# A few words of caution.



## derka (Dec 19, 2015)

So you got a puppy and he/she is super cute and you already are in love. I know that feeling. So you take a long weekend to help him acclimate to your house and his crate. Things are going well with potty training and he seems happy. 

Come Monday morning you have to go back to work and he is crated during your eight hour work day plus travel time. You have a family member or friend coming over maybe once or twice to let him out and then back in the crate he goes.

You come home from work, tired, like most days after working, you need to make dinner, you want to change your clothes, but the poor puppy has been in his crate all day, he is whining because he knows you are home but you can't letting him out yet. When you do let him out he is excited to see you, to be back by your side. But he has 8 or more hours of energy pent up and he wants to play, play, play. It is next to impossible to give him all the attention he needs before he goes back into his crate for bed time.

Let me break it down some more:

You normally get up at 7am to get to work by 9am. Now you need to get up at 6am to feed him, take him out, play with him and tire him out a bit before you leave him in his crate. So you leave at 8:30am for work that is 2.5 hours of his crate then he is in his crate for next 3 to 4 hours before he gets a potty break and then again after the for another 3 to 4 hours. The dog has now spend 8 to 9 hours in the crate without any amount of substantial exercise. You get home at 5:30 because it takes you 30mins to get home after leaving at 5. You get home and settle down for a minute before letting him out. Be prepared from him to have energy for the next 4 hours straight. But you need to eat, go to the bathroom, and lastly you are running out of energy. You need to be in bed by 10 or 10:30 because you need to get up at 6. So the puppy had a total out of crate time of 6 maybe 7 hours. Then back in he goes for bed another 8 hours. In total he is crated for almost 90 hours during the work week while having a total out of crate time of 30ish hours. 

You start to notice his training is just not sticking, he is over hyper during the evenings and particularly bad because has an 8 or 9 hour gap that he is not being trained or stimulated. Seriously people, think long and hard before getting a puppy.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

derka said:


> You normally get up at 7am to get to work by 9am. Now you need to get up at 6am to feed him, take him out, play with him and tire him out a bit before you leave him in his crate. So you leave at 8:30am for work that is 2.5 hours of his crate then he is in his crate for next 3 to 4 hours before he gets a potty break and then again after the for another 3 to 4 hours. The dog has now spend 8 to 9 hours in the crate without any amount of substantial exercise. You get home at 5:30 because it takes you 30mins to get home after leaving at 5. You get home and settle down for a minute before letting him out. Be prepared from him to have energy for the next 4 hours straight. But you need to eat, go to the bathroom, and lastly you are running out of energy. You need to be in bed by 10 or 10:30 because you need to get up at 6. So the puppy had a total out of crate time of 6 maybe 7 hours. Then back in he goes for bed another 8 hours. In total he is crated for almost 90 hours during the work week while having a total out of crate time of 30ish hours.
> 
> You start to notice his training is just not sticking, he is over hyper during the evenings and particularly bad because has an 8 or 9 hour gap that he is not being trained or stimulated. Seriously people, think long and hard before getting a puppy.


Thank You for your Post! I think people have "good intentions" but these wear away quicker than a New Year's Resolution. Treating a dog like a hamster 18 hours a day can be done (because he unconditionally loves you) but that's not giving any consideration to the quality of life for the dog. If you want something bad enough, set goals and make sure you have the proper environment to accommodate those goals. Don't force situations because you can.


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## Findlay (Jan 8, 2015)

This is a good thread.

It's nice of you for taking the time to break it down for people with full time jobs who are considering getting a very high spirited puppy.

Puppies are a lot of work for people who don't work full time or who work from home.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Very good post! Thank you. So glad I telecommute. Makes raising puppy / living with dog so much easier.


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## derka (Dec 19, 2015)

Stonevintage said:


> Thank You for your Post! I think people have "good intentions" but these wear away quicker than a New Year's Resolution. Treating a dog like a hamster 18 hours a day can be done (because he unconditionally loves you) but that's not giving any consideration to the quality of life for the dog. If you want something bad enough, set goals and make sure you have the proper environment to accommodate those goals. Don't force situations because you can.


You are right, people do have good intention. They make a daily/weekly plan for the pup and the house and it works alright for a week but then you realize you are getting burned out and just can't keep up.


