Advice Please

[Joe]

Thanks to all of you for you kind messages. I'm really glad I posted now and feel much more positive.

Fortunately  Jake's mummy and daddy have known each other for 25 years, since playschool and so daddy will be able to have lots of visits. Both sides of the family love Jake to bits and so I am sure he will still get lots of fuss and attention. Worse case scenario, if I was really stuck Jake could spend the day with his daddy at our old house but we are not sure if that would confuse him. I guess we will see how he settles.

Jake seems to know exactly when I'm feeling upset and wants to give a big cuddle. Then, he runs off to his toy box, rumages around for a while and pulls out a toy. He races back over and pushes it into my lap as if to say 'Well, come on then, that's enough crying now mum, let's get on with it!'.  I'm sure nearly all dog owners think their breeds are best but you really can't beat a cocker and how can you stay upset when they are just so beautiful?

We don't have any human children but I was really feeling like a bad mum, so thanks again, perhaps things won't be so bad.
Lots of love

Joe and Jakey                    

[Silver Surfer (indiesnan)]

Hi Joe, you certainly have nothing to feel guilty about at all. In fact in IMHO Youv'e taken everything into account, To make sure  your boy will be safe and happy, in his new home, and i'm sure he will adjust very quickly.

Youve thought of everything, even down to getting your MIL involved, i take my hat of to you, ( thats if i was wearing one  :wink: )

Just read your second post , i think your a brilliant mum.                    

[cindere528]

Hi Joe, I'm sorry about your split with OH, but believe me, Jake will be fine.  When I got divorced I got custody of Teddy, my very first Cocker, who was 12 at the time. I also have a human son who was only 5 at the time of the divorce.  Both of them adapted to only having Mummy around.  Teddy was epileptic for the last 6 years of his life, but it didn't stop him enjoying life even in a single parent family.  Dogs don't seem to get confused by change as we might expect them to.  

I think as long as Jake has you & knows that you love him he'll be fine.  Sounds to me like you've got it all sussed.  Good luck                      

[Jan/Billy]

Ian (hope you are still here)

I think it is very difficult for any dog owner to give a puppy a text book up bringing.People have to work, its a fact of life. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be at home during the day, but there are ways of making things easier on our little chums.        
Billy is on his own Mon-Fri 830am until 330pm but we do manage to get home at lunch time each day for at least an hour. Its not ideal that billy is left  alone this long but circumstances changed that made it impossible for us to make his time alone any shorter. And there was no way we were giving him up.Before i leave for work Billy and i go to the park where billy has 30 minutes off the lead. We play games where i hide treats and he has to find them  etc so by the time i leave for work he has spent approx 90minutes with me and is probably ready for a sleep. It is hard, i have to drag myself out of bed in the morning much earlier than i used to. :roll:  :roll:  :roll:  :roll:
 Then when we come home we have to spend quality time with Billy, we take him on another walk and play more games and yes it is definatley true that when a pup is left alone you have to expect them to be more full of beans. I sometimes feel guilty but  I know that billy is very well looked after and we do ensure  that before and after work we make quality time for Billy. It is hard especially when you have had a hard day and billy
wants to play tug of war with his blanket as soon as you walk throught he door  :roll:  :roll:  :roll:  :roll:
At weekends we are at home all day and to be honest billy sleeps in the morning on saturday and sunday after he has had his walk so that must be what he does during the week too!!!
I think the dog walking is a great idea, we dont have anything like that here but if you can manage it then i would do so. Have you considered a dog door? My dads neighbours are at home allday and they have a springer pup. They do nothing with it, dont even take it out for a walk. when i compare the lives of the two dogs i know my billy has the better one. It is quality not quantity time what  counts  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:                    

[emma]

Ian , if youre still there ive sent you a message

Emma and Bracken xxx                    

[padfoot]

I have to admit that I don't agree with puppies being left alone for such a long time. If it can't be helped, the doggy day care sounds brilliant though   A dog walker is also a great idea.

I feel in Joe's case that lots of provisions have been made for the dog, I'm sure things will work out fine.                    

[speedyjaney]

Hi there

We also have to leave our pooches alone some days for longer than we would like, but we always find the time to break it up by having at least one visit home so they dogs can have a garden/walk/game break!
Usually someone is around and the max they are left is around 4 hours at any one time but now and again (usually when I am travelling with work) its two 4 hour stints thru the day.
However I agree with Jan and that if the time you are around is 'Quality' time then the dogs are kept happy! Ours get 3 20min walks on lead a day, every day and also weather/time etc permitting an hour off lead a day and at the wkend a couple of hours a say off lead. They sleep loads on Sat and Sun especially in the mornings agter their walks...which is the same routine as in the week.
Its nit ideal but if we didnt work we wouldnt be able to afford to have 2 dogs, take them to training classes etc etc so we make the best of it. Having said that a friend of mine has just bought a pup and who isnt stimulated as much as ours and they are having trouble with boredom destruction...(I have now lent them my perfect puppy book and asked them to come training with us...as they are novice owners and need a bit of help :wink:
Jane, JessieCocker and SaffiWestie!