Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think it's going to be impossible to work with a young puppy?

133 replies

uhohhereweego · 11/05/2022 19:19

I am a single mum to an 8 year old DD. We brought home a 10 week Labrador puppy around 10 days ago. I wfh however took 2 weeks annual leave to help settle her in so I had plenty of time. It's been great, we've spent lots of time with her. Lots of playing, training, cuddling, bonding, and lots of headway on potty training.

I'm due back at work on Monday however, and I just don't see how it's going to work. She hates her crate, even though I have followed all the advice. She cries and whimpers if I'm out of sight just to go to the bathroom, or if I'm on the sofa and she is on the floor. Never mind sitting up at the kitchen island with her running around.

Is this just something dogs get used to and I need to just accept for a little while?

What do others do? I mean it would be great if I could take 6 months off but obviously that's not possible and I don't believe any other dog owners do that either. So practically what do you do when you have to go to work but have a puppy that needs your attention also?

I can attend to her needs as in, can feed her (obviously), take her out every hour for the toilet. I could play maybe 5/10 mins morning and afternoon and then lots more at nighttime once work is done. But what about her whimpering whilst I am in meetings?

OP posts:
Elsalvador · 12/05/2022 13:08

We took two weeks off at the start to fully devote to the puppy, settling her in, toilet training etc. Then worked a couple of weeks but WFH so was around all the time and made sure I had plenty of breaks to play, train, cuddle and take for toilet breaks. Then it was Easter so the next four weeks the puppy had constant company from the kids and me (as I took another 3 weeks off).

We crate trained but she's been fine it from day 1. This has helped when WFH. When she naps, she now tends to do so in a covered crate. She's happy to sleep wherever I am working but we've found that she doesn't sleep so well. Constantly waking and distracted by the cat coming in/out or me opening the cupboards or fridge (hoping she'll get a treat) or opening the door for the postie. We don't abuse the crate. It's our dogs safe space and she naps much longer and better in there. When the kids come home and it's noisy and busy, she gets lots of attention then takes herself off to the crate for quiet time.

We've found a rhythm which works well for us. Mornings are busy and puppy gets lots of play and training over breakfast. Then she naps. Then I take her out for a walk/play/off lead training before the day starts. This tires her out and she naps until lunch so I can work uninterrupted. I take her out again plus more training over lunch. Then she chills whilst I work. We have another play/training session then she naps again. Shortly after, the kids are home from school so she gets attention again. Enforced naps are a life saver. We've found that our pup is much calmer if she has her naps.

There's a FB group called Canine Enrichment which has lots of great ideas on how to mentally stimulate your pup which will tire them out.

Sometimes, if puppy wants attention and I'm on a call, I pop in some kibble in a toilet or kitchen roll, egg carton or cardboard boxes (save all the recycling and Amazon boxes!) and she has great fun with that.

Use every feeding opportunity to train or to provide enrichment. Scatter feed, snuffle mats or balls, Kong wobblers etc. Switch them up. Keep it varied and it will help tire them out. If I have a lunch time call, scatter feeding in the garden entertains mine for a good while (she loves to sniff out the kibble). Or I hide them around the garden and she has to find it.

Another method I found useful was to have her dog bed next to me if I'm in a meeting. Without making eye contact, if she's chilling nicely, I drop a piece of kibble every now and again. Lots of positive reinforcement for the behaviour you want to see. She's now learnt that if I'm in a meeting, she gets rewarded if she's lying down and chilling. We also have a half antler chew and an Antos Origins natural tree root chew that she loves to chew on. Puppy isn't interested in any other chew toys.

We have a lab but fortunately she's quite placid. If you can use every break in-between meetings or calls to train/play/cuddle and build in plenty of enrichment in intense bursts plus at least one walk (off lead so they can be out for longer as puppies can't be over walked), this might help? Puppy should be tired enough to chill/sleep whilst you work.

As others have mentioned, a dog walker might be useful. We aren't using one as we need to be careful with our puppy's joints but will consider one when she's older.

Good luck!

Hoppinggreen · 12/05/2022 13:11

Vikinga · 12/05/2022 12:38

She works from home and only 3 days a week!

I know she works from home, that doesnt change my view at all.
OP hadnt said she only works 3 days a week when I posted but puppies are puppies 7 days a week not 4 so its still going to be tough

Enko · 12/05/2022 13:14

Dog walker/doggy day care was the solution for us

Parker231 · 12/05/2022 13:15

You shouldn’t leave a puppy at home alone all day or even for the majority of the working day. Is it toilet trained? Who is going to take it outside to have a wee? You’ll need a house sitter or a dog walker who can take it to their house during the day.

