Evening everyone, I'm posting here because I’d like to get a few opinions.
After thinking long and hard and doing plenty of research on training and adoption, I’m ready to take the plunge and get a dog.
My partner had a Golden Retriever when she was a teenager, and she’d love to get one from a breeder once we’ve moved into our new house.
So, we're planning on getting a Golden Retriever in a few months, but I have a lot of questions about our jobs. My partner and I are both educators and work 30 hours a week; it worries me because the dog will be home alone some afternoons. Our shifts are mainly 7am–1pm and 2pm–9pm, and sometimes we work at the same time.
I've read that a puppy can’t be left alone for too long, just for toilet breaks and to stop them from getting bored. I know there are crates and puppy pens, and that it’s possible to train them to go in a specific spot when we’re out and in the garden (with us) when we’re home.
But is this realistic? Do you have any advice or techniques for teaching a dog to stay home alone? Or would it be better to wait a bit or book some annual leave (a week, for example) so we can be there full-time at the start?
Thanks for your replies and for helping to ease my worries! 😁
PS: Just to clarify, this will be my first dog.
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That’s why I got a playpen for my puppy, so he doesn't go nibbling on anything dangerous. But there’s a world of difference between a crate and a 4-square-metre playpen! ;) So, no to crates—we don't put puppies in crates! But a large playpen to stop them from chewing something dangerous, yes! So that’s 6 or 7 hours that the puppy will be alone when your shifts overlap. It’s a bit long, but if it’s only occasional, it’s okay. Let's be honest, very few people who work are at home 24/7. However, on the days he’s alone, you’ll need to make up for it with long walks before and after work. The length depends on the age, of course. 20-30 mins for a puppy, 1 to 1.5 hours for an adult depending on their energy levels.
I’ll be facing the same problem soon; at the moment, I’ve got a month off to look after her almost full-time, gradually teaching her how to be left alone etc... but I’ve got a question. My dog has her own room of about 8 square metres, with access to the garden. I’m thinking it might not be a bad thing if she could have access whenever she wants, even if it’s just to go out for a wee or a run around while we’re out. However, she eats pretty much everything (stones, flowers...), so I’m wondering if it’s more dangerous than anything else... :/
At what age can I start leaving her alone in the garden?
It’s not really about the amount of time they spend without you during the day. Nobody is actively looking after their dog for 16 hours a day. What matters is your relationship during the hours you are together—the quality and intensity of the time you share. The more you put in, the more you'll get back. I see loads of dogs with owners who are home all day, and they aren't any better off if there's no interaction.
Well, I think it still matters; leaving a dog alone for 9 or 10 hours... and between getting home from work and going to bed, you don't necessarily have the time for any intense activity, what with dinner, showers, the kids and everything else... that’s why it’s so important not to leave a dog alone for too long, so they can have those different moments of bonding and fun throughout the day.
That’s why I got a playpen for my puppy, to stop him from chewing on something dangerous. But there’s a world of difference between a crate and a 4-square-metre playpen! ;)
So no to crates—you don’t just shut a puppy in a crate! But a big playpen to keep them away from anything hazardous? Definitely!
That means the puppy will be on his own for 6 or 7 hours when your shifts overlap. It’s a bit of a stretch, but if it’s only occasional, it’s doable.
Let's be honest, there aren't many working people who are at home 24/7. However, on the days he is home alone, you’ll have to make up for it with proper long walks before and after work. The length should depend on his age, obviously—20 to 30 minutes for a puppy, and an hour or an hour and a half for an adult, depending on how much energy they have.
I was thinking about a crate or a playpen for the puppy's safety when we're not around (cables, dangerous objects). As a trainer, I’ve seen my fair share of accidents!
The dog might be left home alone when our shifts overlap (from 7am to 1pm or 2pm to 9pm).
In any case, you definitely need to plan for at least a couple of weeks off work when the puppy arrives, though a month would be even better. Maybe you could stagger your holidays? Your wife could take the first two weeks and you take the following two (or the other way around). This would give you enough time to get started with basic training.
I’m not quite clear on your schedule. What will the puppy's daily routine look like? How long will he be left on his own?
As for crating, that’s a big "no" from me! You shouldn't just stick a puppy in a crate to avoid having to clean up accidents. Getting a puppy means cleaning up mess, just like having a baby means changing nappies. If you aren't prepared for that, you shouldn't get a puppy.
A playpen is okay, as long as it’s big enough and the dog isn’t kept in there day and night. I used a 4-square-metre pen for my puppy; it was large enough for his bed, bowls, and toys, with plenty of room to move around. And he was never in there for very long.
Teaching the puppy to go indoors when you’re out and outdoors when you’re home—I’m really against that. You run the risk of the dog keeping that habit for life. It’s much better to teach him that the toilet is outside, full stop! There will definitely be accidents in the house at first, but you really shouldn't encourage it by training the puppy to use a specific spot indoors.
We also adopted a Golden puppy while we were both working.
It works, but it does take a lot of organising at the start. We each took a week's holiday in turns so that he wasn't on his own at first and to gradually get him used to being by himself.
Then, for a few weeks, we put him with a pet sitter full-time, then later on for just 1-2 days a week, and eventually, she would just come over to walk him when we were both working long days.
Nowadays, he's usually fine on his own while we're at work, but one of us always manages to pop home at lunchtime to take him out.
So there you go, it just takes a bit of planning, especially in those first few months. But it's definitely doable :)
