how long can i leave my 7 week old puppy?

[Captainladder]

Hello

New puppy, been with us a week, settling in really well. Sports day today... will be 2.5 hours... is it ok to leave him that long? he will be in a play pen with his crate open. I was hoping to tire him out this morning and then put him in while he was sleeping (can sleep a good few hours) but hes fallen asleep already.

school have said I can take him in a sling but are not wild about the idea.

so if i leave him in an hour and he is still asleep... will it feel like i've been gone for hours to him?!

kids will be very dissapointed if i dont show up...

WWYD?

Fanny keg??? Fanny leg but my best spellcheck error in ages

Funny leg sheldon? not Fanny leg surely?
I am getting a puppy on Saturday that will be 8 weeks 4 days ( Ddog 1 is a year old). To me that seemed a little young, but the mum dog is apparently getting fed up with the puppies and has started to be a bit aggressive with them.
My boyfriend has taken the first week off work, I am taking the next.After that my mum is staying. We will build up the time we leave her alone (all assuming dog 1 takes to her with no issues).She will first be left on her own when she is 12 weeks for about 2 hours (again assuming all is well) whilst I work.
A few days I am taking her to work with me in a sling/crate. (Luckily i work in an office that has a garden, plus I am in charge so I can't really get told off-and I work with people with LD who are all desperate to see the Puppy).
I know it's not the done thing on here, but if the puppy is settled I actually think she might be ok for two hours-dog 1 slept for much of the time at that age.
I grew up on a farm and I don't remember my mum being glued to any of our puppies really-they were given somewhere safe and comfy to be and checked on at intervals through the day but no more than that... and they all turned out ok.
(Dons hard hat and prepares to be compared to cruella deville).

Sorry I forgot to say-I'd take her to sports day in the sling-no big deal surely?

Poor puppy - why did our take her at 6 weeks old?

Thanks for all the advice. I went for a bit but not the whole thing, and left pup for just over an hour. He actually woke up and we had a play before I left and he was settling to sleep just before I left.

Yes I know he is too young to leave his mother, I am not going to go into the whole situation but there wasnt another option. No the owners are not backyard breeders. I have lined up playdates with him with other dogs, of varying types and ages, who will come here, in an effort to help with doggie social skills.

Vet has checked him over, done meds he needs (ie vaccs and worming bits) and given me some helpful advice as to behaviour etc. Will have a proper look at the link cornflake and am doing research on how to help pup best.

infinitesheldon love the name and thanks for the support. hoppingreen Yes, I get the whole life change thing, and I am honestly down with that.

once again, thanks for the advice.

Wow, not sure were the idea that one can't take 7 week old puppies to social events. There is most likely very few dogs there and the puppy is safe with owner. Helping dogs become safe and social is by taking them to different things and situations and letting them gain experience from a young age, the breeders I know start from 5-6 weeks. Those dogs are very secure, safe and happy dogs that can cope with just about anything. Take the pup with you, let the children have some contact, but make sure that you control this and make sure the puppy is with you to rest/ nap. Would you leave a toddler home alone? same thing.

Nothing wrong with taking a puppy out and about with you and socialising it but you should NOT have taken that poor puppy away from its mother so soon!!!

You say it wasn't a backyard breeder so why the hell did you bring it home so soon?

I'm not sure you're aware of the consequences of taking a puppy away from its mother too early, not just for the puppy but for the mother and litter as well.

I got my puppy at 9 weeks. I would never have dreamt of leaving her for 2 hours then.

You should be ashamed of yourself and so should the breeders

I'd just add where you've said about lining up playdates OP, great idea but... as I said before they need their second jab at 10 weeks before being socialised with any other dog so please, please hold off til after that. Also you've said the dogs will come to you- might be worth reading up on socialising dogs as two dogs should always be introduced on neutral territory, I.e in a local park, not an unfamiliar dog coming into your home. Puppy needs to feel that your home is a safe territory and bringing in strange new dogs when it's not even been socialised yet might be very overwhelming for them. Just my thoughts x

@Shiftymake the logic behind not socialising pups at that age is they haven't received their vaccination they get at 10 weeks so they are unprotected from a range of diseases and quite vulnerable- vets, leading dog charities and the kennel club all support this advice and state a puppy should not meet other dogs until they've received the vaccination:

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/getting-a-dog-or-puppy/general-advice-about-caring-for-your-new-puppy-or-dog/general-puppy-health/

Sorry @Shiftymake, just re-read your post and you do say v few dogs likely to be there so you probably already knew what I said! I wouldn't event risk it with a few dogs, I know a friend whose puppy sadly died from contracting a nasty from another dog as they hadn't been vaccinated :(

It's not just the fact that the puppy will be unvaccinated though, it's 2.5 hours in a sling in a hot loud environment where lots of kids and adults will be trying to grab him
My main concern though is that OP is considering it or leaving him for 2.5 hours, until our pup was about 12 weeks old he was never left for longer than about half an hour or I got a dog sitter.
It's the kind of thing that could have an impact on the pup for a long time, especially if he had a difficult start ( assuming there was some reason for him to leave his mum at 6 weeks)
My 18 month old dog doesn't get left for longer then 4 hours and I wouldn't take him to sports day, even is school allowed it - which they wouldn't!

I agree Hoppinggreen. Our boy is a greyhound and literally sleeps 18 hours a day but we still pay for a dog walker to take him out for 2.5 hours on the days we work so he's never home alone for more than 3 hours. And likewise I wouldn't be taking ours to sports day either, he'd hate it. He loves a fuss but finds crowds a bit too much bless him.

Mummabubs, it was actually the vet who suggested the play dates. Said it was ok for him to meet other dogs that were up to date on their vacs. That's why we were going to do it here. Will chat to the vet tomorrow and see what she says.

I'd just add where you've said about lining up playdates OP, great idea but... as I said before they need their second jab at 10 weeks before being socialised with any other dog so please, please hold off til after that.

Not true - pups can meet other safe vaccinated dogs - it's all about risk management. Behaviour problems that lead to euthanasia and relinquishment to shelters are a much bigger threat to dogs in the uk than infectious diseases. You just need to look at the doghouse pages - how many behaviour posts vs posts from owners whose pups are sick with infectious disease. Of course you need to be sensible - don't let him run around in the local park/dog toilet but appropriate socialisation is essential.

This checklist is useful
drsophiayin.com/app/uploads/2015/12/Socialization_Checklist.pdf
And the puppyplan.com is great

Cross post with OP - your vet is correct

That's a relief veterinari!

Thanks for the checklist.