planning to get puppy early 2014

[Wishihadabs]

So was reading thread about working with dogs and one very wise mner said think of leaving a puppy like leaving a small child. Whilst they are left they are not getting trained, which makes perfect sense. DH and I each WOTH 3 days per week. So have 1 day when no-one is home atm. I am now thinking of booking leave for these days. Roughly how many weeks would be sensible ? Our lovely housekeeper comes on Friday (our day both working) and she will be walking the dog at lunchtime if we are both out. Any advice welcome.

Hi wish. What sort of dog are you thinking getting? It is a lot to do with temperament as well. I got a Labrador puppy when I used to work full time. I worked 3 mins away from home so I came home every lunch time. She was in her own for 3.5 hours in the morning and then again after lunch. She was ok, though we did have some destruction of stair carpet. Fourteen years later I have another Labrador puppy and he is in a crate for when I leave the house. I'm SAHM but obviously need to leave the house for a few hours at a time - school run, shopping, appointments etc. He is fine with being left in his crate (I've recorded him), as long as I've left him with a stuffed Kong Toy or a pigs ear. He then generally nods off for a sleep after that's finished. Never seems distressed when I come home again. So I suppose what I'm saying is that realistically you shouldn't really leave a dog for too long on its own.

I love Labs but DH wants a spaniel. It would be on its own for 3-4 hours on Friday afternoon having had 2 walks.

Do your research about spaniels. Some can be very nervy and highly strung. It also depends on how the owners are with the dog. Calm and consistent etc. Have you decided what type of spaniel - cocker, welsh, springer, clumber, water and so forth? Speak to lots of breeders to get a good idea of their dogs are like.

Leaving a puppy for such a short period of time is not a problem.

Training is an on going process that takes years and you may encounter new problems as your dog becomes an adolescent, an adult and an elderly dog. To start off with you should put as much time aside as possible for as much socialisation as possible until about 14 weeks old. The more things the puppy sees and the more people it meets in this period the better. It's also a good idea to go to puppy classes and beginner training classes. When you feel your dog has mastered the basics it's still fun to do either dog training classes (e.g. for your KC good citizen awards or just for fun), agility, fly ball or all sorts of other doggie activities that keep your dog interested and focused on you.

Thanks yes was planning on going to training classes. So if we got it aged 8 weeks ?? I should take Fridays off (so one of us is around) until it's 14 weeks old ? So 6 weeks worth of fridays ? Does that sound about right ? It will be a real pleasure. Otherwise DH will take it out about 730-8. He leaves at 830, housekeeper arrives at 9:30 , cleans till 12 takes him for a walk then leaves. Comes back at 4ish for dcs .

If you can take leave that would be a really good time.

At 8 weeks the puppy will only have had the first vaccinations so you have to be a bit careful where you go with him but if you are prepared to carry him (in a rucksack for example) you can go pretty much everywhere. Ideally you want the puppy to go into town and see cars, buses, trains, loads of people and noise, but also go into the countryside and see chickens, horses, sheep, etc. You want to introduce the puppy to as many people as possible, babies who cry, children who run around, people wearing hats, carrying umbrellas, riding bicycles, and so on.

If your housekeeper is happy to do toilet training and play with the puppy that should also be fine.

Puppies really only need walking for 5 minutes every month of their life. here. I currently walk my Labrador who is 14weeks for about 20-30 minutes once a day. He still sleeps a lot! I also do lots of training in the garden. I'd be wary of the housekeeper walking the dog until its properly trained and isn't pulling etc. pups need consistency at this stage and she may not do it the same way that you or DH do. You wouldn't want to undo any good work until you're confident that pup gets it all.