Jump to content

Advice Regarding Getting A Pup


Recommended Posts

Hi, I am looking for a little bit of advice for my girlfriend.

 

Herself and her family are considering getting their first lurcher (about time :toast: ).

The problem they have is their work commitments. Their current situation should it be sensible for them to get the pup is as follows:

 

The last person is gone to work at 8 so the pup would be let out first thing around 6 and then again just before 8. Nobody would be in from 8 until half 12, then from half 12 until 3 somebody will be in. Then from 3 until 6 nobody will be in again.

 

So we was just wondering could a pup be left in the times that nobody will be around? I understand 8 until 12 is 4 hours and might be a long time in respect to a puppy but has anyone else been in a similar situation before or think this could work?

 

Sorry for the long post and thanks for your help :thumbs:

 

atb Jim

Link to post

Make sure they get a pup from a known line of dogs with good laid back temperaments: none of your high maintenance, high drive animals: some Collies and Saluki types can be some of the worst as pups, not all of course, but Saluki types don't tend to do well on their own, and many Collie types are too damn bright to cope with being shut up for hours.

 

Make sure the pup is outside in a warm kennel and sheltered run with a roof over it. Put a radio in there playing easy-on-the-ear music: my dogs get Radio 2: a mixture of talking and music: that way they don't feel so alone. Make sure there are plenty of soft furry toys for the pup to cuddle up to: heat as well. You can get heat pads which you place under the bedding. It might be summer, but a small pup chills quickly without another body to snuggle up to, and a warm pup is much more relaxed and content than a cold pup.

 

Food based toys will also help to stave off boredom: you can get toys which you stuff with food, though a good meaty bone will keep a pup happy for a few hours, by which time it will be exhausted from chewing on it and hopefully go to sleep.

 

I wouldn't recommend leaving a small pup in a crate indoors as it will get used to messing in the crate, and be harder to house train. By all means have it inside at night and when you are there, and dogs soon learn that they go in certain places at certain times of day etc. But temperament is everything, which means that they must pick the right, easy going pup from the right lines in the first place.

 

If they have a utility room leading into the garden then the pup could go in there, but it will mess and pee, there's no doubt about that at all: newspaper by the back door helps, and if the training is done properly, the pup will use the newspaper until it can hold on when its older. Thing is not to leave it in a room which doesn't access the back yard or garden, or the pup may tend to mess in it for a lot longer.

 

The important thing is for the family to get the pup when they are not at work: preferably for a week, that way they can get the pup used to the routine that they normally follow when they are at work, but they are there to slide the pup into that routine under supervision.

Link to post

Thanks for your input, thats some good advice :yes:

 

The pup she is looking into getting is a pup from a litter my uncle just had, it was a lurcher (more greyhound in her than anything) x to a whippet greyhound, she is very chilled out and laid back. So we know the dam very well and are confident that these pups should be easy going all being well.

 

The option of kennel hasn't been mentioned but I think it could be a good way to go. The original plan if feasible was to keep the pup in the back utility room that has french doors that open into the garden and as I mentioned follow that routine. If a week could be booked off worked do you think the routine would work and be fair on the pup?

 

Again thanks a bunch its really helpful :thumbs:

 

Jim

Link to post

Crate training could be the way to go..........my last 2 dogs were all trained this way..............they have never soiled their beds................and even if they did, it would have been a contained mess. The first was trained to use papers........I found this a longer and messier procedure. I work.........and my dogs are all locked inside during the day to keep them secure................they have Radio 2 to entertain them. On days when I know I won't get home to let them out at lunchtime I always leave them some newspapers to target if they are desperate................they really very rarely need them, I reckon they lie and sleep most of the day.

Link to post

Crate training could be the way to go..........my last 2 dogs were all trained this way..............they have never soiled their beds................and even if they did, it would have been a contained mess. The first was trained to use papers........I found this a longer and messier procedure. I work.........and my dogs are all locked inside during the day to keep them secure................they have Radio 2 to entertain them. On days when I know I won't get home to let them out at lunchtime I always leave them some newspapers to target if they are desperate................they really very rarely need them, I reckon they lie and sleep most of the day.

 

 

Thanks for that mate. I think we will go down the crate training route and stick the radio on.

 

atb Jim

Link to post

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...