to leave puppy alone or not to leave puppy alone...

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emmae

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Well... we will be getting a puppy end of Aug, and the long term plan is for him to come to work (stables) with me, now i work 4 hours in the morn and 3 in the eve so my dilemma is do i leave pup alone for what will be 3 hours at a time (once my OH has gone to work!)... or my OH's mother suggested taking pup to work and putting a crate on the yard and keeping him in there and then he can come out every so often?? there is another dog at the yard but she has had her injections- she is however VERY excitable and i think this may over stimulate him and perhaps even scare him a bit??

so basically do you guys think that 3 hours is too long for a young puppy???
 
3 hours isn't too long ... but it would make toilet training harder so I'd be tempted to take pup to work as long as you can leave it alone at times... you don't want to create seperation anxiety by being with it 24hrs.
 
I would leave him for 3 hours - my puppy is now 5 months but has been left for 4 hours at a time since he was 12 weeks old, in his crate - he just sleeps.
 
what breed of puppy are you getting? My puppy scared my older dog by being too active rather than the other way around lol

Young puppies will generally sleep a lot! So long as you play with the puppy a lot before you leave then he/she will sleep for a good hour or so once you're gone anyway. However as soon as he awakes he will want a wee or a poo!

I would take the puppy with me and have it sleep in the crate at the yard. Your puppy needs to learn that you aren't there for it 24hours a day but there's no harm in ensuring he's OK for the first few weeks especially if you plan on always taking him as he gets older anyway
 
3 hours is absoloutely fine and leaving a puppy in it's own space and creating a routine where by it spends time alone, human free, is an intigral part of avoiding seperation anxiety issues, so I would definately in the beginning be leaving the puppy behind in a crate at home.
 
You have to start off with how you mean to go on. Obviously it'd be lovely if it could be with you full time, but if you ever needed him to be alone (like if you change jobs, etc etc etc) then you'll have created a rod for your own back.

For what its worth, my pup (who is now 1year 4 months but has been doing this since 4months) gets taken out for a wee at half 7/8, has 20mins of cuddles and play, then from half 8 til about 5 she's on her own. SOMETIMES our neighbour comes to let her out for a wee and a cuddle during the day but its by no means a necessary event. She then spends all evening bombing round after rabbits in the field and being walked etc etc. Then she goes to bed at about half 11 and does it all again!

She's the happiest little dog I've ever met.

Good luck! xxxx
 
Thanks for all the replies... has made me worry slightly less:)


Wheels- we are getting a dalmatian :) exciting!
 
A dalmation:eek::D, then you def need a routine in place and time spent alone, they can sufer immense seperation issues, stick with the crate too, it will be a god sent:)
 
i took my puppy to the yard as i wouldnt be able to get back at lunchtimes, i used the crate in the car, put blanket over it, and left her in the car till horses were ridden and out of the way. she went to sleep on the way to the yard and was very relaxed in the car till i came to get her.(it was winter so no prob with hot car) she then had a quick walk, and put the crate in the tack room so she could go in when necessary but still be in the vicinity of people but was essentially on her own. she seemed to be happy with this arrangement and has turned out to be very well adjusted and is now left at home for up to 4 hours with no problem. i should say she is a lurcher and does love her sleep so is prob easier than a dalmation.....:D
 
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