We want a cocker puppy, but not sure

[andy_pritchard]

Myself and my fiance are really considering a cocker pup, but i am a little concerned as i work 9-5 and my fiance works early and late shifts so on most days the dog would be left for about 8 hours. Obviousley we could pop home at lunch time and the mother in law may be able to spend half an hour or so with it a day for us as she just lives down the road. We could take a week away from work to settle it in and start training. We recently rescued an older dog from a local dogs home, but had to take him back after a few days because he suffered really bad separation anxiety and was not happy as we think he had been beaten, decided it wasnt fair on the dog as he kept trying to escape (jumped from a second floor window - but was ok)

Any thoughts, comments or advice?                    

[PennyB]

Puppies really need a lot more attention than someone coming in every so often. 8 hours is a little bit long to leave one on their own (I had to wait a long time until I was in a postion to take one on) and apart from the need to train them it would be a little bit lonely (and no, getting two pups would only quadruple this problem). Pups also need a lot of stimulation and socializing.

Its good that you're considering this as not everyone does and just goes ahead and can run into trouble and either have a badly socialized dog that gets locked in the kitchen when people come round or ends up being rehomed due to owner discovering too late that they don't have enough time (and then these dogs may end up being bounced around from owner to owner as their 1st very loving owner didn't have enough time to socialize them properly). I know of a number of cockers recently that this has happened to.

Even if you did would you be able to take them for off lead exercise when they are older for at least 2 hours a day—nice in the summer but hard work in the winter after a hard days work and there's horizontal rain out there.

A puppy/dog is a big commitment.

Maybe try a rescue that has assessed their dogs specifically for peoples particular needs/lifestyle. Why not hop over to dogpages (http://www.dogpages.org.uk) (don't be surprised if someone suggests a greyhound though!). The cat and dogs homes often just hand over dogs without consideration of what the owner might really want/need. Good rescues will also homecheck to make the dog is suited to your needs.                    

[Jane S]

Hi Andy

I'm afraid leaving a young puppy alone for 8 hours a day would not be advisable & would be most unfair on the puppy. Of course there are people who do manage to have a puppy & work full-time but the sensible ones do make proper arrangements so that puppy is not left alone too long. I feel that a young puppy should not be left alone for longer than 3-4 hours a day. 8 hours a day with someone popping home at lunchtime or someone popping in for half an hour now and again is too long in my opinion. Baby pups need lots of attention devoted to training - you cannot house-train a puppy if you are not around to let it out & teach it where to go. Puppies also get bored very easily - if left alone for hours, they will find something to do to relieve the boredom eg chewing, barking, howling etc. It is not uncommon for dogs to be handed over to rescue because they cannot cope with long periods alone so please think long & hard before you take on a puppy. An older dog used to being alone for reasonably long periods would probably suit you better. Good rescues assess dogs in their care & should be able to advise whether a dog would suit your lifestyle or has a problem with separation anxiety.

Jane                    

[Becky]

Hi Andy, I was thinking exactly the same as Penny and Jane, what about a rescue cocker that is older and used to being left?  Perhaps this would work, with the visits you are able to offer.  You are obviously happy to take on a rescue dog, which is great.  You could have a look at the rescue forum on this site, or visit the cocker spaniel club website for info on rescue in your area.  Good luck, whatever you decide!

[Jaljen]

.. it's really not fair to the pup.

You wouldn't find it a very rewarding experience either.
You have to be at home all the time for house-training and all the learning that takes place in its young life.


Otherwise it will just become a bored and therefore stressed and therefore probably destructive animal.

I had to do without for years until my circumstances changed - so I got cats! Nowehere near as good as a dog but I could give them a good home and they can be quite cute. Dogs are pack animals, they don't thrive alone.

Sorry.                      

[TOPAZ BILLY]

We have a 4 year old cocker and an 18 week old puppy, we started planning in January for a second dog and arranged hubby's shifts and a neighbour and my very flexible dog loving boss to accommodate but even when we only had Billy he wasn't left for more than 4 hours.

Abby is still a little baby now at 18 weeks and is not left for longer than 3 hours on her own.  Unless you can make the necessary adjustments to your life style I would put off getting a dog for now.

Michelle                    

[Mightyjoe]

When we got Oscar we had a week off work, Sharon only works 4 days so I come home every lunchtime to see to him. This has worked ok as we have given him lots of toys and we also use a Kong, which keeps him happy. The longest he is on his own it 4hrs.                    

[*Jay*]

I work full time and I've managed to raise two puppies. I'd like to think I've made a good job of it but others may have a different opinion :wink:  

But I think the schedule you are suggesting would be too much for the pup. I am very fortunate that I live around the corner from work and have a very understanding boss :wink: When I went back to work after the holiday I took when i first got them I was able to pop home every 90 mins and let them out in to the garden and have a little game with them so that they were a little sleepy(less chance of them being destructive through boredom :wink: ). I took extended lunches so that they could have one of their meals and then be let out to toilet and then play a game.  I also left a radio on for them and left them with some interactive toys.  I do believe that the quality of time you spend with them is just as important as the quantity.  I didn't want to just pop home, let them out, and then leave again straight away.  Once they hit 12 weeks and were fully vaccinated, I could take them into work and I did this for a few hours a day, then took them back home so they were used to being on their own for a while.

