Leaving pup at home alone

W

winchester21

New member
Hey fellas,
So in about a month I will be the proud new owner of an 8 week old GWP pup and I am hoping that I will be able to take it to work but I may not be able to. With that in mind, what are your thoughts of leaving a pup at home for 8 hours? I plan on crate training but I am not sure what other options might be better for extending periods of time alone. Surely someone has run into this dilemma.
Thanks for the advice.
 
I would say you are on the right track by getting it crate trained. You will most likely have a messy crate to clean when you get home from work. I would not put anything in there but food and water. I would also suggest a little over sized that it can grow into it. Use something for bedding that is changeable and is not harmful to the pup. No chew toys, they can choke on those type things But pups find crates to be a safe haven. Mine sleep in a crate at night. They like theirs, but they are only in them over night.........Bob
 
I keep my GSP's in crates during the day, and at first there were a few messes, but if you get them into a routine it is short lived. I do not put food or water or toys in with them during the day, as posted above they can choke on a toy. I usually let mine run every night for 30 minutes to an hour, and play in the backyard. Congrats on your new pup.

Rod
 
I would at least give them water. If some of the bleeding hearts learns that a dog is in a crate for a long period with no water. Well I'll let you imagine the screaming of cruelty.......Bob
 
Pup Home Alone

If you can come home on your break, that would be great. Another option is a kennel. Home Depot used to sell a kennel kit -- four panels of chain link either 4 or 6 feet tall, one panel with a gate in it. With some shade and plenty of water it works great. Only drawback of crating a pup all day without a break is that the crate probably loses its role in housebreaking. Best of luck with new pup.
 
I thought of an outside kennel also. But I don't recommend them when left alone for a period of time.. Someday, some idiot will come in with a good set of bolt cutters and steal the dog from the kennel. That is why I always lock my dogs in the house when I away if only for a few hours.............Bob
 
Okay, this all makes me feel much better about the situation. Obviously I would prefer to be with the pup 24/7 during the formative months and I'm still hoping that my new job might allow for this but regardless I'm sure there will be days when it will need to stay home alone and I want to know that I'm not harming it by doing this.
 
i was lucky enough to be able to come home at lunch and let my 2 out and change their water but alot of the time i could not i just always made sure they had water and shade and they were fine , but yes it is stressful until they get bigger .
 
I leave my dogs outside when I'm not home in a outside kennel. I don't have to worry about them going to the bathroom and they have lots of water. I think the crates are just to small to leave them in all day.
 
If you can get 1 of these 4x4x5 chain kennel or 4x4x3 build a wooden sub floor. Set it up in your garage or basement put newspaper on the sub floor or shredded paper so you can change it. I use this for my litters and they are great. I wouldn't be without it. It gives the pup way more room and he will be very safe in your garage or basement.
 
These are all really great suggestions and I am thrilled to have this forum's resources. I am thinking that I may leave her in the garage inside a smaller kennel (much cooler during the day but I may need to experiment with other options to see which works best for her.
 
Even 4 hours is pushing it to expect a pup not to mess in it's crate with a lot of pups, 8 hours is too much. If you are thinking of giving the dog more freedom, it will mess somewhere there too--and unless it's in a controlled environment a pup can get itself into a lot of trouble in house unsupervised. Whether that's a problem or not might depend on other factors but the usual advice is to find some way to have someone let the pup out--bring it work with you....etc. Frankly this needs some thought before you even decide to get a pup!
 
Dog Stealing

bobeyerite said:
I thought of an outside kennel also. But I don't recommend them when left alone for a period of time.. Someday, some idiot will come in with a good set of bolt cutters and steal the dog from the kennel. That is why I always lock my dogs in the house when I away if only for a few hours.............Bob
Click to expand...

Good point.
 
Actually, fairly young pups, say 12 weeks, can "hold it" for 8 hours or so. Pups actually like crates as it makes them feel safe, and they won't soil their crate unless absolutely necessary. Feed your pup his last food of the day around 6 PM, take up his water an hour before bedtime, put him out to do his business just before bedtime, and he'll probably make no messes in his crate overnight.

Get up early, put him outside, then give him food and water, and put him outside again just before you leave for the day.

If you can come home midday, or get someone to come in then, put him outside, then more food and water, but don't leave the water down, and back into the crate, and he'll be fine until you get home at 6 PM.

If you leave him alone during the day, he'll want to be in his crate where he feels safe. Many pups like some sounds to keep them company. Leave a radio on for him, and a play toy or two in his crate. Put him out the minute you get home.

The main thing is to keep the routine the same every day. Pups will adapt to that routine, but they can't handle a routine which is inconsistent.

Never punish or admonish him for a "mistake" which he could not avoid. Clean it up odor free and blame yourself.

Pups are a lot tougher than they appear, but the one thing they cannot handle is lack of love.
 
Jnormanh, I agree with a lot of what you say Gunne has been with me about 10 weeks. He has never messed his crate in that time. He goes to bed at 9:00. I get up and let him out at 6:30 the next morning. He has been on that bed time deal from day one. He was about 10 weeks old when I got him.........Bob
 
we have been leaving my 4 mo old gsp at home now that it is so hot ,she stays in the house ,she found out how to get on the table, and now she got into her hartguard ,so now she will stay in her creat when we go to the store other then that she has the run of the house .

note: she had her hartguard on the 10th & got into the other one on the 11th
:eek:the vet said it will not hart her ,
 
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