# New puppy help!



## JuniorD (Oct 14, 2012)

Hi All, 

I just had a few questions from all the experts in this forum! 
This past weekend I got a 9 week old Havanese puppy. I brought him home and he is adjusting well. However, I do have some concerns and questions. 
When I got Junior I didn't think about him being alone all day (everyone at home works a 9-5). 
I've worked from home for the past 2 days because I didn't want to leave him alone but tomorrow I will have to go back to work. I do have him sleeping in his crate at night (with it locked). The first 2 days he cried but last night he slept well and only cried around 4am when he needed to be let out to go potty. 

During the day he's been roaming around the main floor of my house but spends most of his time following me around or sleeping in his crate (open and not locked). However, if I do lock it he cries for a really long time. 

Now my biggest question is. What should I do if he's going to be home alone during the day tomorrow? I do have an area in my laundry room in which he can roam around, play with his toys and I will put a little bed in there for him. But will that be okay? I will try to have someone come home and take him out during the day but thats not guaranteed. 

Thoughts?


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## Fashiongal21 (Apr 23, 2012)

JuniorD said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I just had a few questions from all the experts in this forum!
> This past weekend I got a 9 week old Havanese puppy. I brought him home and he is adjusting well. However, I do have some concerns and questions.
> ...


Greetings and Welcome!
We have a similar situation, We keep Mossimo in an EXPEN, that we ordered off Amazon in our kitchen, with enough room for his pee pad on 1 side and a little pillow bed on the other, some toys, chewies etc.
We didnt want to keep in locked in a crate all day either. The only time he sleeps in his crate is at bedtime.


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## queryne (Apr 9, 2012)

Ditto here.. I getting new guy in less than 2 weeks and we've ordered 2 expens for him. One for the kitchen and one for the living room. All that read here (and in general) suggests its best not to give them free reign early on. 


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

you definitely should have someone come in for an hour. Nine hours alone is only asking for trouble, and it 's not fair to your pup. Boredom barking is a big risk along with separation distress and possibly separation anxiety.


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

Rule of thumb that my vet told me; age of the puppy (in months) +1 is the maximum time they should be left alone. for a 9 week puppy (2 +1=3), he should be alone for more than 3 hours at a time.

I work. I waited until my puppy was 14 weeks before I got her home, and I either 1. come home at noon and let her out and have a good play, 2. have someone else come by my house and let her out or 3. send her to doggie daycare for the day. I use a combo of these 3 to make it work. a 9 week old pup is like a newborn baby and need a lot of attention.


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## Alexa (Jun 17, 2007)

I don't think there is a great way to say this, but don't be surprised if you are not getting a lot of responses here. I think we are all collectively holding our tongues. "When I got Junior I didn't think about him being alone all day" is not a good beginning for a successful dog ownership of a Havanese Puppy or any puppy for all it matters. I don't want this to sound too harsh, but I am worried about the pup because it just doesn't sound like you put a whole lot of thought into this upfront and that tends to lead to a whole lot of problems in the end.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

I think your laundry room is good . My maddie climbed out of the x pin and hurt herself. I hope you figured out for someone to come be with your new baby. I stayed home for two weeks and then the longest they were alone was 4 hrs . I added a second havanese three mo apart and they really keep each other company. There ia a service called sitter.com and they have a pet area maybe you could advertise for someone to puppy sit for awhile.


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## sandypaws (Aug 8, 2012)

I agree with Alexa's comments. It doesn't sound like you put any thought into his being alone for such a long time while you are at work before you got him. I'm actually surprised that your breeder didn't have something to say about your situation as they usually want to know everything about the puppy's new home as well as the situation the puppy will be going into. A Havanese is a companion animal and needs to have human contact in order to thrive. I believe that you mentioned that while you are home, he follows you around. This is what they were bred to do. It's their job and they will become very despondent without doing what they were bred to do. Not to judge you, but it is not fair for the puppy. He is a baby, in fact, and you would never leave a baby to fend for itself. Just my 2 cents as you asked the opinion of the forums members


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

sandypaws said:


> I agree with Alexa's comments. It doesn't sound like you put any thought into his being alone for such a long time while you are at work before you got him. I'm actually surprised that your breeder didn't have something to say about your situation as they usually want to know everything about the puppy's new home as well as the situation the puppy will be going into. A Havanese is a companion animal and needs to have human contact in order to thrive. I believe that you mentioned that while you are home, he follows you around. This is what they were bred to do. It's their job and they will become very despondent without doing what they were bred to do. Not to judge you, but it is not fair for the puppy. He is a baby, in fact, and you would never leave a baby to fend for itself. Just my 2 cents as you asked the opinion of the forums members


ya, sadly, since she didn't put much thought into getting the puppy, odds are in came from a not very ethical breeder...
and yes, we are all trying to hold our tongues at this point so as not to offend anyone.
These dogs are born to be around their people. that is their 'job', what they live to do.


