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clo123 · Apr 4, 2008, 08:27 AM

I am going to buy a new puppy soon and my mum has a dog at home already. My only concern is the amount of time it will be left alone. I have a crate which I will put toys and bedding in (and a bowl of water). I will also take it for a walk before I leave to go to school. Will the puppy be OK in the crate for six hours? :confused: :confused:

charlotte234s · Apr 4, 2008, 08:41 AM

It might be okay, but it really needs to be socialized and probably won't enjoy spending 6 hours a day crated. If you don't have time for a puppy you really probably just shouldn't get one.

clo123 · Apr 4, 2008, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by charlotte234s

It might be okay, but it really needs to be socialized and probably won't enjoy spending 6 hours a day crated. If you don't have time for a puppy you really probably just shouldn't get one.

Well if I play with it for 15 minutes or so before I leave hopefully it should sleep most of the time and play with the chew toys I will leave with. I will socialize with it a lot when I am home after school and at weekends. Will that be good enough? :confused: :confused: thank you for answering xx

rebeltequila · Apr 4, 2008, 11:00 PM

Yip puppy will be OK but you probably should get someone to come in at lunch time to feed it and walk it out to toilet puppies need to eat 3 meals a day when you get up at lunch time and the last one before 5pm (that way when you walk him late at nigth for toilet there's not much in the tank)

froggy7 · Apr 5, 2008, 07:28 AM

Have you considered getting an adult dog? Six hours is a long time for a puppy, especially when you trying to housebreak it. They need to go out frequently to relieve themselves when young, and learn best when they are young, so you may be setting up a situation where you actually train the puppy to go to the bathroom in the house. If you start with an adult, already housetrained dog, you won't have that concern. And an adult will be able to handle being apart that long better.

starbuck8 · Apr 6, 2008, 03:25 AM

Like 'froggy7' said... You are setting yourself up for a whole lot of probs if you leave a puppy alone for that long in a crate. She/He could develop abandonment issues, anxiety problems, and a whole gammit of things that I don't think you will want to deal with when the pup gets older. Although they are not human, a pup will have some of the same feelings a baby would have if left alone for that length of time.

I think you are well intentioned, but please don't do that to your fur babe. If you insist on getting a pup (and I really pray you are rescuing one from a shelter) then have your mother, or a friend come to take her outside to pee and have playtime, at least once every couple of hrs.

An older dog would be such a better idea! There are so many at the shelters that are destined for certain death unless someone like you saves their life, and they are so grateful to you when you do! If you have a certain breed in mind, there are breed specific shelters.

Please, Please don't leave a puppy at home in a crate for 6 hrs!! It won't understand that you will be home soon and spend time on the wkds with it. Chew toys don't make up for you being there. :(

It's not all about eating and peeing! Puppies have a lot of energy that they need to burn. If they don't get the attn they need, you will have a dog with a lot of problems. That is why a lot of them end up at the SPCA and no one else wants them because they have become mean or have a lot of behavioural problems, and the owner no longer wants to deal with it.

Dogs take a lot of time, and you must be willing to invest that time or have someone to care for it when you have to be away for a long period. Otherwise don't get one until you can. Yes, puppies are cute, but they grow up and they reley on you to take care of them :)

rebeltequila · Apr 7, 2008, 03:19 PM

Starbuck I See You Commented Saying Puppy Won't Be Ok... Why Would You Say This!?

rebeltequila · Apr 7, 2008, 03:22 PM

Starbuck why are you saying puppy won't be OK if you crate train or have a separate little area for puppy it will be fine 6 hours isn't actually that long take puppy for a good walk and a toilet and a play in the morning - get up a bit earlier so pup gets enough attention then when you get home I have 6 dogs I've been though it all in that time puppy will sleep you will need to get up extra early for a good hours playing and toileting and walking

starbuck8 · Apr 7, 2008, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by rebeltequila

Starbuck I See You Commented Saying Puppy Wont Be Ok... Why Would You Say This!!??

I think I explained that in my answer above somewhat. I have worked at shelters and cared for dogs that had previously been left alone in crates for hrs on end. They develop all sorts of problems that are hard to correct later in a lot of cases. They are just like babies. They need a lot of attention, and to leave a pup (especially a young pup) at home alone crated for that length of time just isn't fair or healthy for the pup. They probably haven't been away from their mother and litter/pack for very long, and trying to adjust to a new family is a hard enough adjustment for them to make, but being all alone for so long on top of that can cause abandoment issues, and then other problems can stem from that, and that is when a lot of pets end up in shelters. I'm just speaking on behalf of the pup because they can't speak for themselves.

starbuck8 · Apr 7, 2008, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by rebeltequila

starbuck why are you saying puppy wont be ok if you crate train or have a seperate little area for puppy it will be fine 6 hours isn't actually that long take puppy for a good walk and a toilet and a play in the morning - get up a bit earlier so pup gets enough attention then when you get home i have 6 dogs i've been though it all in that time puppy will sleep you will need to get up extra early for a good hours playing and toileting and walking

It's just too long of a time to leave the pup. 6 hrs might not seem too long for a human who can entertain themselves somehow. But a pup will not want to stay caged and play with a toy for 6 hrs hun.

labman · Apr 7, 2008, 08:18 PM

I have considerable positive experience leaving puppies as young as 7 weeks 4-5 hours at a time in a crate. 6hours? It would be better if you found a neighbor or professional dog walker to give it a break. What works for me may be due to getting well cared for puppies that haven't been forced to live in their filth.

I really like the suggestions of an older dog. One of the best sources for dogs with a predictable personality is the rescue dogs. These are dogs that lost their home, but were taken into a foster home to be retrained as necessary and placed in the right home for them. You may find a rescue near you starting at http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm The rescues charge a fee to help cover their expenses, but is much less than the price of a puppy plus all its medical expenses the first year.
www.petfinders.org is good too.

keligrn · Apr 8, 2008, 06:25 AM

Some of the best dogs are rescue dogs. You don't have to go through the puppy chewing stage, potty training is usually finished, the dog can easily wait for you to come home, and the dog gets a great new home! Most of the time a dog ends up in rescues through no fault if his own. Most rescue organizations have them vet checked, neutered, checked for heartworm and micro-chipped. Usually they do temperament checks and will go to great lengths to match up the right dog with the right owner.