy days..... With a 8+ week old puppy with giardia you are in for a bit of tough time for a few weeks.

Here are a few tips just to get to the other side.  When you crate him for any reason ( three hours is not too long, just bad luck with timing and giardia) do not put anything in the crate that he could possible swallow and that cannot be run through the washing machine with bleach.  I used old towels, old diapers and soft toys.  As soon as the puppy chews apart the first soft toy, no more soft toys in the crate (choking hazard).  Find a scrubbable surface to put the crate on - vinyl, concrete, tile, sealed wood -  We actually bought a remnant of vinyl and cut it to the size of the laundry room and used it under all our crated puppies until they were reliably house trained, could go out the dog door and were no longer crated.  We just rolled it up and stored it in the garage for thirty plus years.

Honestly three to four hours is not unreasonable for most 10 week old puppies.  But having giardia makes it hard for them to control their bowels - just keep cleaning up, my heart is with you.  Poor Tigger got giardia at about 10 weeks and had it for about two months, then it took months (maybe even a year) of pumpkin and rice mixed in with his dog food before his tummy was really good.

 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

After the guardia, things will get better - just like everyone says.

 

In my experience, Peri came home at 9 weeks.  She was healthy.  I stayed home 1 week to help her adjust. I ran a few errands to get her used to the crate. I then went to work when she was 10 weeks.  We crated her, came home for a long walk during lunch, for the first year of her life!  She may have pooped once in her crate. We used old towels so that we could easily wash if she pooped or peed.  The key is lots of exercise before and after crating. Most mornings she got a 30 minute walk, then 30 at lunch then 30 at the end of the day. She would be home for 3-4 hours alone at a time max.