crate training schedule for working couple - critique me, please!

[kflanaga]

My wife and I are considering a puppy, which I have wanted all my life (as an aside, my mom would never let me get a dog, and she said, "when you are on your own and financially independent, I will buy you any dog you want." And so, I'm taking her up on this). Anyway, my wife and I both work. My schedule is relatively flexible, her's not so much. Luckily, I don't sleep much, so I have a little extra time every day that most people don't. How would this be:

6 AM - 6:30 AM - Decently long walk (I jog every morning, and when he/she is older would be welcome to come)
6:30 - 8 AM - I go to gym. Dog crated until he can handle being out this long without getting in trouble, which I hope wouldn't be more than a few weeks or months at most.
8:15-8:25 AM - Quick outside to get everything out before the work day.
8:30 AM - 5:45 - Crated, with possibility for dog walker (30 min) during the day while the puppy is young. Obviously, I don't want to crate him during the day once he can be trusted (9 months?).
5:45 PM - 11:30 PM - Whatever he needs. I don't take work home, and am willing to walk him around Manhattan in the evenings.

I REALLY would prefer to get a puppy for my first dog (c'mon, I've been waiting more than 25 years, and I promise to adopt an adult dog later in life!) and I'm busy doing homework. But, if my schedule doesn't allow it, I will postpone my puppy desires until it does.

Help me out.

 

[Ms.Kryssie]

Maybe I can help you out by giving you a general schedule for a puppy, since you gave us your schedule, and you see if this matches. This is how it goes with a new puppy at home:

Bring your new bundle of joy home. Its great, shes so cute and playful. You take her out every hour on the hour to potty, especially after she eats. You chase her thru-out your home to make sure she isn't chewing on electrical cords, doing her business on your carpet, or destroying your possessions. You think you have done this to perfection, when you go to get in bed with your new pup safely in her crate, then you step in poo by your bedside. Clean the poo up, then you need to take her out again just to make sure she has done it all this time, keeping in mind that puppies poo and pee at least every hour. The pup goes back to the crate. The pup starts whining, after all it's the pups first of many nights away from its litter. The pup continues to whine for at LEAST a week ( it was MUCH more w/skyler) until it adjusts to the crate, no matter what you put in the crate with her. Which Skyler isnt crated at night now, we gave up and let her sleep with us. You get up every morning to poo and pee in the crate, and a pup with poo and pee on them to be cleaned up, if you can sleep from the whining. You will come home to this for weeks or mths to come, depending on your dog, and how long they can "hold" their business. You decide after a few weeks/mths like you mentioned to let the dog stay out of the crate and come home one day, and she has ate your couch, your wife's plants, and your wedding pictures because you didnt crate her for 10 hours. (IMO this is way too long for any dog to be crated.) Puppies are curious, no matter how good they are when you are at home, they will get into things when you are away out of boredom. This routine will go on for weeks/mths on end. IMO, dogs are more work than kids are.
I only work 6 hrs per day, and when Skyler was younger, I made it a point to come home and let her out of her kennel once per day at lunchtime, so she wasn't in there but 3 hr stretches for the first 6 mths of her life, and for the first 2 mths, she couldnt make it for 3 hrs, and you cant punish the pup for this. Its not their fault.

If you are sure that you want a pup, please consider doggie daycare, pet sitter, a teenager looking for extra spending money over the summer, or someone that will come in more than once per day, I would recommend at least 3 times, if you are going to crate her for that period of time, or else I think you will just get disgusted and frustrated with your puppy. This could be a great experience, but think about your schedule, and figure up just exactly how much time you would have to devote to your dog.

In closing, Boxer's are a breed that need a LOT of attention. They are just like children, they need early training and lot's of guidance and love.

Good luck with your decision, and let us know!! :D

 

[Eric J]

Ms. Kryssie,
Thanks for the great schedule. I am getting my furbaby end of August, and this was pretty much what I expect, but I have the time/drive/love to do it. Thanks again!

