First Puppy Experience

[Hope202204]

Dear dog lovers!
I’m looking to hear real experiences and honest advice from people who’ve raised their first puppy while working full-time. I’m at a stage in my life where Im ready to get my first dog. I’m taking my time to do as much research as possible especially for real life situations.
About me - I work for a good company 4 days a week 9-5 in office with extra 15days a year given as WFH and 26days AL plus BHs. It's just me and my cat in good size end terrace house (I own my home) with secure garden at the back. My town is in a beautiful countryside so plenty of green spaces all around.
Unfortunately, I don't have my family close by for support so would love to hear what other options you used, especially crucial first 6 month. And is there anything you wish you'd known before getting your first puppy/dog?
Happy to answer any specific questions and thank you very much for sharing!

This forum is full of owners who pick up the pieces because of owners as you plan to be @Hope202204.

Sorry if our realistic, honest, pragmatic responses don’t give you the response you want. Best of luck with your dog. With your set up, and expectations (please 6 weeks to get a dog used to being alone), you’re doing to need it.

Separately, 10-12 weeks? What breed is the poor blighter (other than puppy farmed)?

Is "dedicated support" a full.time dog sitter? That s about £30 a day via rover app

As I said, thank you to everyone for sharing their opinions and experiences. I won’t be engaging with individual insults or comments based on made-up assumptions about farms or other scenarios that don’t apply to me. I appreciate those who took the time to offer genuine advice.

Your first post states you will be a first time puppy owner. Every single thing you’ve stated since confirms it. You are spouting absolute garbage about how it will have a routine, sleep at night, be comfortable alone all day, yada yada yada. All delivered with the naivety I would expect from someone who has zero practical experience

Im afraid you are in for a very rude awakening if you think that’s achievable! Sure, possibly in one or two areas if you’re lucky. Not in all.
And the concept of a seamless progression through to that in six weeks is frankly laughable.
Perhaps a good first step is to acknowledge that you are not buying a robot but a sentient being. Who may not have read the same absolute claptrap off the internet that you appear to have done

More like £80 near me. £30 wouldn't even get you a teenager!

I was going to post genuine advice, but this post is so ridiculous I realise it's not worth it.
You are living in cloud cuckoo land and only listening to advice that suits your agenda.

Good luck with your 6 week training schedule.

My puppy number 3 didn't sleep through the night until she was 4 or 5 months old.
Puppy number 4 wasn't toilet trained during the day until 4 months old.
Neither could be left home alone until they were at least three months old. And then it was only for very short periods of time.

I have also had rescue dogs - one was 7 months old, the other 9 years old. Both had incredible separation anxiety to begin with and would cry if I went upstairs without them, let alone left the house.Again they took months, not weeks, to settle in and be able to be left.

As for this forum having an outdated view - I would argue it's the opposite. When I was growing up, dog walkers and doggy day care didn't exist. People went to work and left their dogs home alone for 8 or 9 hours a day. Or going further back, dogs were turfed out to wander the streets until their owners returned.
People on here actually care about the welfare of the dog and put their needs first. Rather than indulging selfish people who think just because they want one, they should get one.

Also, what is a professional breeder? If by that you mean someone with a breeding licence, that counts for nothing. Time and time again puppy farmers are linked on here who have licences. It doesn't mean they know what they are talking about when it comes to giving behavioural advice. Of course they are going to say it will work out for you. They are after your money.

I'd also be concerned about breeders who still had 10 or 12 week old puppies left for sale. The vast majority leave at 8 weeks old. At the very least, I hope it is coming fully vaccinated by that age.

"This forum seems to have a rather outdated view, both in terms of the support available today and the general mindset around working dog owners."

I think the opposite. I think it used to be that people assumed dogs could fit in with whatever, whereas now more people realise that a dog thrives on company and it's not fair to leave them alone for such long periods. I think this forum is direct sometimes in its approach but pretty enlightened and always has the dogs best interests at heart.

@Hope202204 kindly, could you please answer my question: What can you offer a dog?
All dogs have the same basic needs. In addition, some need a lot of training nost will enjoy long walks whilst others simply enjoy human company. These things are breed specific.

The thing about your plans is that puppies, like humans, come with inborn personalities, to some extent, at least. Some house train quickly, some take a long time. Some are fine on their own, some have separation anxiety, some are quiet, some bark at every noise outside, some can be left to roam the house, some would chew up every piece of furniture you own...

I don't see how you can game that out in advance with any certainty.

Also, having just reread your opening post, it seems oddly AI generated.

