Large breed puppy questions!

Got some puppy questions for you all!

As some of you well know, I have a slight obsession with Boxers they would be my #1 choice for a large breed puppy, but in case you can think of any other breeds you would feel may situation better I am open to suggestions!!

I own my house, its a two bed house but isn't huge, and I have a completely secure fully enclosed garden, but again it is on the smaller side.... Hopefully I will be moving to a bigger place in a couple of years but the puppy would grow up here!

What is the maximum amount of time you would leave a pup in the house? I don't mean in the first few weeks of getting the pup, but just in general. Would 4 hours a day, 5 days a week be okay? As much as the pup would be crated, the other dogs would be in the house too so they would have company.

I suppose the small garden and being left for about 4 hours a day (once settled in) are my main concerns!

Thoughts?

In all honesty, I think 4 hours a day is not a problem.. maybe just in the beginning when you house train them. might take a bit longer that way.. As long as they get a good walk before being left and a good walk when you get home, I can not see a problem there..

Hello Kammi although some puppies are ok when left on a regular basis others react very badly and you have no way of knowing before hand how your puppy will react.

Personally I would not leave a puppy alone on a regular basis.

I have never worried about how big or small a garden is as it is mainly for us humans to enjoy. Doglets prefer to go for walks and use the garden to have a bit of fun with us or just to relax in. Also for the toilet training to begin with but after that they usually go when out on a walk. At first yes four hours could be to much when toilet training but after then yes they can be left for that long if needs be. Safer in a crate than roaming around eating wires, furniture, carpets etc. Best time for getting a new pup is when you have a holiday so that you can get it used to being left gradually over the few days that you are home and not at work. Best of all have fun and have everything in place before you get pup. What other dogs do you have? If small breeds would a larger one get on with them? Always lots to think about.

4hrs left alone for any puppy /young dog is to much, specially if you are leaving it in a crate, the fact it has other dogs there will not make a difference.

4 hrs for an older dog regardless of size /breed is a different matter, Boxers are high energy exuberant dogs, and left alone to their own devises can lead to destruction, again it wont matter how much exercise you have given it beforehand...

If you want a puppy, then maybe you need to think about someone coming in while you are out, to see to pups needs......

I have never left a young pup alone for longer than an hr or so, and they have all been crated.

Millie was crated till she was around 3 yrs old, so it made my leaving the house for long periods harder, I have to make sure some one could come home to her whilst I was out.

Figo is no longer crated, he has not been for a good while now, and I am just about leaving him alone now for around 3 to 4 hrs now at a push, any longer and I would not be comfortable with.

Maybe if you are set on a Boxer, look at an older one that will be content to be left for long periods.

Thanks all.

When I got alfie (JRT cross) he was 9 weeks old and after about two weeks he was left for 4/5 hours each morning 5 days a week and he just adapted to this and it was never a problem, but I am aware that different breeds would cope with things better than others.

I will be looking for a puppy and not a rescue dog when I go down this route, but it isn't in the very near future as the next dog I'm getting (I am looking for at the moment) will be an adult from a rescue! Hope that makes sense!

I love boxers, but I wouldn't get one just on that reason alone, it would have to be beneficial for the both of us obviously, so I will be looking into other breeds too

With Boxers it will be the pup, kind of a coin flip.

Boxer's are considered a large breed?
(JK, got to remember I think of anything under 120lbs as a small dog)

I don't leave my youngster regularly, but he easily does 5 hours alone and has done from around 5 months old and while not something I would be comfortable with I do know people in full time work who leave their dogs all day more or less with just a pre break at lunch etc. Certainly in the beginning you'd need to consider a dog walker or friend/family member to let pup out in the garden, but in general I'd expect even a fairly young dog to settle for 4 hours once provided with enough exercise and stimulation.

As for garden size, mine is tiny and I have three dogs. Size is not important IMO as that is not where we exercise or play. The dogs don't use it all that much to be honest as they prefer going out for walks and doing other things. Before this place we lived in a flat with no private garden!