# Leaving A 10 Week Old Puppy For 3/4 Hours?! In DESPERATE Need Of Help!



## RoughColliePuppy (Feb 20, 2011)

I asked this question on yahoo, and everyone jumped to conclusions, saying i was being cruel to the dog, but hundreds of people do it right? Can i leave a puppy while the family is at work/school? I have a friend who is willing to come and let him out, play with, and feed and water him at about 12:00. There will be no one around from about 8:10 - 3:30? Will my little fur baby be okay being left alone? If the friend stays for, say, half an hour, at 11:30? so he on his own for 3 hours in the morning and 3 1/2 hours in the afternoon? Will he be okay? He will have the company of my current dog, a very gentle old man. I just really need some help here, will he be okay? what can i do to make it easier on him? 

Please & Thankyous :grouphug:


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

Is this pup from a breeder? Have you thought about maybe adopting an older rough collie (assuming that's what your getting by your username  ). An older dog could be more adaptive to being left alone & more able to hold it then a baby puppy.

If you are set on a pup, is there anyway you can wait until kids are off on summer vaycay?


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

It will make it much harder to potty train. I would NOT leave him out and about free to run around the house, OR with the other dog. Alone for that long. period. Sure the oldeer dog may seem sweet and like his buddy. But what if puppy pestures older dog to much, and older dog bites pup? It happens way more then you know. buy a crate.


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## RoughColliePuppy (Feb 20, 2011)

dogdragoness - We did look at older dogs, but they were very hard to find, and out current dog, who we got at one year, has had problems due to us not having him as a puppy. we are waiting until the easter holidays, which is two weeks, thats got to be good, right?

tankstar - im prepared to take the time potty training him, even if it does take linger than usual. I do plan on buying a crate, so he wont be in contact with the older dog, but will have his company, which im hoping will comfort him. 

any other ways i can make it easier on him?


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## winniec777 (Apr 20, 2008)

One of the main things you can do is establish a schedule for the pup that you stick to. We had one written out that we followed through house training. It's good that you have someone coming over to let the pup out. Puppies shouldn't be left alone without access to a bathroom for more than 3-4 hours at a time until their bladders mature. The rule of thumb I was told was an hour for every month of age. When you're not there crate or enclose the puppy alone in an expen with pads/paper on the floor.

This web site has lots of great free advice about what to do with your new puppy - it was a life-saver for us. I strongly suggest you read it now and continue to refer to it - it will help a lot.

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/digital-dog-training-textbook

Good luck & come back and post pics!


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

I got a puppy in July, 2010. I work M-F. I leave at 6AM and return at 4PM. My puppy never pee'd or pooped in the house (proper). I built her a "puppy palace" for days and took her out a lot when I got home.. in the middle of the night etc. Days she was in the Puppy Palace with a concrete floor with papers down and her crate. She used the papers in the Puppy palace. 

Check out this thread as it shows photos of the puppy palace and talks about the schedule. http://www.dogforums.com/general-dog-forum/81271-questas-puppy-journal.html It DOES require you to be vigilant and reinforcing when you are home and with the puppy.. but it certainly can be done. Not every one has the advantage of working from home or staying at home because they are either wealthy, retired or a student.


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

I love the term 'puppy palace' lol. Jo's puppy palace was/is outside it is a kennel run type setup with toys, a kiddie pool & a place to escape the heat & cold. She doesn't stay in it as much as she used to now that she is bigger &... er... more trained lol. She only stays in it now when our boss & their kids are here (so she isn't subjected to them lol).