I hope that you have considered every possible outcome. My pup had a genetic condition meaning he needed 3 surgeries by 6 months of age. I nursed him around the clock, he couldn’t be left unattended AT ALL for 8 weeks straight. You just don’t know what you are going to end up with. Your mindset is frankly really saddening, any poor dog that ends up with you is just expected to suck up what you consider acceptable and survive. That’s no existence

In reply to your first question.... how do you work full time, have a puppy and make it work.. I've had dogs since I was 13, mainly border collies,a few other breeds, rough,phalene, cross breeds and 3 rescues. When my ex h worked nights, I worked days (also had 3 dks) second h, another baby, always 2 dogs at one point 3. We got 2 bitch puppies 6 months apart, I was working ft nights,we had quarter of an acre of garden and knew what we were doing. For 25 years,we have used dog flaps,so they can go outside,play,I have 2 borders now. We can leave them for a few hours. One of my dgks has got her first puppy.... doesn't know what had hit her! Her and her partner do alternate shifts. 12 weeks is old to get a puppy, socialising is very important and has to be carried out before 16 weeks. We don't use dog sitters,walkers, we've been away once in 17 years (that was because of a bereavement,hired a dog friendly barn) before the teenage, adult kids looked after the dogs. I reckon 6 months realistically for basic training, then both the 2 I have now started chewing the furniture when they were one. All dog breeds have their foibles, anyone on here with borders will know what I mean.

There is no way a puppy would be ok to be left for hours after six weeks. You need someone to watch it when you’re not there. It’s unlikely a daycare would be suitable for a little puppy.

It’s true that we are all naive as to what owning and raising a puppy is actually going to be like until we actually do it, you can try and prepare as much as possible. I read dozens of threads on Reddit from people with pretty extreme puppy blues to try and at least get a sense of what I could be letting myself in for!

Now I was extremely lucky with my pup, and it was definitely luck, in that he was a relatively easy puppy. Didn’t destroy anything, toilet trained quickly, slept through pretty much straight away (although he sleeps with me) and even the landshark phase wasn’t all that bad - but even in those circumstances, there is no way I could have left him alone as you intend on and he certainly wasn’t all settled and sorted 6 weeks after having him!

It takes some dogs 2 years or more to mature. Even with my pup being as good as he was I was still suffering puppy blues by the time I had him for 6 weeks. And hitting adolescence was a different ball game entirely. Nothing can truly prepare you for it, and especially not just ignoring advice from people who know what they’re talking about when they’re trying to tell you that a puppy just will not suit your lifestyle. I can’t say it more plainly OP - this is a huge mistake.

I honestly found t ye first months with a puppy the hardest time of my life, by a country mile. Honestly, having a baby and being at home by myself was a fucking picnic by comparison. We got our boy last year and I don’t work so am there with him FT. DH worked from home. DD college but here lots . So even with threee of us, boy it was fucking hard.

I think instances when people work FT with “strategies” for care and consistency who end up with a happy, well developed social and balanced pup are rare.

I actually don’t know of anyone who works in an office, 9-5, 4 days a week and has a puppy - sorry to sound unhelpful, just being honest.

I got my ten week old in March (my breeder keeps all pups until 10 weeks), and I was able to go on leave until May, then dd came home from university.
It’s been so hard. Even going to the supermarket was difficult in the beginning. Leaving her for hours would have been out of the question.

I know you haven’t suggested that you’d be leaving it alone, but I don’t know of many options. I have come across doggy daycare in my area, but one look at their social media tells me that they’re either confined to kennel, or worse, all let loose to “socialise” together. I wouldn’t have been happy with either for my dPup.

She’s 6 months now, and in other ways, it’s getting even harder. She’s bigger and more destructive, so can no longer be confined in a pen area. We do leave her for short periods in the utility room, but she can cause damage by chewing on skirting boards etc. I have never used a crate, but even if you do, I think they’re only suitable for short periods and night time sleeping.

I really don’t know what to advise, other than I don’t think it would work.

Not with a cat or another smaller animal unfortunately. Anything that runs, walks or jumps gets their prey drive going.

No. Absolutely do NOT get a dog. Dogs are pack animals. Puppies need guidance And full time company. They are hard work. They need training. Walks. Socialising with other dogs and people. Being left on their own at such a young age is a no no. Especially. Not for 4 days a week. Dogs are a big commitment. They are not just pets.

