When we got Dusti, my husband worked days and I worked nights. It is not the best setup for a husband/wife, but it was great for puppy raising coz someone was ALWAYS home. We put her crate right next to the bed so we could take her out conveniently. She slept that way until she moved up past the 25lb crate (around 4 months I think?) which wouldn't fit through our bedroom doorway without disassembling and by then she was sleeping through the night.
I think the basic rule of thumb is two hours for every month of puppy age.....unless I have it backwards. But anyway, a two month dog should only be asked to hold it 4 hours MAX, and of course at first that might even be too much. That rule held fairly true with Dusti when she was young she would go out before bed, once during the night, and immediately in the morning - assuming an 8 hour night that's every 4 hours. She was an only dog, but she grew up together with 2 kittens - they were all the same age so they did actually play together. I walked her nightly for approx an hour before I left for work - lots of bonding and socializing to do! Plus exercise, so she would sleep while I was gone. With someone constantly home, even if we weren't interacting with her (sleeping) she still felt our presence.
This was Dusti on her first night with us which was her 8 week birthday, she was shy and hid between the stove and counter for most of the first day!
After I got fired from that job, when I was unemployed so of course I was home alot, but when I started being gone back to work constantly we did get a second dog. Dusti was 3 and Hawk was 4 when we got him, they were both only dogs previously, so they aren't just super-attached like can't-be-apart, but they still don't like going outside without the other one. If you do have to be gone a lot it is nicer if your dog can have a dog companion, but whatever you do, DO NOT attempt to raise two puppies at once!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not sure where all the black went, she looks so much redder as an adult!
I think the basic rule of thumb is two hours for every month of puppy age.....unless I have it backwards. But anyway, a two month dog should only be asked to hold it 4 hours MAX, and of course at first that might even be too much. That rule held fairly true with Dusti when she was young she would go out before bed, once during the night, and immediately in the morning - assuming an 8 hour night that's every 4 hours. She was an only dog, but she grew up together with 2 kittens - they were all the same age so they did actually play together. I walked her nightly for approx an hour before I left for work - lots of bonding and socializing to do! Plus exercise, so she would sleep while I was gone. With someone constantly home, even if we weren't interacting with her (sleeping) she still felt our presence.
This was Dusti on her first night with us which was her 8 week birthday, she was shy and hid between the stove and counter for most of the first day!
After I got fired from that job, when I was unemployed so of course I was home alot, but when I started being gone back to work constantly we did get a second dog. Dusti was 3 and Hawk was 4 when we got him, they were both only dogs previously, so they aren't just super-attached like can't-be-apart, but they still don't like going outside without the other one. If you do have to be gone a lot it is nicer if your dog can have a dog companion, but whatever you do, DO NOT attempt to raise two puppies at once!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not sure where all the black went, she looks so much redder as an adult!