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## Jugisland (Oct 9, 2015)

This is a great post for people who work full time. I work 9 hours a day and my ways of relaxing are guitar and computer gaming. I go fishing and hiking almost every day in summer but in winter i always stuck to my guitar/gaming.

I think all the love from my 6 month old WLGSD and a sense of responsibility has naturally brought a change in my winter recreation. All of my friends and wife are so shocked seeing me wake up at 6am and taking my pup for a 45mins walk/training. I take a quick 20 mins lunch break (pup sits in my truck while I am in the office) to give my pup intense exercise with fetch/soccer ball. When I come home in the evening I am tired but just looking at the pup super happy to be with me fills me up with energy. We go for a 45 minutes walk and then he eats his meal by search game in the house. Then I play my computer game for a hour while the pup hangs out with me and chews on antler/bullystick/kong. By the time I am ready for bed he is sleepy and tired too.

On the weekends we go for long hikes in the wilderness which is plenty here in Alaska. I do not crate my pup on the weekends at all. He sleeps in his bed which is kept right beside my bed. It is so cute when he wakes me up in the morning by licking my cheeks gently. Hahha he struggles to reach me since he is not allowed to climb on bed and couch.

It is challenging to have a working line puppy with full time job but certainly there are ways to make a room for him in our day.

I started having some back pain issues last year but as my pup pulled me into more active lifestyle in winter I am already feeling so much improvement in my back pain.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

It's cruel to leave a puppy crated all day without exercise. Thank you for pointing that out. If I had that kind of schedule, I would rescue an older dog with less energy. Even a 2 year old doesn't need the kind of one on one attention a puppy does. If I was set on getting a puppy I would either wait until I had a spouse or roommate who is around to help out, find a job closer to home and come home for lunch to exercise the dog or pay a professional dog sitter to come in once or twice a day for 30 minutes to let the dog out to play and exercise.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Might be a good post for working people to discuss THEIR solutions to this problem. I know some do doggy day care, for example.


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## Kaity (Nov 18, 2009)

First dog I had, I worked graveyards. I don't know if she slept in her crate, or if my mom took her out. When I got home, it was a walk, some training and play, and sleep for a few hours. She would either sleep on my bed or beside my bed in her Xpen. Luckily, my mom was there to have her out. She didn't turn out the best, she's now 6 and amazing. 

Second pup, worst pup I've ever crate trained. God forbid if I let her out.. everything would've had to start over. She came to work with me, on the bus in her kennel for as long as she could but hungout with other dogs or by herself in a kennel. I didn't get breaks, but I'd take a few minutes here and there with her. I feel like both of my dogs got neglected as puppies. They're older now, but I still work an 8 hour way with travel time and one car between two of us means we have to be gone from the start of his shift until the end of mine. Some days are 10 hours right now, some are 12. I feel HORRIBLE, but I can't do anything about it right now. I'm working on it. One dog is out, the other is in an oversized kennel. If I could change anything, I would've taken the puppy out of her kennel at night sooner. 

Most people work 8 hour days. If you can take your puppy to work in your vehicle in a crate, do it, if you get a lunch break.. come home. Your dog needs ALL of you with nothing to spare. It's too bad more businesses aren't pet friendly. I work at a bank, one branch I was at we got to bring our dogs to work. They were either in our offices, or in the conference room and boy, did our client complaints go down when we had a dog in the branch


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## brucebourdon (Jun 2, 2010)

jocoyn said:


> Might be a good post for working people to discuss THEIR solutions to this problem. I know some do doggy day care, for example.


Weeks nine and ten will be at the breeder, getting more socialization and basic training (they have a board and training program especially for puppies; we're biting the bullet and sending her for the first two weeks). 

Then for the first two weeks home (weeks 11 and 12), a combo of half vacation days for me and family members, so the pup is in the crate four hours during weekdays.

After that, family member will help out on some days, some I'll go home for lunch.

At some point she will then spend part of each weekday outside in the old kennel, until her new one is ready.

I also hope to telecommute at times.

PS: When we put a deposit on her, I was planning to take advantage of a plan that would have allowed me to work from home for weeks. Unfortunately I had to move to a new employer for better long-term job security and lost the work from home for weeks option  ...we do the best we can.