SeemsSoUnfair · 12/05/2022 13:15

Madness to think you can go back to work and leave a puppy home alone.

When we got our pup dh and I planned 8 weeks off between us, but also had built in flexibility if the pup didn't settle at home/with walkers. Our working times meant the pup was never left alone for more than 4 hours and during that time had walkers coming in too.

She is still a baby. What responsible breeder gave you a pup knowing you would be leaving alone so quickly? Your set up and not suitable for a dog, seriously consider giving her back to the breeder you got her from so they can find a suitable home. Get a fish instead don't do this fish are hard work!

Dis626 · 12/05/2022 13:16

Parker231 · 12/05/2022 13:15

You shouldn’t leave a puppy at home alone all day or even for the majority of the working day. Is it toilet trained? Who is going to take it outside to have a wee? You’ll need a house sitter or a dog walker who can take it to their house during the day.

She works at home! The puppy isn't being left on its own at all.

Dis626 · 12/05/2022 13:17

@SeemsSoUnfair she isn't leaving the puppy alone! She works from home

Blanketpolicy · 12/05/2022 13:19

I used a bitter apple spray on cables so he wouldn’t wrench my IT equipment.

We tried that with our lab but found it just directed them elsewhere to chew. Ours lifted and destroyed carpets, skirting boards, kitchen cabinets, sofa seat cushions etc. You can't cover everything in the spray.

XelaM · 12/05/2022 13:23

OP - I take my laptop to the sofa and work from there with the dog snoozing next to me (and occasionally planting his bum on the keyboard/appearing on camera during a meeting 🤪

I think 2 weeks is plenty of time to take off for a new puppy (in the real world - not crazy MN-world where no one has to work ever)

XelaM · 12/05/2022 13:24

Ah and plenty of long-lasting chews!!

At a young age puppies should sleep most of the day. It's good for them

Blarting · 12/05/2022 14:50

Chews
Toys
Sleep - they need lots and lots, otherwise they're a nightmare

Ignore all the snarky comments on here!

Blarting · 12/05/2022 14:52

Parker231 · 12/05/2022 13:15

You shouldn’t leave a puppy at home alone all day or even for the majority of the working day. Is it toilet trained? Who is going to take it outside to have a wee? You’ll need a house sitter or a dog walker who can take it to their house during the day.

You should read the OP posts and understand them before you start giving advice that's not relevant.

Squashpocket · 12/05/2022 14:55

Seriously OP only works 3 days a week from home and that's still not enough for the perfect dog owners posting on this thread. What a load of crap.

OP - walk (or play with) the puppy as much as you have time for morning, lunchtime and evening.

Give frozen kongs and snuffle mats after each walk/play session.

When a bit bigger get a dog Walker for an hour and a half in the late morning or early afternoon to bridge the gap between walks.

The puppy will be calm and lovely by the time they are 2 ime, but labradors need a lot of exercise and attention as puppies so strap in until then.

coffeecupsandfairylights · 12/05/2022 15:08

Parker231 · 12/05/2022 13:15

You shouldn’t leave a puppy at home alone all day or even for the majority of the working day. Is it toilet trained? Who is going to take it outside to have a wee? You’ll need a house sitter or a dog walker who can take it to their house during the day.

OP works from home - it's right there in the first post!

Maybe you shouldn't post such judgemental comments when you haven't even bothered to read the thread?

Blarting · 12/05/2022 15:16

SeemsSoUnfair · 12/05/2022 13:15

Madness to think you can go back to work and leave a puppy home alone.

When we got our pup dh and I planned 8 weeks off between us, but also had built in flexibility if the pup didn't settle at home/with walkers. Our working times meant the pup was never left alone for more than 4 hours and during that time had walkers coming in too.

She is still a baby. What responsible breeder gave you a pup knowing you would be leaving alone so quickly? Your set up and not suitable for a dog, seriously consider giving her back to the breeder you got her from so they can find a suitable home. Get a fish instead don't do this fish are hard work!

Madness to not read the first pos!

Who is leaving the puppy alone?

Blarting · 12/05/2022 15:18

@Hoppinggreen are you honestly saying that anyone who wants a puppy needs to give up work?

Delatron · 12/05/2022 15:39

I think there needs to be serious consideration before getting the puppy - that’s what posters mean.

You don’t just get the puppy then think ‘shit what do I do now I can’t actually leave the puppy and get any work done’

To be fair on the OP I had no idea how much work a puppy was. I had the same questions- how on earth do people work and look after a puppy?

