Post # 1
Member
321 posts
Helper bee
I really want to get a puppy, but I my husband and I are at work all day and we are unable to get home during our lunch break to let the pup outside. You can’t keep a puppy in a crate for 9 hours-that’s just not doable. But I was thinking about leaving the puppy outside while we are at work-now before you react too strongly-hear me out. First, the puppy would be kept in a fenced in yard with our 3 year old dog who is super sweet and loves all animals. Secondly, we have a large covered porch that both dogs would have access to if it gets too hot or if it rains. We would always leave a bowl of water on the porch as well. Lastly, I would wait until the spring. We live in North Carolina so by then it should be warm enough during the day.
When we are home and at night the puppy would be inside. All of our animals are trully a member of our family, and I am hesitate about this plan and want some feedback. Would the pup be okay with this set up? Or do I need to just give up on getting a puppy and adopt an older dog?
Post # 2
Member
4513 posts
Honey bee
edobbs87 :
What do you do with your three year old dog now?
Post # 3
Member
2046 posts
Buzzing bee
Big ol bag of nope! Some one could steal the puppy. The puppy could get hurt.
My dogs are never left alone in our yard for very long. The dog remains open so I can hear everything going on. This would worry me every moment of the day.
Why don’t you hire a pet sitter that can come by every few hours and let the puppy out?
Post # 4
Member
634 posts
Busy bee
I don’t think I would consider this with a puppy. We often leave our dogs outside when we’re at work during the nicer months, with access to the garage, food, and water, but they are 2 and 6. Puppies are like toddlers and it would make me nervous to leave one unsupervised in an uncontrolled environment, especially with things like hawks and other animals around that may try to harm him.
Another thing to consider is that puppies can’t get the last round of the Parvo vaccination until 16 weeks of age. My vet told me to not even have my puppy outside for longer than necessary until this point, as the risk of infection is too high.
Post # 5
Member
3907 posts
Honey bee
Agree with PP. What do you do with the 3yr old now when it’s chillier?
Post # 6
Member
2124 posts
Buzzing bee
edobbs87 : I wouldn’t recommend this.
Can you gate the puppy to a section of the house while you’re gone so he can’t roam freely but can stay inside? I have two dogs and I can’t go home to let them out so I gate off a portion of our hallway for them to stay in, so if they have any accidents it’s not on the carpet.
Do you leave the 3 year old dog outside currently? I’ve only rescued older dogs (2-3 years) because a puppy is so time consuming and they require a lot of work. If you;re going to be gone 9 hours a day majority of the week I’d probably consider getting an older dog.
Post # 7
Member
5589 posts
Bee Keeper
If the dog barked or cried all day wouldn’t your neighbors have a fit? What about when it’s 100 degrees? Or the dogs knock over the water? Or another animal gets into the yard. Nine hours is a long time to leave a baby dog unsupervised. Can’t you hire a dog walker to check in on the dogs mid-day?
Post # 8
Member
535 posts
Busy bee
I vote to get some puppy pads instead of the crate option and keep the puppy inside. We used to gate off part of our house until our dogs were old enough to have free-reign without destroying everything. Maybe invest in a doggy door as a compromise if you can? I’d worry about the puppy getting too warm or getting loose or getting into something it shouldn’t.
You could also pay a neighborhood kid to let the dogs out afterschool for a while. I’m sure they would enjoy getting to play with a puppy.
Just curious, what did you do with the three-year-old dog at this age?
Post # 9
Member
1947 posts
Buzzing bee
edobbs87 : I know a few families that have working hunting dogs and another family with a large set of sled dogs. They are breeds that and bred to withstand outside temperatures year-round and are acclimatized to outdoor living.
I would, personally, not put an indoor dog outside without me at home for a number of reasons:
1) There is a risk of another animal getting in the yard and attacking your animals.
2) Constantly unattended dogs can become anxious and are more prone to barking at the fence at passersby.
3) The dogs could somehow find a weak spot in the fence and get out
If you want a puppy you should save up some money to put into doggy daycare! You can have someone (Wag or Rover or private company) come over to your house to walk/socialize the puppy and dog during the day. Or look into places you can take the puppy during the day.
Post # 10
Member
321 posts
Helper bee
Our 3 year old simply stays inside while we are gone, but we don’t have a fenced in yard yet. We are planning to build one in the next couple months. Then, in the warmer months we will start keeping her outside while we’re at work. I just think she will be happier then cooped up inside all day.
As far as the dogs barking and annoying the neighbors-we live kinda out in the country and there are outside hunting dogs barking ALL DAY and almost all night. It’s crazy. So, I don’t think our barking dogs will be a problem.
I thought about hiring a dog walker, but paying to have someone out 4 days a week for months would be too expensive.
I’m worried if I keep the pupppy in our laundry room and just allow it to pee/poop inside while we are gone that would make potty training way harder? Wouldn’t it be learning to go inside? Maybe a puppy just isn’t in the card for us….sigh.
Post # 11
Member
477 posts
Helper bee
I just went through this. My puppy will be 4 months on Wednesday. Initially, I tried to hire people to come over once during lunch and let her out. It kind of worked, but people weren’t always dependable. So, I attached a puppy playpen to her crate, and put some chew toys in there, along with puppy pads. It gave her about 6′ x 8′ of space, in addition to her crate. The puppy pads actually ended up being chewed all the time, but she would pee on the puppy pad holder, which had a lip and kept it off my hardwood floors. With the playpen she had space, but couldn’t access anything she could trash. We have recently installed a doggie door and will be giving her access to the fenced in backyard, dog house and shade, outside, and her playpen and crate, inside… So she can come and go as she pleases, but… We live in the country and there is no way I would have done this at two months. I wanted her a little older.
Picture… Because… Puppy!!!!! This is Pepper and this was Labor day weekend when we took her to the lake… One happy girl!
Post # 12
Member
477 posts
Helper bee
One other thing… I did give up my entire dining room for this crate/playpen but knew it would be temporary…
Post # 13
Member
458 posts
Helper bee
Hire a dog walker. Seriously, so many bad things can happen with a dog left unattended, let alone a puppy.
Post # 14
Member
5586 posts
Bee Keeper
I don’t even think you would be approved to adopt a dog if you told them you were going to leave it outside all day. Wildly irresponsible. Until s/he is house trained I would just gate off an area that is easily cleanable. Hiring a dog walker or taking pup to doggy daycare would be a good solution as well.
Post # 15
Member
3642 posts
Sugar bee
edobbs87 : is it legal where you are? Plenty of states have laws against this.
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