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## Rangers_mom (May 16, 2013)

Can i add another word of caution? If you are planning to have children think seriously before getting a dog. After volunteering for a rescue I discovered that "having a kid" was the most common reason for giving up a dog. Many times it was before the child even arrived. People would say "We are having a baby we can't have a dog." Sometimes it would be after the child arrived when they would realize that a baby and a puppy/dog was too much work.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Awesome post. It goes for most breed puppies though. A schedule like this is do-able for a retired Greyhound. Give him a couch and another Greyhound and he is fine. They may not even get up when you come home from work.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I'm not sure what it is you are trying to imply. Are you saying only people who don't work away from home or have other interests should have a puppy?


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## derka (Dec 19, 2015)

Lilie said:


> I'm not sure what it is you are trying to imply. Are you saying only people who don't work away from home or have other interests should have a puppy?


All I am saying is that life becomes extremely challenging when you have puppy and work full time. And I don't think a lot people realize how difficult and time consuming it can be.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Expect life to change when any dog is brought in. I've raised 4 pups in 4 years working full time by myself. No issues and all of them are happy and healthy. After a long stressful day at work I look forward to coming home to my dogs, no matter how tired I am.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Ever since my 20's when I got my first GSD I have worked full time out of the house. I have very successfully raised multiple puppies of my own and rescue pups. Yes I get less sleep. Yes it's hard. But it's not a horrible experience. 

I am lucky that my pups can come to work with me. They get out of the cage 2-3 times a day. But I am working. They don't get lots of play time. 

Honestly, until 3.5 months, puppies sleep 18 hours a day anyway. Why does it matter where they sleep? Crate or living room floor?

If it worries you, instead of just having someone let him out for potty, have them spend an hour playing with him too.


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## MacD (Feb 8, 2014)

I read Craigslist a lot - boredom because I am laid up .. and I see so many ads to re-home a large breed - often what looks like a purebred GSD, because they are pregnant .. or just had a new baby. My granddaughter who has a 3 and a not quite 2 year old went out and got a mixed pitty .. mostly pit from the looks of it .. because she wants them to grow up together. Hopefully it will work because she crates and does BO with it .. but she already re-homed one dog .. GSD mixed with God knows what .. said it nipped the baby .. so she isn't doing what I preached to her .. never, ever leave them alone - this is an excellent post for people who are thinking of adding a dog so they can live a Leave it to Beaver kind of life - not saying it can't be done .. I did it with 4 kids - all of them only 6 years apart ... they must have had angels because I knew so little back then. Today I have GSD I will never allow the grand & great-grand-kids around. He doesn't like children. Thank God I can't have kids or I would have to re-home one of them (evil grin)


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Anyone can do it......."I've done it and had no problems"...... No.

I believe this post is a reach out to those who may not be as fully committed to their future dogs as the people who post here are. You must see the difference in this as opposed to the average John Q Public????

To compare your results IMO is not an accurate account of what problems these time restrictions produce in a normal home that is not as dedicated to their dogs in the way that we here are.

The problem is, that sends message potential owners that it's very doable and not at all a sacrifice in quality of life for the dog. We are talking about a 10-12 year commitment and there are those that get a GSD puppy without considering what that really looks like if they are to continue living in less than suitable environment and with less than suitable time for a larger breed active dog.

It is a common and practical decision that many responsible people make not to get this breed for this reason until they can better accommodate it. Some choose to get a breed that is more suitable to their lifestyle. One that doesn't require as much attention or exercise. No one is saying you can't own pets if you work..... 

If shelters were not full of these dogs and they didn't require anymore time or exercise than a some other breed, then yea, this post wouldn't have much meaning but that's certainly not the case..... 

I don't see the harm in a simple warning and possibly some tips to help those caught in this situation improve their circumstances.


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## derka (Dec 19, 2015)

gsdsar said:


> Ever since my 20's when I got my first GSD I have worked full time out of the house. I have very successfully raised multiple puppies of my own and rescue pups. Yes I get less sleep. Yes it's hard. But it's not a horrible experience.
> 
> I am lucky that my pups can come to work with me. They get out of the cage 2-3 times a day. But I am working. They don't get lots of play time.
> 
> ...