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## jgb919 (May 14, 2012)

It can be done, if you're consistent and have a plan for at least the next couple of weeks, if not months.

We got Stanley at 9 weeks and took the first week off in order for him to get acclimated. But then week two came around and we made him fit our routine, not the other way around. Wake up 6:30 play, feed, walk, play pen. Out the door at 8:30. Back for a play hour from 12-1. Back for the night at 5 for play, feed, walk etc. We did this for 2 straight months.

We always left him in a 4x4 expen, plenty of toys, pee pad and water. I won't say he loved it at first but he certainly got used to it quickly. Now at 5 months he loves his pen, and I think he looks forward to it when we leave because he gets his special treats. 

Now we come home at lunch 2-3 times a week, he's home from 9-5 for a day or two each week. Once he's neutered we're going to get him into doggy day care for 2 days a week.

So while you should have considered all this before getting a puppy, it can be done. Keep your chin up!


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## queryne (Apr 9, 2012)

Awesome response. I agree it can be done. You need to establish routine that doesn't leave Junior at home too long at first and work from there. All you need is some planning.


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

exactly.. it totally can be done.. many of us work full time outside of the home and have wonderfully happy dogs. Being as young as yours is, he will need someone coming into the house during the day -- just work on a plan for your family for the next few months. He will get use to the routine and the schedule, but it will just take some time. Congrats on your new addition!!! do you have any pics of Junior?


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## queryne (Apr 9, 2012)

what was i thinking?? How could i forgot to ask for pictures!? Seems to be a tradition around here. So.. let's see those pics! :biggrin1:


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## lise (Sep 1, 2006)

Your puppy should be fed 3 times a day which includes lunch. The nickname if you haven't read it before is "velcro dogs". They latch on to you and really need to be with you. You will need someone to go at lunch and feed your puppy and let it out for a run around and some company.


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## Stites11 (Sep 17, 2012)

I have a similar situation. We have had our pup for 3 weeks, she is 16 weeks old and when we are both working (it has only been 3 days a week so far) I come home at lunch to play and walk. My problem is the ex pen didnt work for us. Every contraption I made she got out of! I have been using the crate the last couple of days and I am not happy about it. I have a trainer coming in tomorrow and will hopefully offer some suggestions. With both the ex pen and the crate she whines in the morning when we get ready and then when we put her in and leave she barks. When I come home for lunch I always have to wake her and she is very sleepy.


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## Anna6 (Oct 21, 2012)

I would get one of those pee pads that looks like fake grass. There is also a spray you spray on the pad to make it irresistable for them to do their busines there. Make sure there is nothing in the laundry room Junior can chew on that can harm him. I would still have some one stop by if possible to spend some time running and playing with Junior. Best wishes with figuring out what works for your family.


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## queryne (Apr 9, 2012)

That's a good idea . Here's the one my breeder recommended: http://rascaldoglitterbox.com/ . It comes with the spray. I think you should give it a try.

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## Cosmosmom (Jan 12, 2007)

I agree with the other comments . A 9 week puppy should not be left alone that long .. I know a lot depends on the temperment of the puppy .
9 weeks is very young and there needs to be a bonding period . Is it possible a neighbor or nearby relative could come in for a couple of hours a day .
I have had 2 puppies and I got Ollie when he was a year . I could not have left either of the puppies alone because of their temperment . Cosmo had severe Seperation anxiety .
my first Havanese Asta - it was in the breeders contract that he was not to be left alone for long periods of time . 
I think like someone else suggested the laundry room would be best but still they get bored and then there is the issue of their soiled pee pee pads . 
They can be mischeivous that is part of their charm !! Good luck - enjoy your puppy and hopefully you can find someone who can help you out . Who could say No to spending time with these sweet little guys !!


