leaving puppy alone

kakathegreat · 02-10-2007, 12:21 PM

Hi, i may be getting a basset hound pup in april, my sons school holiday where they will be off for 2 weeks, i will take a week of before this so we can have longer at home with the puppy,its just that 4 days a week the puppy will be left alone 7 hours a day as i am of on thursdays.Would this be cruel to the puppy?. I hear alot of pepole do it and the puppy will have access to the back garden via the cat flap, its crate, the radio on and lots of food water and lots of toys.Would this be sufficent?

Many thanks Josh

im sure somebody could give me some advice on this out of all the people who have veiwed it, please it would really help.

could someone ive me a reply

peace36 · 02-10-2007, 05:37 PM

I know some might disagree but I am a big believer in getting at least to of what ever species I get.

I have 2 parakeets, 3 guinea pigs,2 rats 2 doggies now I only have 1 beta because they hate to live alone and until it died just 1 hamster because they like to be alone.

I think you should just get 2 puppies then they will be just fine home for 7 hours NOT alone.

I personally feel bad for a dog sitting alone especially bad for them when they are crate and alone for that amount of time.

tirluc · 02-10-2007, 06:08 PM

so, let me get this right.....you will be home a total of 3 wks after getting the puppy, right?......during this time you can start the house training, and the bonding process.....then, you will be going back to work and the pup will be home alone for 7 hrs w/ all that you mentioned in your post.....how old is the pup?.....how much time will you be able to give him/her when you are home?....and how safe will the area be where the pup will be left?......i, personally, would not allow the pup access to the outdoors while i was gone; too much can happen to a young pup.....i would give him/her their crate inside a small area w/ papers down for pottying on....plenty of toys (one could be a Buster Cube w/ its morning and afternoon feeding in it) but make sure that none of the toys are going to be able to be choked on.....if you could at all possible make it home at lunch to check on the pup that would make it better, but we all know that this is reality and we have to work and can't always have thing the way we want (i'm lucky and can take mine to work w/ me) but i don't see any reason why this couldn't work out...people do it all the time......

as for getting 2 puppies at the same time, i think you would be setting yourself up for major problems....they would get into a lot more mischief together than just one would and you would find that they would start bonding together and "leave you out in the cold".....i have no problems w/ more than 1 dog (i have 4) but i like to have a bond w/ each one b/4 the next comes into my fray......

also, if you can leave some music or the tv (or better yet, you can get the treat dispensing toys that record your voice) that helps w/ separation in the beginning (just make sure that they can't reach the cords of the tv or radio)....and put yourself down on the pups level and see things from his perspective to determine any dangers that might be there.....

good luck.....and have fun

Cassie Nova · 02-10-2007, 06:19 PM

Yeah, I think it's okay 4 days a week if you're home for the first three weeks- then you can get started and he'll be ready to be left alone!!

kakathegreat · 02-11-2007, 05:21 AM

thanks alot guys you are alot of help, yeah i was pretty sure 3 weeks to bond would be ok, i have had a puppy before but that was when i was a kid and it was only left for 4 hours, just wanted to make sure with some people who are more knowledgble on the subject.

josh