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Ramble
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09-12-2008, 09:52 PM
Originally Posted by Pidge View Post
OK, OK. Ramble We're off to the cash 'n' carry (have a friend who is a registered wholesaler/breeder) on Sat to get a load of things like that and a new, comfy bed for him!

So, apart from his puppy kongs, nylabone, a buster cube etc, what else can I leave him alone with? Bearing in mind a kong with frozen kibble, cheese and gravy will only last max of 10 minutes.
Get a bigger kong!
Should lasty way longer than that...
Get a tray of nature diet and freeze that in it!
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DalaiMama
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09-12-2008, 10:00 PM
Originally Posted by CheekyChihuahua View Post
Pidge, please don't let anyone make you feel guilty. You are a wonderful Mum to Woody. Some owners are around the house all day and take no notice of their pets but feel that just 'being there' is being a good pet owner. Whereas I know you will work your day around giving Woody everything he needs. It's more than obvious he's the love of your life (don't tell your OH I said that ). It's not the quantity of time you spend with Woody, it's the quality of the time and it sounds like you have it all worked out nicely. So long as he is being let out for his 'business' and having some company and a play at lunchtime, I'm sure he'll be happy I had to do it when I had my first dog twenty-odd years ago. It left me exhausted rushing home every lunchtime to see her but just one look at her face made it all worth it. If you do want to go out for a meal in the evenings, you can always do that weekends, when you have been with Woody during the day - it's really not a big deal
Here Here!

Agree with this answer. It makes you feel awful and torn but we have to do what we have to do.

I remember those days of running around the park with my mug of tea and sandwich

My dogs are happy, healthy and well adjusted and I worked for most of their early life with me.

Maybe think about a companion though, I think that helps
a lot.

I used to leave the radio on too, they like Radio Four
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Ramble
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09-12-2008, 10:02 PM
Originally Posted by DalaiMama View Post
Here Here!

Agree with this answer. It makes you feel awful and torn but we have to do what we have to do.

I remember those days of running around the park with my mug of tea and sandwich

My dogs are happy, healthy and well adjusted and I worked for most of their early life with me.

Maybe think about a companion though, I think that helps
a lot.

I used to leave the radio on too, they like Radio Four
Mine like Radio 4 too....
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DalaiMama
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09-12-2008, 10:14 PM
Originally Posted by Ramble View Post
Mine like Radio 4 too....
Kulture, we haz it
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k9xxb
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10-12-2008, 01:05 AM
Well said cheeky chihuahua

You will find what suits you best - everyone can give ideas - be they good or bad and it's good to take note but don't let it rule what you decide.

I work long shifts and my dogs cope fine - i have a kennel outside for them - it's safe, they can't damage anything (except the kennel) and it is padlocked so i know they are safe. I don't have a huge garden but thats something that works for me.

Sometimes i do feel guilty but then when i reason it out - i actually spend more quality time with my dogs than a lot of people who either don't work or only work less hours as they are used to having their dogs around them. I spend my time off with my dogs - i'm not a going out person so my dogs always come first.

The first time is horrid and worrying but wait till you get the greeting that says - wow, hey you're home. You'll feel fine and relieved.
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Pidge
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10-12-2008, 07:20 AM
Thank you so much everyone! I must admit, I don't feel guilty for leaving him as I think 4-5 hours is fine at any one time personally, life couldn't go on without being able to do that and yes, as you say it's the in between time that counts. This little guy is more important to me than anything at the mo (except of course my husband ;o) so I just want to keep him safe and happy. I think crate in the morning so he can sleep from his morning walk, then kitchen in the afternoon for a change of scenery and so he can rest and play, is fine. We'll see how we get on with that.
He's a pretty hardy chap now and so far hasn't ever shown signs of having a problem being left on his own because we started doing it with him from day two. He knows we come back and he knows when we do it's when the fun begins. Sometimes I wonder if he knows this so well he sleeps to store up his energy so he can play and play and play!! Little scamp ;o)
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Doofuz
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10-12-2008, 07:43 AM
What CheekyChi said, people would never get dogs if they had to work part time before they got one. Pidge, your routine is similar to mine, but we don't crate him at all now, he sleeps in a bed and in a bed in the puppy proofed kitchen. He gets a walk in the morning, lunchtime and in the evenings at the beach. We socialise either with him (he comes everywhere with us, that we can manage) or we socialise at weekends when he has spent the day with us. We are a young couple and we are not interested in clubs anymore, it's all fields and the beach! (we are even taking him to France) so the effort you put in isn't anything to do with when you are working, it's when your not, and what you do with him.
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hades
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10-12-2008, 03:01 PM
Baby gates are great but just make sure you puppy proof the area he has got the run of.
That said you can never 100% puppy proof anything the little bgger$ will find some thing there not allowed or dangerous to play with!!!!
We got our boy a giant size crate when he as about 5 months not just to grow into, but also to give him room to play, strech and have a little walk about incase we have to go out for 3 or more hours. He had a medium size before that.
He's about the size of a boxer+ so we did need to get him a bigger one, but not giant size but it gave me a piece of mind knowing he could have a play, little run about, and do what pups love to do if we had to go out.
He now has run of the house if we have to go out, apart from the bedrooms which have baby gates (untill he gets over his underwear and sock fetish and then were let him have full run of the house)
Like other have said kongs...treat balls....tug o ropes etc are all great, and because hes quite young a radio on low might help him not feel alone.
A good walk in the morning...lunch time and afta work will help aswell!
Not to much though..hes very young, hes a cracking looking pup by the way!!!
Hope this helps
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IsoChick
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10-12-2008, 03:06 PM
Just thought to add....

As Woody grows up, you may want to replace the baby-gate with a dog gate instead... they are exactly the same, but about 3.5-4ft high (made by the same people, can buy them in Argos)

Max was able to get over a standard baby-gate with ease after a few months, and we would go up to bed, and then hear a scrabbly-scrabble noise, mad running up the stairs and there Max would be.... He has only ever jumped the larger one once in an absolute panic...
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Anne-Marie
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10-12-2008, 03:49 PM
Some really good posts here that I am sure other Dogsey members going through the same thing will find helpful

That's a good idea to buy a larger Kong - I couldn't believe it when you said Woody gets through a frozen Kong in 10 mins Wow, Marius has his for over an hour and he has some gob on him (like his mum)!!! I wouldn't have thought he'd need many other toys than what you've mentioned, but one thing I think does help is to alternate them so he doesn't get bored having the same ones all the time. I used to do this with Marius, ring the changes and keep his interest up.

I have to agree that leaving him for a few hours at a time is fine. He is getting exercised, fed and emptied before you leave, he will undoubtedly be tired after all that and sleep for quite a while.

I think some people can go too far the other way and never leave their dogs alone. This can lead to problems, whereby they can get separation anxiety as they have never learned to cope with being on their own.

Glad you have been able to reach a decision on where to put Woody He looks more gorgeous each time I see him
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