Long-awaited Puppy Vs Dream Job

[Lamont77]

Hi all,

We've been thinking and preparing to get a puppy for years. My partner has always worked remotely (for years so not pandemic remote working so won't be going back to office) and I wfh 3 days a week.

Our puppy is ready early April, which is when I start a new job, which is my dream job that I'm so excited about (so will likely be a bit stressed/preoccupied around this time). I expect this to already be an exciting and tiring time tbh with all the change. My new job will be wfh 3 days a week.

Thing is, my partner is in calls all day so remote working isn't a huge benefit for the puppy because I'm aware they'll need constant supervision. I don't spend time on calls but will be in office twice a week. We could get a dog walker but there's none in our area that are taking new dogs so I don't want to rely on this option.

On the face of it, it sounds like a good set up for a pup with flexible working. But, I love dogs and really want to give this little one an amazing home, I don't want to be overwhelmed by starting a new job and have it feeling pushed to the side or just not be able to give it the attention it needs at the very start.

I know nobody can answer for me. I also think my overthinking is why it's taken us so long to reserve a pup, but it's a big decision! Any advice would be much appreciated.

id do it.

but be prepared for puppy blues (normal!!)

you have a lovely setup and yes short term it will be HELL, do not consider anything else other than HELL. But once puppy is toilet trained, someone is at home all the time with the dog? job done

get the puppy and brace yourself!

I think long term the setup would work fine but without one of you taking time off for an initial settling in period it would be difficult.

It does depend on your work from home setup as well. I decamped to the kitchen diner and my work is fairly flexible so I could take lots of short breaks, open doors for toileting etc. Pup was actually much happier to settle and nap when I was sat at the computer working than on days off when I was doing stuff round the house. We were really lucky with house training so that wasn't an issue at all.

Hmmmm... the breeder said they would hang on to the pup for me until 14 weeks to give me some time at my new job.

Going to write up the pros and cons, have a ponder and go from there.

Thanks for all the suggestions/advice so far. I made it clear to the breeder my concerns and will not go ahead if I think it will have a negative impact on the puppy of course. You've given me a lot to think consider.

I took a month to settle my puppy in and WFH but it was a nightmare. Fortunately I could do my job in the evenings and at night when DH could supervise to make up for the time in the day mopping up accidents or taking him outside.

It would have been impossible if I had calls to take. Also once they cry it is really loud which would be difficult when on a call.

Mine went to daycare for a few days a week after the initial settling month and they continued the training as it was small home daycare. Without that I think I would have cracked.

Would I do it again. Not a chance.

Well there's lots of benefits of getting the pup slightly later provided the breeders have the mum around and the puppy is being socialised and vaccinated in that window.

So either they are great breeders who have identified that you're a great puppy parent and are still keen for you to have the puppy, or they're keen to still get their money. You'll know better than us which it is, but I suspect a good breeder wouldn't be so keen to proceed if you were expressing reservations.

Really if you do want to go ahead your DP needs to make himself available to at least be in the same room on the 2 days when the puppy is his responsibility, or you need to get doggy day care in place. Likewise for you when wfh. TBH our puppy wasn't very demanding when young, but this won't be the case for all puppies.

If you talk to the breeder now they will hopefully have someone in their waiting list who can take this puppy and put you back to the next litter.

OP just a word of caution re the plans for two days your DH has the pup - it's no good letting the puppy have free access to the garden and expecting them to go into the garden when they want to loo. That isn't how toilet training works. You actually need to take them to the place you want them to toilet, not just hope that they end up there at the right point in time. Also & especially in those early weeks, as soon as puppy wakes up you need to be out the door like a flash to take them to toilet. It's no good ten minutes later when your call has finished; they'll have already peed on the floor.

And to add, it's an incredibly intense, tiring, potentially stressful time (I have had two puppies over the last ten years). I cannot imagine trying to juggle a puppy with the demands of a new job!

Yes, pup is with/and will be with its mum and vaccinated. We know the breeders (they are local to us) and they visited our home, interviewed us etc, so I think they're very good. They love the breed and only breed every 2 years or so, so I don't think it's very lucrative for them financially. They are KC Registered too.

I'm going to start my job and see how I go. The pup will be in same room as DH and me at all times, its more toilet training I'm worried about.

You definitely need a good amount of time with a new puppy for it to settle in and get toilet training sorted. No way can you do this when you're starting a new job and he's in calls all day long. Putting it off would be the right decision.

Yeah if they kept the pup until 14 weeks, I'd have 6 weeks in my new job and my annual leave allowance starts on my start date so I could hopefully schedule in some time off for toilet training (as would DH as he has holidays to take).

But again, the pup will only be 8 weeks when I start my new job, I won't need long to get a feel of stress levels/routine/annual leave so I'll know when the pup is about 10 weeks whether it's doable or not.

If its not, I'll contact the breeder ASAP to let them know of course.

Thanks everyone.

@Lamont77

Just to be clear, I had no intention of leaving the puppy alone for two whole days a week. My DH would move his desk to the living room, where puppy would be and have access to the garden at all times. It's just the pup would need to be in a play pen when he's on calls and I think toilet training would be a nightmare without that constant supervision for the first wee while.

Sorry, should have said this in original post.

All the best op

You know what, you're right.

I'm being ridiculous. It's too much and wouldn't be fair.

I'm calling the breeder to ask to be contacted for any upcoming litters but that I can't take this little pup this time.

I think I just wanted it to work because we've waited so long and the pup is beautiful and all squishy and cute. But it wouldn't be right and I don't need the extra stress.

Apologies everyone, what a whirlwind

FWIW I think you've made the right decision. My latest pup came home just over a year ago. I work from home 3 days a week and am well settled into the role and able to be flexible.

Juggling new pup and work was really, really hard. I ended up in a zoom meeting with my boss, in my pyjamas and no underwear, with my hair sticking out all angles, because I literally hadn't had time to wash or dress.

I chaired another zoom meeting with an overtired, whiney puppy on my shoulder, because it was the only place she would settle.

I've been there years, am very good at what I do, and have a certain amount of licence by virtue of having been in post for forever. In a new job? You don't have that much leeway.

Just wanted to say thank you - this thread has helped me a lot because I felt such a failure that I found WFH with my pup so hard, and now I know I’m not alone in this!

I’d leave it, I work from home full time in an incredibly flexible job which I can do with my eyes closed
It’s been amazing but stressful! So I would leave it and you’ll enjoy it so much more as hard as thay is