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## Cosmosmom (Jan 12, 2007)

I am back again as I did not want to make you feel guilty and come off as holier than thou . 
Like someone posted there are many members who work and they have worked it out and found a workable solution . 
it was just stressed to me when I got my puppies by my breeders that they did not do well on their own for long periods of time as they were very social and it was also in my breeders contract .
I got a companion dog for Cosmo as the vet recommended I get him a companion dog because he had severe seperation anxiety whether I was with him or not . She picked it up on the first visit and warned me it was not going to improve and he would do better with a buddy .


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

An ex pen would be a good idea. Put toys, water, bed, pee pad, games etc in there. You can also leave a t shirt with your scent on it. Leave a radio on too. 

These dogs are bred to be with people. I fear if you leave the pup alone for that many hour he could develop a lot of issues. One big one would be separation anxiety, not to mention housebreaking issues. Here is what I do when I work a long day. I get up at the crack of dawn and walk them for 30-45 min. This way they are nice and tired. It sucks getting up early, but I don't want them anxious when I am gone. Plus, I figure I signed up for it when I made the commitment of buying 3 dogs. Then I hire a dog walker to come in at the 4th or 5th hour to walk them for another 30-45 min. If my day goes longer, I hire her to come back for a dinner visit and another walk or just hire her for the entire day. It's a lot of cost and time, but it's what the dog deserves. No dog should be kept contained for that many hours day after day. I hope you can work it out Good Luck and keep us posted. Would love to see pictures!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Stites11 said:


> I have a similar situation. We have had our pup for 3 weeks, she is 16 weeks old and when we are both working (it has only been 3 days a week so far) I come home at lunch to play and walk. My problem is the ex pen didnt work for us. Every contraption I made she got out of! I have been using the crate the last couple of days and I am not happy about it. I have a trainer coming in tomorrow and will hopefully offer some suggestions. With both the ex pen and the crate she whines in the morning when we get ready and then when we put her in and leave she barks. When I come home for lunch I always have to wake her and she is very sleepy.


If she climbs out of the pen, try to medium sized crates. I did this with a foster dog. I took the doors off and put the crates together face to face. One of the crates had 2 doors, so I used that door for access. One side was potty area and the other was bed, toys, water etc. Two medium crates put together, is a very large area for a wee pup!


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## lise (Sep 1, 2006)

What height pen did you get. Mine is 30" high. Ted is on the smaller side but he has never gotten out.


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## Lizarduva (Nov 8, 2012)

I'm getting a puppy at the end of November that will be about 10 weeks old. My boyfriend and I both work 8 hour days, BUT fortunately we have off schedules. We've calculated our dog will be home alone for 6 1/2 hours each work day. For the first few months though - probably through April - I worked it out with my boss to take a longer lunch break and work a little later each day so I can come home, let the puppy out, and play with it. Once it's a little older I plan on taking it to doggy day care at least once a week just to prevent boredom. 

Are there different shifts at your work that you might be able to take so that way there is someone with the puppy during the day more than there is now? Or could you possibly work with your boss to work from home for a few months? Just some thoughts but I'm sure there is a solution that would work for you and your situation.

Liz


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## Beau's mom (Oct 6, 2011)

Did we lose JuniorD?? Perhaps, we jumped on her a little too hard, too fast?? Maybe we should have taken a "let's see if we can help" tack at first?


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## Ruthi (Nov 10, 2011)

I hope not. It can be worked out. It sucks to ask for help and feel as if everyone is against you. I know how it feels. Hopefully she can work something out. She seems motivated to come on here and ask. We all make decisions every now and then, we should have thought out more. Please come back and post some pics


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## riverlogic (Mar 1, 2012)

It was a valid point to make, and was my first thought as well on reading the post. That said, Mike and I both work full time, but we managed our schedules well with our little Bucky when we got him so that he was only alone for a few hours max. It's doable. We're getting our new Hav puppy this week, and we're both looking at what time we can take off from work to be home with our pup. A lot of dog owners responsibly manage work and puppies, and there were some excellent suggestions for Junior. Not everyone has the flexibility Mike and I do. 
Maybe a neighbour or a friend could come in Junior? 
Would be nice to see some pics 
Michelle


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