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