Puppies.....how long would you leave them for?

9

{97702}

...
Joined
9 July 2012
Messages
14,849
Visit site
I haven't had a puppy for about 25 years now and had always thought I was a confirmed rescue dog addict, until someone posted some pictures of whippet puppies on Facebook :)

It does occur to me that now I am living with my OH (who works part-time) I might consider a puppy - I leave for work at 7.40am each morning, and he is home by either 10.30am or 11.30am depending on which day of the week it is (Mon - Fri only).

Experienced breeders like MurphysMinder - would you allow someone to buy a puppy from you who would leave it for those periods of time? Pup would be in a (very) large crate with other adults for company; in my day they used to let pups go at 8 weeks old but am I right in thinking that it seems now that they let them go at 10 weeks?
 
Yes I would let a pup go if it was going to be left for no more than 4 hours , ideally I would like the new owners to take a week or two holiday when they first took the pup home to give it time to settle in. It would be hypocritical of me to say different really as my pups were left for this length of time, both as a litter, and then later when it was just Freya , although she of course had her mum for company. I let pups go at 8 weeks but I know in some breeds they stay with the breeder until a little older.
 
MurphysMinder said:
Yes I would let a pup go if it was going to be left for no more than 4 hours , ideally I would like the new owners to take a week or two holiday when they first took the pup home to give it time to settle in. It would be hypocritical of me to say different really as my pups were left for this length of time, both as a litter, and then later when it was just Freya , although she of course had her mum for company. I let pups go at 8 weeks but I know in some breeds they stay with the breeder until a little older.
Click to expand...

I agree, it seems to have worked for us. Puppy who was 10 wks when we got him, is now happy being left in kitchen (secure and safe, all checks for cables anything unsafe at puppy level removed :) ) Stairgate at doorway, so door not shut. Seems content to be left for 4 hours, wouldn't do more at the moment though.
 
Thank you MM and BSL - if it is OK with MM then I know it is OK with good reputable breeders so that has set my mind at rest :) :) It won't be for a while yet (max 4 dogs allowed in my current house!) but it might be a plan for a couple of years time, although lots might have changed by then :D

I am already sitting here wondering why on earth I would let myself in for a puppy when rescue dogs are so easy :D
 
Having always had rescues...and now having a pup I say stick to rescues! I adore the puppy and she is fab but you do forget quite how much hard work they are.
But there is something special about having one from a tiny and seeing every bit of its learning and growing. And they are awful cute!
 
Jut a word of warning about whippets. I absolutely adore my dogs, but my youngest was the spawn of Satan until he got to about 18 months. Hes 3yr old now and is a dream dog, but by god that first year there wasnt a day went by he didnt make me cry :lol: His list of crimes is long! but I think the worst was the day he ate a lightbulb! Mine isnt a KC registered whippet though, hes a proper working bred whippet and probably would have been no problem in a working home, but in a pet home he was vile :lol: Once I started treating him as a working dog we got along much better, and now hes a "grown up" hes the easiest and sweetest dog I have ever had the privilege to meet never mind own :)
 
LOL the last puppies I had were whippets :) :) One was show bred but the other was by the top coursing sire Ballagan Whipcord - she was challenging to put it mildly :D I have adored whippets ever since (and I got my first one 27 years ago!) and they are the only breed which could tempt me to go for a puppy again :) :)
 
I remember the chewing..... and the digging in the garden..... :D :D

My last pup was a lurcher who I got in 1999, he chewed a large hole in the plasterboard wall of the kitchen....... :) :)

ETA - whoops, forgot about Mac when I was calculating the time since my last puppy, 25 years ago was my last whippet puppy - sorry Mac!
 
Last edited:
my last puppy was super easy :D hes a working cocker and just so easy - house trained a doddle...off the lead [he dosent wear one except near roads]

Yes pups are a pita but lovely :D I leave mine a max of 4 hours a day 3x a week - i think its healthy for them to be left...in case you ever had an emergency they need to be left.
 
Lévrier;12614093 said:
I have adored whippets ever since (and I got my first one 27 years ago!) and they are the only breed which could tempt me to go for a puppy again :) :)
Click to expand...