This is what I am trying to get it. Taking a dog, let a lone a puppy to work? 90% of employers wouldn't allow that. You are very lucky to have such a fortunate situation and not everyone has the luxury that some of the members on this site have. 

I am expressing my concern for the average person, working the average 9-5 (without the crazy two hour lunches thrown in the middle of the day like I have read before on this site), and wanting to raise a puppy.


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## derka (Dec 19, 2015)

Stonevintage said:


> Anyone can do it......."I've done it and had no problems"...... No.
> 
> I believe this post is a reach out to those who may not be as fully committed to their future dogs as the people who post here are. You must see the difference in this as opposed to the average John Q Public????
> 
> ...


:thumbup:


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## MacD (Feb 8, 2014)

Stonevintage, in my way I was agreeing with you .. GSDs aren't a good choice for many .. It costs me a fortune for help because I have been so ill the last 13 months - I finally asked my son to come from Canada and stay with us because my husband works 7 days on and 7 off and on the 7 days on he is only available 3 hours and he needs to sleep and I couldn't even walk .. my 2 year old GSD.. well, he was one when this all started changed .. he became a handful because he was bored, under-exercised and mentally unchallenged. If I didn't have the resources, he would have been a candidate to re-home. Some can do it because they have the experience to make the most of the time they have .. but this is a good post so people really think it through .. it breaks my heart to see how many GSDs are on Craigslist and they are asking 200 or free .. not bybs - people in over their heads .. the bybs want 300 to 600 .. then just look at the pounds .. full .. rescues full .. God I wish I had the way to take in more but I can barely manage the one I have. It's sad so yes, please, have posts where people think it through and need to know GSDs are more time consuming than a tiny breed - I know I have one them them too and all she wants to do is sleep.


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## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

*A few words of caution*

Wise words, in my opinion. I always took 2 weeks off work whenever we got a new dog, pup or adult. My husband and I worked opposite of each other, so there was only one day a week that our dogs were without one of us there. The kids didn't count, because I would not ever depend on pre-teens or teens to be responsible! (Sorry kids, but it is the truth!  ). It was quite different raising a toy breed pup compared to the energetic Boxers and the English Setter we had (OMG- hyper bird dogs!!!). Now that I am retired, I look forward to getting another GSD, and spend 24/7 with my dog!


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

It is a large investment in time. When I got my pup, I had a long holiday weekend, then I took a week's vacation in half-days so it lasted two weeks. After that, I had my son (fortunately) to let him out mid-afternoon and play with him as well as feed him lunch. He did that up until last November when he got married. We still go out every morning at 5:30 for his first outside and play time. I work out of the house and don't get home most days until between 5:30 and 6:00. I'm exhausted and in pain, but the first thing we do is go back out to play. I usually finish up about 7 or 7:30 with his supper time and then he brings toys the rest of the evening until I fall asleep for me to toss or tug. Puppy rearing (and even now when he'll be 3 in April) is a LOT of time and work.


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

I agree with most of the posts about not keeping a dog crated for 16 + hours a day. Rosko is a very hyper puppy. When I first got rosko it was early July. Kids weren't back in school yet so they were able to play and watch him while my wife and I worked. (*2 18 yr Olds and a 12 yr old.) Once school started the idea of having a 3 1/2 month old pup locked in a crate all day plus sleeping in the crate at night didn't sit well with me. So I dog proofed a room in our house 13x13 so he could at least play, sleep, etc in that room instead of a small crate. Mayor e it's the same thing but I felt better about it. When we go to bed he sleeps on the floor beside our bed. (he is able to sleep on the bed if he wishes he just doesn't stay for longer than 10 minutes. Now if one of the kids or my wife are home during the day he still wonders back in his room and sleeps. The only thing I would do differently is I would time it so I don't have a 7 month old puppy and it gets dark at 5:30.


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

I will add that I throw a lot of balls to rosko, we train, wrestle, play tug etc... a lot. I try and deplete as much of his energy as I can while I'm home. In the hopes that when he is locked in his room he welcomes the rest.


