Puppy advice -leaving in house alone

[constantlyconfused]

My puppy has not even arrived and i already feel really guilty about leaving her . I got to university 3 days a week and will be gone for 4-7 hours. I have a friend who said she will pop in on the days i am out . I wanted to know how owners found leaving their puppies and what helped ? Im also not sure whether to crate or stair gate so she has the kitchen ? I have brought plenty of toys in the hope she won't get to sad :-(

It's going to take a good while before you can leave a puppy alone for any length of time. Eric is eight months now and happy for three to four hours and he is a very chilled out dog but I think that is the limit for how long I'd be happy to leave him. We built up from 15 minutes when he was 12 weeks old, before that he needed to be around us to be happy I imagine you are going to need to look into doggy daycare especially if you are going to be away for seven hours.

How old will she be?

You really really can't leave a puppy alone for that amount of time.

Sorry, but there is absolutely no way you should be leaving a puppy for as long as 7 hours, 3 days a week, even with your friend "popping in".

I would seriously reconsider this. You could leave a settled, adult dog for that length of time provided you had exercised beforehand and had someone coming in, though doggy daycare might be a better option, giving them a chance to socialise.

I'd be really surprised if a reputable seller would even sell you a pup knowing you were out of the house for that long. This is part of the research you should be doing before considering whether to buy a pup or an adult dog . Socialisation for puppies is absolutely vital and if it's not done right, they will have lifelong behavioural problems.

I am looking into a puppy creche for the long days and have found a lovely one. I just want a guide line eg can be left for one hour at this age etc .I have had dogs all my life but have always had adult dogs this is my first puppy . I know my adult dogs were fine for up to 4 hours any longer i would make arrangements . She is already booked into puppy socialisation classes .

We never left pup alone for more than an hour up until he was around 7 months. After that no more than 2 hours. He is now 18 months and as long as exercised immediately before (good off lead walk come rain or shine) can go up to 4 hours alone (lazy lab, when I'm home he sleeps for this long after a walk) but we have built up to this.

Puppy years are a huge commitment, dh works flexible part time self employed (due to ill health) and that's the only reason we could fit a puppy into our lives.