Puppy advice

[Wahine]

I am contemplating getting a puppy. My last dog was a bullmastiff and he was perfect for me and my lifestyle. There is a reputable breeder close by that currently has a litter. I really want one of these puppies.

The problem is that I am away from home for up to 10 hours in a day. I often get up very early to swim with the masters group, head straight to work and don't get home until 6 or later at night. I train a lot.

This is why a bullmastiff is a good choice for me, they are very low key, sleep all day while your gone and don't go stir crazy.

I know that a puppy requires a lot more time and input. So I'm thinking about trying to set things up so I can bring the puppy to work with me. I am a PT and I could set up a kennel in our gym area. I have 2 concerns, a lot of whining and any detrimental effects from kenneling during the day. I would be able to set my schedule up such that I could spend at least a half hour break in the morning and afternoon with the pup and of course my lunch hour.

I haven't had a puppy before. I have always inherited other people's dogs. That's how I got my last bully. So the whole puppy thing is new.

Any input and advice would be greatly appreciated, especially if you're one of those lucky people that get to take their dog to work.

[mimitabby]

Is there a bull mastiff rescue group? You could get another full grown dog. From our own experience, I would never get another dog unless someone was at home full time. It's just not a fun life for a dog to wait all the time for those precious few moments that you are there. And for a puppy, that would be awful.
However, I do like your idea of taking the dog to work. if you can get away with it; by all means!!!

[Wahine]

There is a bullmastiff rescue group, but they don't typically have a lot of dogs and they are almost never anywhere close to me, making it hard to go see them etc. I have been on the look out for a rescue.

DH is home most of the time, but he says he doesn't want the puppy responsibility so I need to figure out how I can make this work in a worst case scenario situation - ie as if he wasn't available to help at all. Realistically, he'll likely help a lot. But I can't make him want to take care of a puppy, it's not fair IMHO.

The cool thing is that if the puppy is quiet, it could likely stay in our break room, where it would see and interact with people a lot. All the people I work with are dog friendly. It would not be able to stay in the break room if it was disruptive to the calm envirnoment that we try to provide at the clinic.

Input?

[tulip]

Have you considered a cat? With all that time away, a cat seems like a better choice, at least for the puppy.

Would DH really not be available to help out? Seems like it should be a joint decision, though, and if he's not into pups, then there's not going to be much convincing him (unless puppy eyes do it).

[bacarver]

Puppies are cute but they are needy and messy and require attention. Fairness calls for the time and ability to nurture them until they mature and calm down. A puppy that doesn't have an available caregiver can develop behavior problems that are difficult to deal with.

Talk to people who have been through puppy raising. Know what you're getting into.

It is easy to dream of the ideal situation and outcome, but reality has its own agenda.

Thank goodness, however, for animal lovers such as yourself!

Good luck!!

Barb

[mimitabby]

Puppies are cute but they are needy and messy and require attention. Fairness calls for the time and ability to nurture them until they mature and calm down. A puppy that doesn't have an available caregiver can develop behavior problems that are difficult to deal with.

Talk to people who have been through puppy raising. Know what you're getting into.

It is easy to dream of the ideal situation and outcome, but reality has its own agenda.

Thank goodness, however, for animal lovers such as yourself!

Good luck!!

Barb

Yeah, it's a lot like having a baby. If one partner is not really interested, that could be a problem.

[kdskaggs]

Hi,

One thing to consider in bringing a puppy to work is that if your gym sells food of any type, it may be against health code to have a dog in the building. This is the case at the gym I train at.

Also, it seems really unfair to bring a puppy into a home where one of the adults doesn't want puppy responsibility and the other works a lot. Puppies need A LOT of attention and care. To believe that a puppy may not be disruptive when in a break room is a lot to expect. My sister has Mastiff's as well and they like to chew and potty everywhere like most pups do. Another option might be to take the pup to doggie daycare during the day so it is well cared for and even potty and obedience trained. Pups don't train themselves so this could be really helpful for you because it doesn't sound like you have the time to take the pup to a classes. I did this for a few weeks while we lived in a motel during construction of our house. It was extremely helpful and my puppy loved it too.

If you have never had a puppy before, you might have unrealistic expectations about potty training -- it's not fun at all and can take as little as a few weeks and up to a year to accomplish. Pups need to go out several times an hour before they understand why they are going out at all. It seems as soon as you take them out and bring them back in, they tinkle on the floor. They are like human babies, they need love and training. I have a saying that it's a good thing puppies are so cute because if they weren't no one would want one because they are so much work! That said, I have two Goldens that are thankfully well beyond the puppy stage and very well trained in obedience. When they get a few years older, I'll be getting a third.

Good luck on your decision and if you have any training questions, feel free to ask.

Kenda