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## DTS (Oct 19, 2010)

For me it was either a time investment or a money investment. 
With out first pup I was in college so I could come and go between classes only leaving her crated for 3-4 hours at a time. 
With our second pup I worked full time and then some. So I hired a dog walker. We started with 2 visits a day. I would feed, play before I left for work about 630, she would come in at 10, take him out to potty and eat and a bit of out of the crate time. Then she came back about 130-2 and took him out to potty and play. Then we came home around 4 (either me or my husband if I worked late) and had the rest of the day (unless I called in to work) to
Play, train, etc. 
it was difficult especially with a high energy and drivey pup. I did 2 puppy classes at once.
One more schutzhund driven and one regular AKC star puppy class. 
Around 4 months we had the dog walker come around 12-1 and stay for an hour and play, potty, and feed. Around 6 months my husband was able to come home for lunch and take him out to potty and play. 
But when we had the dog walker we were paying almost $500-600 a month in services. 
But, we couldn't always be there, so we did what we had to.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

derka said:


> gsdsar said:
> 
> 
> > Ever since my 20's when I got my first GSD I have worked full time out of the house. I have very successfully raised multiple puppies of my own and rescue pups. Yes I get less sleep. Yes it's hard. But it's not a horrible experience.
> ...


Yes, I can take a puppy to work. But they are not running free. They are caged(I work for a vet) except for 2 quick potty breaks. Same as the OP. No difference. And none of my dogs have been lacking. 

I get what people are saying. It is not easy. But raising a puppy, even when home all day, is hard. We make sacrifices or we don't. This has more to do with our level of commitment and the joy the dogs bring to our lives. I love being with my dogs, does that mean it's never a chore? No. But they make me happy. So I don't sleep 8 full hours a night. So I can't go for drinks after work. 

I get that not everyone is as dedicated as I am. But raising a puppy to be a good dog is not brain surgery. Sorry. But it's just not as complicated as people make it.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I honestly think we should make this a sticky post! 
No it is not that complicated but it can be overwhelming for an inexperienced owner who realizes that life must revolved around the dog to some extent.

Can't pop out for dinner or drinks after work - need to go check on the dog.
Can't sleep in, etc.

We have a lot of students as well who want one while in college-puts the damper on spontaneous weekends away....

Just things to think about.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Can I play?

One is great, two is better?
Two will keep each other busy?

Raising two puppies is not like raising one puppy x 2. It is simply not linear. 

I clean poop daily. I better. Because if I miss a day there is not poop x 2. Some how it becomes poop x 4 or 5. Literally, I have a bitch and two 12 week old puppies in an indoor/outdoor pen. Normally, I can pick up the stools with 1 large pooper scooper shovel. Today it was 5 trips with the shovel. You would think that output would be directly proportional to input, but it just isn't so.

And that is how it is with puppies. House training puppies. It is a lot harder to train two at the same time, because with one, you can get up and run the puppy out the door. Running two out the door means that one might pee along the way, and when they get outside, they may want to play more than take care of business. If you take one and then the other, the other might just have a surprise waiting for you when you get back in. It is more than double, it is not linear. 

Training, socializing, bonding -- it can be done. But it isn't for wimps.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

selzer said:


> Can I play?


Sure! The game's called match your answer to the topic.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Stonevintage said:


> Sure! The game's called match your answer to the topic.


 The topic was a "few words of caution." This is in the puppy section. I put out a few words of caution for owners that want two puppies. You would be surprised how many do. How many think that a second pup will make it easier. 

I am not off topic. But you neither own this board, nor were you the OP of this thread. You are not a moderator or an administrator. Why you think that you should police me in particular, I haven't a clue. Maybe you can enlighten me on that.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

after reading recent articles about hip dysplasia, and seeing a lab that was crated for many hours, I am a bit suspicious that there is a link to it. The young dog I knew had no muscle, nothing structurally that made him agile...the owners were to blame for over crating. 

I have family that allows my pups out of the crate so they aren't in one for over 5 hours a day(usually)
That said, raising a puppy does involve crating and containment when pup can't be supervised. I have been lucky that my pups do settle in one, they aren't destructive or have separation anxiety. When we travel, they are calm during travel, no accidents or barfing. 
Puppies/dogs are work, no matter what. If someone goes into the purchase and raising thinking otherwise, they are already setting up the puppy/dog to fail.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

I think this is a great post for all those impulsive people out there. Not everyone knows what they need or want. Some people just actually think they do.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

selzer said:


> The topic was a "few words of caution." This is in the puppy section. I put out a few words of caution for owners that want two puppies. You would be surprised how many do. How many think that a second pup will make it easier.
> 
> I am not off topic. But you neither own this board, nor were you the OP of this thread. You are not a moderator or an administrator. Why you think that you should police me in particular, I haven't a clue. Maybe you can enlighten me on that.