It impacts on every part of your life. So if you can’t leave a puppy for more than 20 minutes say and you are a single parent - how do you do the school run? Go to the supermarket? Take your child to an after school club? Be on a call for ah hour? It’s a huge commitment.

Eventually if you have a straightforward dog then yes you can use day care or dog walkers but not in the early days.

timestheyarechanging · 12/05/2022 15:45

If you're working from home it will be fine. As others have said, get him toys to occupy her. My neice and her partner got the most beautiful cocker spaniel about 5mths ago - he's absolutely adorable and very well behaved.
He loves his crate (it has curtains) and retires to it when he's tired, otherwise sits at her feet while she works. Takes him out on her breaks and plays with him in the garden. He goes to doggy daycare once a fortnight when she commutes into her office.
Mine, I got ten years ago as a single parent to two young children. Had 6 weeks off as I worked in a school. He hated his crate and was in my bed within days, but my parents lived 5mins away and came over every day to look after him thankfully when I returned to work.

MiseryWIthAStent · 12/05/2022 15:49

worraliberty · 11/05/2022 19:24

You seriously thought 2 weeks was 'plenty of time' to settle a puppy? 🤦‍♀️

Wow that's a useful comment.

Jayne35 · 12/05/2022 15:53

We bought a puppy during lockdown. I was furloughed and DH was working from home. I'm now back at work FT and DH does some mornings in the office and some at home BUT my retired Mum lives close and will come round if we are going to be out more than 4 hours, or the dog is dropped off and MILs for the day. The dog is a bit clingy towards DH, I think that's because she got so used to him being home all day.

I think dogs get used to your routine and your puppy won't follow you around, crying and whining for ever.

BeautifulDragon · 12/05/2022 16:54

And some of these comments are completely ridiculous. Two full weeks of leave and then returning to work, from home, for only three days a week, with an 8-year-old on hand to give the puppy fuss and attention after school too… that sounds like an IDEAL scenario for a puppy and I honestly don’t know what people want from you. Are you only supposed to get a puppy if you take a full year off work?!

We got our puppy in lockdown and all the comments were able how it was a terrible idea because we were spending too much time with the puppy.

moscow4 · 12/05/2022 17:08

I think it should be fine (insert usual caveat that some puppies are harder work than others, etc.). Lots of good ideas in this thread about how to arrange things with kongs, snuffle mats, enrichment toys and games, as well as training a calm settle. I'm not a fan of crates but I think they can be O.K. if used judiciously. Brief periods of time to keep a puppy safe when no other options are available and the puppy is happy in the crate? Fine. Keeping a puppy in a locked crate for 15+ hours a day, as some PPs suggest? Emphatically no.

FirewomanSam · 12/05/2022 17:11

*Madness to think you can go back to work and leave a puppy home alone…

What responsible breeder gave you a pup knowing you would be leaving alone so quickly? Your set up and not suitable for a dog, seriously consider giving her back to the breeder you got her from so they can find a suitable home.*

JFC @SeemsSoUnfair at least read the OP properly! OP said right there that she is working FROM HOME. Puppy isn’t being left alone anywhere.

People here get so giddy about the prospect of giving a poster a good kicking that they don’t even stop to actually read what they’re responding to, do they?

Random789 · 12/05/2022 21:04

Always amazes me how aggressively righteous some posters on dog threads can be, how determined they are to interpret other people's dog-related posts in the worst possible light as a pretext for displaying their superior compassion etc. I know that is a problem across all topics but it does seem to be especially severe in dog threads.

Hope it hasn't got you down too much, OP. Good luck with your return to work. I certainly found WFH with a pup to be much easier than I had feared.

ShirleyPhallus · 12/05/2022 21:19

BeautifulDragon · 12/05/2022 16:54

And some of these comments are completely ridiculous. Two full weeks of leave and then returning to work, from home, for only three days a week, with an 8-year-old on hand to give the puppy fuss and attention after school too… that sounds like an IDEAL scenario for a puppy and I honestly don’t know what people want from you. Are you only supposed to get a puppy if you take a full year off work?!

We got our puppy in lockdown and all the comments were able how it was a terrible idea because we were spending too much time with the puppy.

Yeah I would also say that we got a lockdown puppy who has been an absolute dream, bur I saw 2 years worth of posts on the dog board saying how inappropriate it was to get a dog during lockdown and the rescues would be heaving with dogs soon. I keep an eye out on rescue websites regularly and just to confirm it’s the same old ex-racing greyhounds, Staffies, JRTs and none of the labradoodles / cockerpoos / Maltese mixes that MN predicted would be flooding the rescues