Why do you want a dog, you have nothing to offer them. Dogs don't always react well to constant changes in situations. My dog has separation anxiety. If I leave him for any length of time he barks and barks. Dog trainers have told me they've never known a dog that they can't train until they met my dog. He didn't show any signs of this as a small puppy but developed it later. You have an idea in your mind about country walks with your dog. What if your dog doesn't have good recall? Some don't, the red mist descends and they're off. What are you going to do it the dog becomes aggressive with the cat? Not all dogs that grow up with cats like or accept them as dogs can be very territorial. There isn't a formula for choosing the right dog to fit your lifestyle and not all dogs respond to training (speak to anyone whose ever tried training a Bassett Hound). You've got it all figured out, professional help will be called in when you can't be there which is fine for you but dogs don't tend to work that way, they need stability and a close attachment with owner to gain trust. That's what deters them from sinking their teeth into you when they feel threatened or don't understand what's going on. Dogs need that attachment to thrive. Having a dog seems to be a milestone for you regardless of obstacles so once again I ask, what can you offer a dog other than part-time care and companionship? What's in it for the dog to stop them becoming bored and damaging furniture, skirting boards, walls, kitchen cupboards and even doors (have a husky for a week and see what your house looks like afterwards). Dogs, especially big dogs need exercise are you really going to fit that in with work? How and when, in the three days you're there with the dog? You are looking at this all wrong, if your dog doesn't fit in with your plan are you going to re home them and get another? You can't rigidly plan around sentient beings, if you do they tend to disapoint.

On another note, dog breeders will sell you the dream, mainly because they want to sell you a dog. Real life experiences count not fairy tales from breeders who use dogs to make money. Go on a rescue forum and see what they have to say about the dogs they took in over Covid, thousands were abandoned because people imagined a dog would be nice in lockdown without thinking about a return to work and you haven't thought about it because you've no idea what your dogs personality will be like. Happy, healthy, well adjusted dogs come from bonds that are formed around trust not part-time involvement.

We just got our first dog. I'm 52 and a dog walker by trade. I have waited since I was a child to get this dog. We got a dog already trained. She had already lived with her trainer in a home environment and trained to our specific needs. She's 17 months old and has slotted into our family life perfectly. She wasn't cheap but oh my God having seen all the problems people's dogs have. She had a perfect start to life and is just brilliant in every way. I would highly recommend Mordor gundogs in Scotland, we couldn't have asked for a better dog.

Millions of individuals are successfully balancing dog ownership and full time jobs including starting with a puppies, it is about careful strategic planning, using resources and support systems specifically designed for it.

What exactly are those 'support systems'? I'm fascinated to hear because I don't have a clue and you don't seem to either: 'Unfortunately, I don't have my family close by for support so would love to hear what other options you used, especially crucial first 6 month.'

OP you are not set up to have a puppy. Get an older rescue dog and a dog walker/doggy daycare if you must, but it's not fair to leave a dog alone for most of the day, they are pack animals. Just because some dogs tolerate it doesn't mean it's ok.

My DH and I have always worked full time, but we have flexible schedules and can mostly work from home. If we were both out of the house for 8+ hours per day, we wouldn't have got a dog. Our most recent puppy (now 5 years old) had to be left alone for about an hour 3 times a week when he was 4-5 months old. It wasn't ideal but circumstances changed unexpectedly so we decided to see how he would cope. He was completely fine though that was really luck. I would never leave a young puppy alone for any longer than that. As an adult, this dog and our previous dogs have all been able to stay home alone for 3-4 hours, though it's rare that this ever happens.

A well-run daycare could be an option for you, though I'd wait to enroll a puppy until he's at least 7 or 8 months old at the earliest. Otherwise you could hire a dog-sitter for most of the day when you're at work. Both options might be quite expensive. When he's older, you might be able to cut back to half days at day care/with dog-sitter.

During that first 6 weeks time, I will establish a routine for sleeping, toilet training, rest, and gradually becoming comfortable spending time alone. I fully understand it is important to introduce alone time slowly through training and a consistent routine from an early age.
Once I return to work, the puppy’s routine will not change.

I'm afraid this bit sounds like a new parent who declares their baby will sleep through the night from birth and follow a strict routine. The baby (or the puppy) may have other ideas.

You can’t just ship them off to doggy day care. When they are small, they haven’t had all their jabs so won’t be allowed into the setting.

As hard as it may be , you haven’t got the right set up for a dog let alone a puppy. They aren’t like cats. And you’ll need be around for the cat/puppy interaction as the cat could hurt the dog. Raising a puppy in this situation will make for an anxious, poorly toilet trained and scared dog. At best, it will toilet everywhere. At worse it will howl all the time and piss the neighbours off.

If you are set on a dog, maybe look at a job that is purely home working.

But you don’t want to hear from those who have only happy experiences. That’s going to give you just one view point. You need to understand the good and bad.

As someone else has said- what are YOU offering this puppy? I don’t know what job you do but can you afford one-on-one care 8 hours a day while you’re at work? If you are home working one day, the puppy won’t just be quiet- it be excited that your home and won’t let go.

It sounds like you’ve made your mind up so not sure what advice you are seeking.

OP will be out all day, leaving the dog alone in a terrace ….I’m not sure you should recommend she buys a gundog 😅😅