# How much time each day?



## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I am trying to decide if I have enough time for a puppy right now... I haven't had a pup that young before so I don't know how much time they really take. I know young puppies need to be taken outside often because they have small bladders, but I don't know how much one-on-one time they need. I am not used to crating because although I have crate trained my dogs they have the run of the house so it's different with a puppy who would need to be watched when not crated to prevent mischief or accidents. I am also not sure how much is too much time to be crated during the day (with potty breaks) if for example I am home but am working so can't be closely watching the puppy... I figured I would use a leash when I am home and not busy, so the puppy will be with me and I can keep them out of mischief and hopefully tell if they need to go out, but how much time is necessary with the puppy tethered to me vs. being crated or in a pen?
I am just not sure how much "quality time" they need on a daily basis I guess? With my (adult) dogs it's different because they have free run of the house so if they want attention or playtime they just come up to me and otherwise they do their own thing (except when I am doing training sessions or walks or outings.)


I was wondering if anyone with puppies (or who has had one in the past) can tell me:
a) How many hours are you at home (not counting sleeping time)? 
b) How much time does your puppy need one-on-one each day? By one-on-one I mean time where you are only paying attention to the puppy and not doing other things where they just happen to be nearby.
c) How much time each day do they spend in the crate or x-pen (if you use one) not counting overnight?


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## tracyc (Feb 23, 2005)

I've raised three puppies and work a full time job outside the home. (Most of us do.) 

If you can take off work for a week or so when you first get a puppy, that helps. After that, they adapt to whatever is the "normal" routine at your house. Puppies do need someone who is committed to being actively a part of their lives. But many healthy, well-adjusted puppies spend 4-5 hour stretches in their crates routinely. 

Mine spend/spent 8 hours per day in their crate. (my adult dogs are no longer crated. I still have one pup in a crate.) I come home for luch to let them out and run around, so it is two 4-hour stretches when they are home alone. We have play time in the morning before work, and play time in the evening. And on weekends we spend some extra time on longer outings. My dogs are all enrolled in some kind of "formal" sport or activity too--the two older dogs in agility, the pup in a beginning obedience class. 

What's important is how you fill their lives when they aren't in the crate.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I'm with Tracy, tho I don't work full time...I have the luxury of working 2 full days a week, on those days , Masi (who is 5mths old now), is usually in her crate around 5 hours then the hubby comes home early. (he has a job which affords him that luxury)

I've had her since 8weeks of age, and she adapted to her crate immediately. Even when I am home,,(and I have 3 other dogs besides her),,they are out and exercised in the morning,,usually are in and out a couple times during the day (unless I'm doing outside stuff), and for the most part are pretty quiet during the day.

Evening is when we "do" something, whether it be a class, LONG offleash walks, class..

My other 3 are older dogs, and are content to "go with the flow".
Masi, on the other hand has ALOT of energy to burn, so it's actually gotten me off my slacker butt ) and we take nightly LONG walks (she runs/burns off energy), or classes, so by bedtime, she is ready to hit the sack )

I find these dogs to be very adaptable to a good routine and sure they have their days when they seem to be bouncing off the walls but we get thru them...
diane


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

the more time you can spend the better. i'm away from home 12 to 15 hours a day. my GF is home alot. her work schedule varies. when our puppy came home at 9 weeks old we took a month off from work. we didn't do any formal training untill our puppy was 4 months old. he was house broken and he knew his name. at 4 months we started with sit , stay, down, waiting to exit doors, retrieving, etc. of course it was one thing at a time. his training sessions were 4 to 5 times a day for 5 minutes each session. both my GF and i trained him. house breaking started from the minute he came home. he was in the house roaming around 15 minutes and then i took him out. i continued with the every 15 minute breaks for a few days. i gradually increased the time to every 1/2 hour, to every 45 minutes to an hour and so on. over night i took him outside every 2 hours. by the time he was home 2 weeks he was ok in his crate over night. to crate him we use to put him in his crate 4 or 5 times a day for 10 minutes at a time. we gradually increased the time untill it became hours. we would crate and walk around the house or sit so he coild see us. then would crate him and leave the house again for 10 minutes or so gradually increasing the time. if we're gone for a long period of time we have a sitter come in. he's now 15 months old. i never leave him in his crate longer than 4 hours. they can go longer but i don't want him in his crate longer than that without a break. i never leave my dogs in the yard unattended. my yard is fenced in but i don't like the idea of leaving them unattended. when you get your puppy you can put him/her on your schedule. you can socialize, train, care for, spend one on one time when ever you want, day or night. good luck with the pup.


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