Author Topic: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working  (Read 1818 times)

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Offline deeveecee

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Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« on: December 23, 2020, 12:02:40 PM »
Hi all,

This is a very nervously written post (my first post), as I know this can be an emotive subject.

tl;dr summary: We’re about to get a puppy, we work from home at the moment due to covid. In future, we’re planning to each work part time from home so someone is always around. On days when neither of us can be home we’ll get friends/dog-walkers to come in and take them for a walk.
Looking for any other advice.

————

After lots of research we are planning to get a cocker puppy (we veer between working and show, currently looking at a mix), now seems like the ideal time as we’re available all the time for a puppy (it's ideal because we're around and not working, not because it's xmas, they would not be a present). We have 3 kids and a medium sized garden (for London), near lots of parks.

We both work, my wife 4 days and me 5 days, we’ve been working from home for nearly a year now.

I’m aware that at some point, there will be a shift back to an office environment of some kind, but not for many months, but it will happen. As a result I’m planning for that now to ensure it’s not a jolt.

Working practices will change permanently after this period, and our current plan is to work with our employers to both work from home a couple of days a week, so that at least one of us is home throughout the week. If there are occasions where we both have to go into the office, we’ll work with neighbours, others in the street who have dogs/time and local paid for dog walkers to take them out during those days as we’re both slightly too far to pop home at lunch.
Another option is to go in for 1/2 days, then come home at lunch and work from home the second half of days. or vica versa

When they’re old enough I’d like them to be my running buddy.

From everything I’ve read this seems like a plan that could work - I wondered if there was any other advice. 

Offline Mari

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Re: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2020, 12:32:14 PM »
Welcome!

Sounds like a good plan to me. Most dogs can handle being alone for a workday when they are old enough, especially if they get a toilet break, the clue is to introduce them to alone time gradually. And of course, those of us that work outside the home need to dedicate our evenings to our dogs to make up for the hours of boring time during the day. So that means no hobbies unless the dog can be involved. If you are able to have one of you work from home most days I'd say your dog is very lucky. The challenge will be finding reasons/safe places to leave the house during home alone training in the current state of the world. If dogs are trained properly by starting with minutes alone and gradually working up to hours, most adult dogs will sleep when you are at work. If you can do half days or work from home that's fantastic and will give you time to train the puppy for the first however many months it takes to housetrain and make them feel safe being alone.

Offline MIN

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Re: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2020, 09:01:36 PM »
Both my husband and I have worked full time and we have managed to bring up 5 well adjusted dogs (3 at one time) . They had access to  our bedroom and kitchen but most of the day they slept. We know this because our quilt  resembled little warm nests.. The main thing to remember is that even after the hardest day at work your needs come second to that of your dog.
Run free and fly high my beautiful Gemma
2011 - 2023 

                            ----

Offline Barry H

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Re: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« Reply #3 on: December 24, 2020, 09:45:50 AM »
...

When they’re old enough I’d like them to be my running buddy.

From everything I’ve read this seems like a plan that could work - I wondered if there was any other advice.

Hi and welcome!

Sounds like you've thought this through- but good luck with finding a running buddy.  A buddy, absolutely.  Running, doubtful.  Cockers come second only to bloodhounds in loving a good sniff at everything.  Sometimes takes my Cocker (show type) ten minutes to go ten yards - every blade of grass, every tree, weed, bush, lamppost, crisp packet and  assorted flotsam, parked car tyres, gate posts, and countless invisible God-knows-what, not forgetting other people, kids and dogs.  All have to be investigated - thoroughly.  No good if you're in a hurry!

Just sayin'...

Offline IonaD

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Re: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« Reply #4 on: December 24, 2020, 02:21:48 PM »
This is so true. The amount of sniffing that gets done on a walk makes even a 5 minute walk to the park take 15 minutes.

That said I have seen one or two cockers who run with their owners. Bella and I often stop and watch in amazement as they pass by!!


Offline ejp

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Re: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« Reply #5 on: December 24, 2020, 03:01:01 PM »
Welcome to the forum.  You have given this a lot of thought, which is the most important thing.  With respect to a worker or show, workers tend to be higher energy, but that is no guarantee, they both will need regular exercise for body and brain.  We both work full time, but OH does shifts, and we can manage that way, if we have an issue with timing then I would take a half/full days leave to fill in. They love to sniff, it's what they were designed for.  Our very lazy middle aged lady can take ages to go a short distance and I am sure she sees nothing but smells everything! If you are looking for a running mate, maybe have a look at a Canicross group and see what dogs are most popular and if they are handy you could have a nosey  :D
You will know this already, but be careful when buying a puppy, it is the worst it has ever been for puppy farms, imported dogs and backyard breeders, I would hate to see you get caught out.

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« Reply #6 on: December 24, 2020, 03:02:10 PM »


That said I have seen one or two cockers who run with their owners. Bella and I often stop and watch in amazement as they pass by!!

......and Bella is probably thinking  -  „  :005: :005: :005: - rather you than me!“

 :lol2:

Offline deeveecee

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Re: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« Reply #7 on: December 24, 2020, 03:24:52 PM »
You will know this already, but be careful when buying a puppy, it is the worst it has ever been for puppy farms, imported dogs and backyard breeders, I would hate to see you get caught out.

Yes. we've already had to back out twice at very late stages due to issues with breeders.

Offline Mari

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Re: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« Reply #8 on: December 24, 2020, 09:25:29 PM »
You can do intervals with a cocker. Sprint 100m then trip over them as they stop mid-stride to sniff something for a full minute before zooming off at full speed again  :005:  I did jog with my cocker years ago. But I had to have her off leash so she could stop and sniff things, I would keep jogging and then she would catch up with me. I worked fine for my level of fitness, but I was a 3km jog with asthma inhaler in my hand type"runner"  :rofl1:

Offline Seb2020

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Re: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« Reply #9 on: December 26, 2020, 08:15:25 AM »
Welcome to this forum!
We got our now 3.5 months puppy in a very similar context....including getting a buddy runner...so I am following your thread with extreme interest!
It has not been easy at times, but as I type, Seb is asleep on my lap....in one of his angel stages  😊

Our kitchen has become Seb space and it’s the place in the house fully puppy proofed...famous last words....last time we said this Seb found a narrow space under stove escaping to a (unknown for us) all new world behind kitchen cupboard...since then we have a temporary board barring entrance which will be removed when he is too big to go under it. He has controlled under supervision access to the living room.

When WFH is fazed out we will be looking for same rota approach as you self.
What we have learn over the last month and a bit? 1) It seems like we always had him!2) It would have been impossible if we had our old 5 days in the office schedule, specially in the first month 3) other people’s dogs are always better behaved....similar to when you have a baby and only yours does not sleep through the night since birth...if we take at face value other new parents stories! 4) we can not imagine our family without Seb!

All the best
Teresa

Offline cazza

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Re: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« Reply #10 on: December 26, 2020, 02:55:30 PM »
Hi and welcome looks like you are doing your research

Wishing you all the best with finding a decent breeder and your new pup  :luv:

Offline ejp

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Re: Getting a puppy - but preparing for post-covid working
« Reply #11 on: December 26, 2020, 07:11:12 PM »
3) other people’s dogs are always better behaved....
:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: That is so true!