 

[JulieM]

8:30 AM - 5:45 - Crated, with possibility for dog walker (30 min) during the day while the puppy is young. Obviously, I don't want to crate him during the day once he can be trusted (9 months?).

ROFLMAO! Try 2 years - and even then you have to be careful! :D

(Actually, some people have Boxers that do well in the house at young ages....I am not one of them....I have very slow-maturing lines....I kind of like it that way )

I would say, though, that for that time period you should either get someone to come in a couple of times a day or enlarge the puppy's space so it has a separate potty area. Puppies should only be expected to 'hold it' for one hour more than their age in months - so if you get a (typically) 8-week old pup, 3 hours is the longest he should go without a break. You can puppy-proof a small room - laundry rooms and bathrooms can work well - or get an ex-pen and set it up around (or attach it to the front of) his crate, with newspapers in the far corner.

 

[TayandRee]

Princess is 2 months and I am a SAHM with her and my skin kids. Man, I take her out all day, the weather is nice so I spend most of my day outside with her and the kids while she tries to eat the flowers I am planting. And despite all that time outside (I am talking like 4 or 5 hours a day out playing and peeing and pooping) and the hourly outsides I take her on, I still feel like I am always cleaning pee. She is really good on the poop, she scratches the door now, but she still pees everywhere.

We don't crate her at night, even in our room she cried so much she was keeping my kids up (how is that for a change LOL) but so far no accidents on my bed, she gives me a tongue bath when she has to pee. Basically what I was leading too on this is I cannot BELIEVE how much energy this dog has even with all this outdoor time. It works well for us, we have a huge yard and we are finally going to put up our fence this week, which will only mean more outdoor time for her, but they have lots of energy and love to play. Anyway, being a new boxer mom myself that is really the only thing I can add.

 

[cfhtlhii]

:D :D :D
Ms Kryssie,
OK! You just totally described my home for the first couple of months having Princess here! Went thru a whole bottle of shampoo for her!!!:p :p :p :p

Connie

 

[myrocky]

You guys forgot the best part about owning a puppy.........getting up 2-3 times in the middle of the night for potty breaks Our favorite part right? :p

Young puppies can't be expected to hold it all night long. Some get up 2-3 times in the middle of the night to go outside. So if you don't mind getting up at midnight, then again at 2am then again at 4am and no more sleeping in on the weekends well then you might survive puppyhood. LOL

I plan on always crating my dogs no matter what age they are, it is for my peace of mind as well as their safety :D

 

[BRIDGIT]

I know for me and my first puppy it was a learning experience. I decided to crate train and it has been the best decision. She is only in there for about 4 hours at a time.

Dog crated until he can handle being out this long without getting in trouble, which I hope wouldn't be more than a few weeks or months at most.

That is what I expected and boy was I wrong. Jasmine is now 9 months old today and can not be left in the house alone. I tried it once and she chewed on my fiancee's motorcycle.:eek: She likes her crate, mostly because she knows she gets a kong filled with treats. Good luck and your new addition, I bet you can't wait! It is a lot of work but I wouldn't trade one day of it.

 

[lshea]

I couldn' t help laughing when I read this message thread. As a first time home owner (well condo), I was so excited when I was finally able to get a pet. My husband and I both work during the day, but we had the same schedule picked out that the original poster outlined. We thought we were set! He he! We found out pretty quickly just how much attention these little guys need. Even though they need to go out about 200 times a day and 200 times during the night, I wouldn't trade my experience for the world. Every accident in the house is forgotten when they look at you with those big puppy dog eyes. :D

Rudy is 11 weeks old now (we got him when he was 6)--it's amazing to watch him grow day by day and the new things he learns. If you are willing to sacrafice your lifestyle for the first few months, I think you can make it work.

 

[diego's heart]

Originally posted by lshea
Rudy is 11 weeks old now (we got him when he was 6)--it's amazing to watch him grow day by day and the new things he learns. If you are willing to sacrafice your lifestyle for the first few months, I think you can make it work.

Bingo..!

And Andie - potty breaks! you got that right !!!

Lisa