I know a lot of people think working full time and having puppies don't mix but I think that with a lot of thought, planning and consideration, it can work. I think if you are determined to get a pup, you would really have to get someone who would be able to spend a lot more time with the dog than half an hour to begin with. The problem you may have there, is that the people you enlist to help out may then start to feel burdened and the novelty of looking after the puppy may wear off and then where do you stand? Thats why when i got my first pup, I worked out a routine where I wouldn't have to rely on anyone to come in and see to him - if i hadn't been able to that, then I wouldn't have been able to get the puppy at that time.

I certainly considered an older dog - one breeder had a two year old that she was rehoming. That would have been perfect because at that time I was worried that juggling work and puppy wouldn't go quite as smoothly as it did on paper :wink: , and worried about the housetraining aspect etc. But as it turned out, my old boy wouldn't have accepted an older dog into the house so it was either puppy or nothing :wink:


Sorry its a bit long-winded and I hope it makes sense :roll:                    

[Tracey J]

Hi there

I don't really have anything to add to the sound advice already given as I am at home all day (good for puppies & children - bad for sanity ).  Do you have a reputable daily dog sitting/walking service in your area?  I know they can be expensive, but it could help with your (prospective) pups socialisation and stop it becoming lonely and destructive.  It may also prevent any resentment building up with family or friends who are roped in to care for the dog.


I think as long as you are flexible and have the dogs interests at heart it can be done (I can vouch for Gill's dogs personally :wink:   ).  I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide.                    

[padfoot]

I agree with what most other people have said. I feel it is too long a period to leave a small puppy. It's not fair on the puppy at all. I wouldn't even like to leave an adult dog for such long periods ideally, but an old dog might be a solution.
Puppies need to be house trained, and at first this often means letting the pup out as much as every hour until s/he gets the idea. This is impossible with people out of the house so much. The pup would more than likely remain un-housetrained, chew things, bark and howl, and would not be very well-socialised with people.

Good rescues often have old dogs in who cope well with being left for longer periods. You can rehome pedigrees and mongrels alike via the rescue route.                    

[Cob-Web]

The pup would more than likely remain un-housetrained, chew things, bark and howl, and would not be very well-socialised with people.

This is quite a strong statement - as Gill and I am sure others have proved, it is quite possible to raise a well balanced socialised puppy and work as long as the comittment is there and the pups needs are realistically considered before a decison is made.

Oh, and I quite agree, pet sitting services are a godsend - after I PM'd you Andy, the guy from our local pet sitting service came round to visit, he has given me so much advice and  left me in no doubt that Molo will be in safe hands.                    

[andy_pritchard]

Thanks for the advice from everyone, it all is so sensible and is a great help.

Most people have said that 8 hours is too long to leave the pup, the longest it would be left is only going to be 4 hours as like i said i can spend my luch time with the dog which would allow time for a meal and play, couple this with if the mother in law can visit after a couple of hours for an hour or so. I have a very good boss and i can usually have my lunch between 12-2 - she may let me have more than my hour for the first few weeks. My fiance works a rota in which 1 day a week she does not start until 1 and another day in the week she finishes at 1.

I think if we do take on the puppy, we would both have a week off work and stagger them so that we are at home for 2 weeks in total with the pup initially.

We are serious about having a puppy and it is not something we are taking lightly, we are putting lots of consideration into raising a pup, and are very realistic people. I can say that if we couldnt get an adequate support network put in place for the pup, then we would not take one on.

I am very interested to learn more about these pets at home services and need to find out about cost and availability in my area (Stafford- Midlands). Is there anyone local to me who uses or have used these services?

Cheers

Andy                    

[TOPAZ BILLY]

Well Andy,

As I said in my previous post as long as you can make the necessary adjustments to your lifestyle getting a puppy should be fine.  You seem to be going about things the right way.  Good luck with your plans and I hope you are successful in finding a puppy.

Michelle                    

[Mike]

If you do decide to go ahead Andy, I just wanted to add - you may meet some resistance from the more reputable breeders who sometimes have blanket rules about not allowing their pups to go homes where people work, or if they have small toddlers... the temptation if you come across this is to go to a less responsible breeder who really cares only about the money that having pups generates, but where temperment and/or health have not been an issue in the breeding. Stick with the reputable breeders - you may need to work hard to demonstrate your committment and flexibility to the pup while you are out at work, but if the breeder is satisfied you are capable of rearing a pup in such an environment, then in all likelihood, with a lot of effort you probably will be :wink:                    

[Cob-Web]

Andy

Our local pet sitting service advertises in the local vet surgeries, yellow pages (under home and pet sitting), pet stores and usually has a stall at all the local 'shows' (you know the kind of thing, the village fetes etc).

I got to know them two years ago, just chatted to them about their doggies etc - long before we were in a position to get a pup - but I knew that one day, I might need them  :wink: .

 I also asked for references from him, and he was happy to ask his clients to contact me to recommend him; one of them lives just down the road from me.

There are national franchise companies that do this now, as well as small independent people.