Then your a very sensible lady, or gentleman :lol: I'd always had gun dogs when I got mine. I wont ever have another type of dog. My youngest dog is the absolute love of my life! there aren't words to describe how I feel abut him! When my older bitch is no longer around I'll get another one, and hopefully this time I will understand the breed better and make less mistakes so there will be less light bulb eating and crying :lol: They are a big culture shock for anyone used to "normal" dogs though, but so, so, so worth it! Just don't get a working one unless your going to work it or dedicate massive amounts of time to making it think its working :lol:
 
FrankieCob said:
Jut a word of warning about whippets. I absolutely adore my dogs, but my youngest was the spawn of Satan until he got to about 18 months. Hes 3yr old now and is a dream dog, but by god that first year there wasnt a day went by he didnt make me cry :lol: His list of crimes is long! but I think the worst was the day he ate a lightbulb! Mine isnt a KC registered whippet though, hes a proper working bred whippet and probably would have been no problem in a working home, but in a pet home he was vile :lol: Once I started treating him as a working dog we got along much better, and now hes a "grown up" hes the easiest and sweetest dog I have ever had the privilege to meet never mind own :)
Click to expand...

This is Fizz!!! I love her, but my lord she's hard work and not even 6 months old. Everyone keeps telling me that the switch will happen but it can't happen soon enough!!
 
I forgot to answer the original post....sorry!

Ours are left for 9 hours while we're at work but with a dog walker coming in the middle of the day. It's not ideal but they're happy and when I'm at home they both just sleep until the time I normally get home. I wouldn't do it with one dog on it's own but they have each other. When Fizz was younger the dog walker came in twice and if there is a chance they'll be alone longer or one is on it's own then they tend to go for day care with our dog walker. We had time off when we first got her home but made a habit of leaving her (just for half an hour for Jack's walk) from day 1.
 
FrankieCob said:
Then your a very sensible lady, or gentleman :lol: I'd always had gun dogs when I got mine. I wont ever have another type of dog. My youngest dog is the absolute love of my life! there aren't words to describe how I feel abut him! When my older bitch is no longer around I'll get another one, and hopefully this time I will understand the breed better and make less mistakes so there will be less light bulb eating and crying :lol: They are a big culture shock for anyone used to "normal" dogs though, but so, so, so worth it! Just don't get a working one unless your going to work it or dedicate massive amounts of time to making it think its working :lol:
Click to expand...

Ahhhh we met a man at Blenheim Horse Trials today who had SEVEN whippets with him :) :) :) And he said I was mad having 4 greyhounds :D :D :D

The more I think about the idea, the more it appeals to me..... the OH is very worried..... :p :)
 
With lots of dogs, is it not a good idea to have a run in the garden, they get fresh air and can be left much longer, I had a little hole in the garage when my lab had puppies, it was ideal.
 
Don't do it! I thought I wanted a pup, but then OHs brother got one and it all came flooding back :D it's been 13 years from I've had a pup (or 8 if you include dealing with the Mudget lab) and that soon reminded me how hard they are to deal with. In saying that I ended up with an 18 month old who may as well be an over grown pup...
 
Lévrier;12615126 said:
Ahhhh we met a man at Blenheim Horse Trials today who had SEVEN whippets with him :) :) :) And he said I was mad having 4 greyhounds :D :D :D

The more I think about the idea, the more it appeals to me..... the OH is very worried..... :p :)
Click to expand...

Seven?! Although then you have one for everyday of the week. But seven?! He must have an enormous sofa. Or sit on the floor a lot ;)
 
Do it!! Get a whippet!! Our second one will be coming home on 24 October and we went to visit them this weekend (4.5 weeks old now).

Both myself and OH can work from home when required so we will be taking turns being at home when he comes until he is old enough to be left a bit longer and go out with our dog walker (so once an adult no longer than 3.5-4 hours a day). We also have a dog door so they have constant access to the garden. But we will also be leaving for short periods during the initial weeks as well so he gets used to it and we can build it up slowly.

And here are a couple of pictures of me being mobbed by puppies (she had TWELVE!!!) this weekend.... how could you not? :)

10672434_10153213992804832_6686953682018532221_n.jpg


10646891_10153213992699832_4767756893543726060_n.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top