I think it's pertinent, people do it all the time without giving it a second thought! This thread is a good one!

When we got out first puppy, it was during the two week Christmas shut down. And when we went back to work, we had our puppy confined to a pen for few weeks and since we had a fenced yard, we would leave the back door open. The only damage out puppy ever did was to one Tivo remote. 

Worked for us. But I think the point of the thread is to have a plan and understand what your getting into with the Dog thing.


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

derka said:


> All I am saying is that life becomes extremely challenging when you have puppy and work full time. And I don't think a lot people realize how difficult and time consuming it can be.


I think you can absolutely make it work.

For me, it just meant sacrificing EVERYTHING except work and the puppy. I worked from home, part time work/part time PTO the first two weeks. After that, she was alone during the day a lot more than she is now. That did work out fine for us; I came home every day at lunch to let her out and feed her back when she was still eating 3 meals a day instead of 2.

Every evening? Puppy time. All day weekend days? Puppy time. Socialization, socialization, socialization. We did puppy classes and took her out in the community to meet/see all the things (people doing their thing, kids, other dogs out and about, traffic noises, bicycles, trains, anything we could think of).

Part of it was that the agreement with my husband was I could have a dog if I was primarily responsible for her and I minimized the amount of work he had to do, so if it was more of a joint dog I could see it being less extreme. But I don't think I saw friends at all for over six months, no lie. My life totally changed and my everyday life now, while it looks a little more like my pre-dog routine because she's older now and can adapt (and because she and my husband forged their own bond and he's now happy to spend time with her), is different. I wouldn't trade it for anything because she's awesome and so much fun, but it's challenging and I never have enough energy! And because anything less would be unfair to my dog, most of my free time and energy is spent playing with her or taking her places or training or doing dog-related activities. All my social time is with other owners and handlers. I'm sure this will continue to adjust as she gets older, but I had a good idea of what I was in for (except for the level of fatigue, I didn't think that was even possible unless you had a human infant), and I walked in basically counting on everything changing completely for awhile and then the new normal being different from prior going forward.


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## Lykaios (Nov 18, 2015)

Im in full time college and working almost full time and I make it work with 2 dogs. On school days, I still manage a minimum of 2-3 solid hours of completely dog focused time out hiking and training, in addition to the hanging out at home working on homework time. Then we have more time on weekends! I have NO LIFE AT ALL though besides my animals, work, homework though. (just full time work is a piece of cake compared to the college + work situation, although I don't have children/family to attend to lol) I don't even have time for meals... I just have to snack all day in class and at work. I don't ever have time to spend with friends. But I'm a really happy loner+dogs and luckily I get enough people interaction at work to keep me sane. 

I do think getting a second dog can make things easier though if your first dog has decent training and is out of the major puppy stage. (But costs double the $$$ of course!) Its not really easier for me because I adopted a major project dog so he needs a lot of specialized socialization and training time.. and I have to plan out my dog outings to make sure the amount of people we will come across is something the terrified-of-strangers new guy will be able to handle... all that fun stuff.... But it almost evens out because they tire each other out easily when they get off leash playtime, and they wrestle and play when I'm busy at home! When I'm exhausted I can just find a place for them to play off leash and sit there watching them for an hour. Then I have two completely tired out dogs! 

I think the OP makes a valid point... most people are NOT going to want sacrifice so much for they dog. I would not recommend people do this in college lol! Just wait a few years to get a dog if you have the choice. To me it is 5000% worth it though! Wouldn't change it for anything. 

However, I don't think just full time work is necessarily that difficult with a puppy or dog though tbh. If you have no family, at least for me, its easy. If you have a family that is totally disinterested in the dog it could be difficult. If you have a family that will help out with the dog, it could be pretty easy. My dad has a dog, with children still at home, and full time work. They have a large house where the dog gets to hangout with everyone whenever they are home. Theres always someone willing to walk and play fetch with him, he gets to ride along in the car on errands... theres really no huge time commitment from any one person but he has a busy happy life.


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