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## RoughColliePuppy (Feb 20, 2011)

a routine!? that means getting up at 6:50 on weekends! no, i did expect that, and am willing to do so.. even if i do complain about it to the family 

so with him being about 9 weeks when i get him, then having two weeks off with him, he'll be 11 weeks when i start leaving him alone, which = about 2 1/2 hours - ish!? Im glad to hear im not the only one leaving a puppy. friends were giving me the idea that if you work, you are FORBIDDEN to get a puppy! With keeping him in the crate whilst no ones there, should i buy a large size (suitable for when hes older aswell) then section it off? or keep the whole cage open, and put a bed at one end, and pads/newspaper in the other?

thanks everyone, and sorry for all the inexperience, as you can tell, im not the most knowledgeable when it comes to puppies


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

RoughColliePuppy said:


> a routine!? that means getting up at 6:50 on weekends! no, i did expect that, and am willing to do so.. even if i do complain about it to the family
> 
> so with him being about 9 weeks when i get him, then having two weeks off with him, he'll be 11 weeks when i start leaving him alone, which = about 2 1/2 hours - ish!? Im glad to hear im not the only one leaving a puppy. friends were giving me the idea that if you work, you are FORBIDDEN to get a puppy! With keeping him in the crate whilst no ones there, should i buy a large size (suitable for when hes older aswell) then section it off? or keep the whole cage open, and put a bed at one end, and pads/newspaper in the other?
> 
> thanks everyone, and sorry for all the inexperience, as you can tell, im not the most knowledgeable when it comes to puppies


 A crate that will fit him as an adult is a proper program. You will get different advice on how to crate him. I have used papers on floor of crate and yes pups will have accidents but as pups get older acdents get less. You will have a good start with 2 weeks at home and getting pup out of crate when needed. I have never partitioned a crate because if pup does have an dump/pee he is then forced to lay in the accident. Many people do the partition thing and it works, I just did not go that way, a personal choice.


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

Is there a place in your house with easy to clean floors such as a basement or kitchen? You can buy something called an x pen that they sell at most pet suppily stores & feed stores. Hey can be either set up in a circle or square or rectangle depending on the room you have. You can put puppy's crate with a bed in it in one part of the palace & newspapers or pee pads/litterbox with doggie litter in it in the other. Both pads & doggie litter have a scent that draws the pup when nature calls .


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## RoughColliePuppy (Feb 20, 2011)

I could section off part of the kitchen, but it wouldn't be much bigger than the crate, and i feel the crate would offer him more security, and it would keep the older dog way from pup better, unlike an x-pen, which he could happily get through if he wanted to get to pup! I think i may do the crate thing, with having a bed one end, and a puppy pad, or newspapers the other. 

and just because i love him :angel:










^probably putting the pic in the wrong way, but its the only way i know how


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

I never liked doing that with the crate because I think it teaches the pup that the crate is their bathroom & believe me later on you don't want that! Is there anyway you can close the kitchen door or put a barrier (plywood works great as a partition for a doorway & most dogs can't knock it down.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

The rule of thumb is about an hour more than age in months, so 3 mos ==> ~ 4 hours to hold potty. I like Elena's Palace idea, giving the pup a place go when when needed. If you can get the friend to come every 3 hours for a week or two, slowly stretching to 3 1/2 hours, then to 4 hours... that might provide a good negotiation.

The friend doesn't need to 'play' with the pup, so much as let the pup go potty, check on water, provide a Kong to chew on, verify that the pup is not torturing the the older dog.


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## RoughColliePuppy (Feb 20, 2011)

i could always buy a baby gate with the extra money im saving from buying a moneysaver crate. then keep him in part of the kitchen, where theres nothing for him too keep his paws on. 

what about at night? should he be crated at night or left in before mentioned sectioned part of the kitchen?

thanks everyone, your all being very helpful.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

I crated Questa in the Bedroom with me and I got up 2X during the night to get her out so there were no accidents in the crate. As she got older I only got up 1X and by the time she was 5 months old I got 7 hours of sleep. 

I got her out immediately when I go up.. and I still do that now (she is 8 months old). I get up at 4:30AM and leave for work at 6AM.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

You want her to learn to sleep in the crate at night as part of the house training, so I recommend keeping her in the crate, and letting her out when she whines or shuffles around... It may be inconvenient, but you want her to learn that when she needs to go and makes noise, then you will let her out... to potty (not to play).

Also, you might consider looking at the Dollar Stores and at the thrift stores for some of these things. You probably want a new crate, but the babygate and other type of things don't have to be new...


