New puppy help help help

[toastedbeagle]

Hi , we have a 8w old Labrador puppy arriving in 3 weeks. I’ve never owned a dog.

Can someone please honestly explain what a day looks like? This wasn’t my idea as I work 10 hour days (and my husband 14!). We have 2 young kids and I honestly could feel like crying. All I’ve learned so far is that hydrangeas are toxic which is bloody annoying as they make up 80% of the plants in my garden.

Will anybody be home during the day for the puppy??

We do have a nanny who will be minding the dog in the daytime, until it’s big enough to go to daycare / leave for several hours. But I’m not sure what to do for school run - does the puppy come with us in the car? Or can you leave a 10w old for an hour?

Er- are you taking any time off your jobs to care for the puppy? It’s going to wreck your house if you are away for 10 hours a day! Do you have anyone coming to help you?

You are absolutely not in the position to have the puppy, unless there is another adult living with you that will be at home. You cannot leave a puppy alone even IF someone pops in or something like that. Someone needs to be with them.

You really shouldn't being a puppy if you are both out all day and are expecting your nanny to look after it. That is madness and so unfair.

I assumed my husband would take time off but he says works really busy and he can’t . I am so stressed about this I am not sleeping. I’ve just got the kids in school and the house de baby proofed and was enjoying life and feel like I’ve been sucker punched.

be getting

Pull out now, seriously. This is so unfair on the dog to be out of the house for that long and it's not up to your nanny to look after your puppy too!

Why the fuck did you agree to this, it's fucking ridiculous.

You need to be honest with him and have it sent back. You aren’t in the position to care for it and the breeder will understand - they would not want a puppy going to a setup like this.
You poor thing, your husband sounds like he has been really shitty about it!

Usually meals every 4 hours through the day until about 12 weeks then down to 3 meals a day.
Poops usually come within 5 mins of feeding.
Take them out for toilet breaks every half an hour but be prepared for accidents! I recommend dr beckmanns for carpets and a spray mop with flash for pets for hard floors.
I'd advise getting a crate if you dont want it to chew everything you own. Get them plenty of toys as they will be teething.
First night it will definitely cry. Try getting a hot water bottle/ heaty wheaty wrapped in a blanket and put this in its bed and maybe leave the radio on low for company.
If you do crate your pup, put a puppy pad or newspaper down on one half so that they can poop or pee, but be prepared for shit city if they go paddling in it.
Look into puppy training and socialization classes. These are often advertised at the vets. You can always ask when you go for 12 week jabs.

Speaking as an owner of 3 labs, they're brilliant dogs and once you've got house training cracked, they're much easier to handle.

Enjoy!

If I was your nanny I would be looking for another job if I was expected to toilet train a puppy whilst trying to do my actual job. Oh and they will have to try and stop it from biting and chewing everything as well as clearing up the guaranteed accidents it will have in the house when they can't watch it all the time.

Yep. Think it's best for my sanity if I hide this thread...

Please dont take this the wrong way but why have you committed yourself to a puppy/dog when you dont have a clue how to look after one? Did you do any research at all before deciding you needed one?

Actually, you both sound fucking stupid. The time to do research is before you commit to the dog. Do you know anything about the breed because I can guarantee that it will wreck your house if it's not getting enough exercise and attention.

Bloody Hell - do NOT get this puppy
You are in no position to have a dog

@labyrinth thank you that is helpful. I’ve insisted on a crate (despite DH plan of it sleeping on our bed - no chance!) and the Amazon man has just delivered a box of “puppy pads” which I was a bit mystified by but now understand.

And ps- if your husband is that busy at work, he won’t want to suffer sleepless nights at the sound of a crying puppy! That should persuade him to let you send it back!

Puppy pads just encourage the dog to wee and shit in the house. You need to properly toilet train it but you haven't really got time have you.

Just reply to the one person who hasn’t told you what a very very bad idea this is why don’t you?

I haven’t committed to it, I think it’s fucking stupid and been told I’m unsupportive and he’s doing it anyway. He’s told me I’m welcome to leave ! (After 12 years together cheers love!) I’m trying very hard to see the positives- more exercise/ outdoor time, sense of responsibility for the kids as they get older but I agree it feels like having a newborn baby but skipping the maternity leave!!

Don't get a puppy. Please don't get a puppy. You can't expect a nanny to do all the puppy training, and puppies are seriously hard work. You don't have the time, and your dh doesn't have time or inclination.

Don’t panic! You’ll be fine. You’ve said your nanny is there during the day. When we got our puppy I took her everywhere I could at the start. Then started leaving her after a few days for very short periods (30 You will need to get an attachment that connects the harness to the seatbelt in the car or a dog carrier that straps in. (Illegal yo have puppy loose!)

What you DEFINITELY need is a puppy play pen because you can’t have your eye on them all the time. You keep her bed, water bowl and newspaper or pee pad in there and it’s a little self contained home for him/her.

you can gradually increase the amount of time you leave puppy alone but obviously the majority of the time she should have company. A whole school day would be way too much time alone, hopefully your nanny is around during the school day?

Also, nanny and everyone else in the house has to be fully on board with house training so puppy needs to be brought out to the garden every hour or so and rewarded when she does her business.

Don’t make yourself ill worrying about it. The kids will love it and after the initial few months puppies get a lot easier!

Yep, stupid idea. You need to be around 24/7 for a while to get it toilet trained, generally trained in obedience and bonded with you. Leaving a nanny to bring up your dog will make it her dog. If she even wants to actually do that. You cannot spring a puppy on your nanny, it simply isn’t fair to her or the dog. Please rethink this until one of you is home during the day.

I despair of these people sometimes.

Your husband is a dickhead
If you can please do everything you can to avoid this. It will be awful for the puppy, your poor nanny and your dc

@Hoppinggreen I replied to the person who answered my question! If I had posted “should I get a puppy?” I’d reply to the others. I’m trying to make the best of a bad situation and was trying to get other dog owners opinions in order to work our what to do.