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## BrittanieJo (Sep 23, 2010)

Aggie started staying home alone for much longer than we wanted at about 8 weeks. I work too far from home to come home during my 20 min lunches (gotta love being a teacher) and my hubs was deployed. Aggie was in the crate for about 6 hrs a day? some days 8 if I couldn't come home during my planning period. I personally think this helped with potty training, but is obviously NOT ideal. We had accidents here and there but by 12-16 weeks she was fully potty trained and by 5-6 months she was able to be trusted in the bathroom alone so now she spends her time in there when we are gone, and usually hubs comes home at lunch to let her out. We take her on a walk in the am/she plays outside while I get ready for work, then heads to the bathroom for a nap. Our bathroom is small but she has more room than her crate and LOVES to lay on the tile floor so she's a happy dog. At night when she was little she was in her crate, now that she's potty trained she can sleep where she wants in the bed room, usually on our bed or in her crate/dog bed on the floor. She can hold her bladder all night but usually goes out once around 10 (at bed time)


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

roghcolliepuppy>> yes you can keep him crated at night but be prepared for him to make a fuss for a while til he gets used to it. With Jo & Izze both i never had a problem with them bawling & squawling in their crate, they never made a sound lol. of course Jo was about 3 1/2-4 months when we brought her home because she had to wait to be old enough for her spay surgery, which the shelter we adoipted her from required her to be spayed before leaving.

he will also need a break or 2 at night in the beginning because he cant hold it all night yet. Example: when i first got Jo, she want in at 6pm due to the shorter days, got fed at 6:30pm, went out at 10:30-11pm, 12am at the latest in the beginning. then out again at 3-4am for the first 2 months we had her, now at almost 6 months she can make it all night, & goes out first light every morning.


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## RoughColliePuppy (Feb 20, 2011)

what we've decided to do is, with having the crate upstairs, he won't be with older dog, so we will see if he cries, a lot, and then if he does, we're going to move him downstairs, (keeping the crate upstairs for at night time) and then have him behind a baby gate. 

thank you very much everyone! you were all a great help!


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

NP roughcollie, just remember when he comes home we want to see pics!! Collies are among my fave breeds but be prepared for lots of chewing/ mouthing as collies tend to do this. If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask!! Someone on her will know the answer lmbo.


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## LittleAlfie (Feb 6, 2011)

RoughColliePuppy said:


> a routine!? that means getting up at 6:50 on weekends! no, i did expect that, and am willing to do so.. even if i do complain about it to the family
> 
> so with him being about 9 weeks when i get him, then having two weeks off with him, he'll be 11 weeks when i start leaving him alone, which = about 2 1/2 hours - ish!? Im glad to hear im not the only one leaving a puppy. friends were giving me the idea that if you work, you are FORBIDDEN to get a puppy! With keeping him in the crate whilst no ones there, should i buy a large size (suitable for when hes older aswell) then section it off? or keep the whole cage open, and put a bed at one end, and pads/newspaper in the other?
> 
> thanks everyone, and sorry for all the inexperience, as you can tell, im not the most knowledgeable when it comes to puppies





We got our little man just over a month ago (aged 8 weeks) and as both of us work during the day it is necessary he be on his own a few hours a day (starting aged ten weeks). My OH comes home at lunch and is there an hour and i'd be home around four some days and the OH would be home around five when I'm not off early. However this is only three days a week as I only work three days. We have a small terraced area with a kennel for him. We put plenty of toys out and blankets in his kennel. He has the freedom of the terrace as well. 

I was unsure about doing this before we got him and spoke to a friend of mine who is a vet. His answer was - compromise. If he is going to be out all day, you bring him in at night and make sure he has a strict routine with plenty of playtime and affection when you're home. So we did. He sleeps on the floor in our room (sleeps through the night) he gets up with us in the morning, has his breakfast and sits at the door at 08:55 waiting to go out. We even continue this routine at the weekends and on the days i'm off, more because he is up waiting at the bedroom door at 08:00 :clap2:

Alfie gets plenty of walks and and lots of love and is a very happy little man. :rockon:


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

Just don't forget pics lol nothing like puppy pics. I wish that more breeders would keep their pups til 10wks, the older they are the better.


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