First time Doberman owner and working full time. Help/Advice?

[hines.austin94]

Hello all,

I felt I needed to make an account after reading a few posts about this.
As the title says, I'll be a first time Dobie Dad coming up here in just a few short days. I have recently been doing some [over]thinking about how I will be able to make my dog feel better while I am working full-time. I am a newly graduated chiropractor and just started a job at The Joint (please don't hate on my profession or employment, it has been very difficult and a rollercoaster trying to find a job). I am concerned about leaving him alone from ~9:30-7:30 (including commute time).

I had the idea to lay down a kids play mat covered by linoleum and then surround it with a play pen and zip tie that to his crate (just so it won't fall over) so that he would at least be able to play and not be cooped up for 10 hours. It's not perfect or ideal but all things considered, is this a decent/good idea? I know this will probably mean a few accidents but I would just have to deal with that. I am still worried about serious messes (him rolling around or getting pee/poop all in his fur all the time), the psychological impacts that may not entirely manifest themselves until way later, and making bonding with him more difficult. Believe me when I say I haven't even met this dog yet but I already love him so so much and will put in the effort whenever I am not working to bond and train and play with him, making sure he is feeling loved and happy.

I decided to post this because the posts I've read from others have been very positive even if they have different suggestions or thought-provoking questions. I am so excited to be a new Dobie Dad and want to be the best I can so any and all advice or helpful tips are always appreciated!

Thank y'all and sorry for the super long post!

 

[Doberman Gang]

I would kennel your dog while you are gone. Your dog will feel much safer than be loose. It is also a much safer option. Dogs are den animals and it is a much better option.

 

[Ravenbird]

I know you are excited about becoming a new Dober-Dad, but leaving a pup alone for 10 hours a day is going to be a hardship on you both. How old is he when you bring him home? I'm assuming you are getting a puppy, but if it's an older dog thats house trained that would change a lot of my concerns.

Assuming a puppy: If you could have a trusted friend or neighbor come take him out at least once a day while you're at work, that would be the best, in addition to coming home on your lunch break. I agree that a crate type kennel is safer than an indoor pen. They can also bark and howl non-stop which will cause problems if you are in an apartment situation. Chewing the bed & toys with no supervision can lead to swallowing fabric/plastic/rubber etc. and causing blockage - a deadly situation. Your house training will become terribly difficult since there will be nobody there to give him an options except to soil his area, then being a confined young puppy will probably get it all over himself - thus needing a bath the instant you get home. Even if you used the pen and he pooped and peed outside the crate, this is going to be an awful smell to come home to. Plus he will assume that going on the floor in the house is "OK", so again, harder to learn it's not the place to go. A puppy needs to go out at least every couple of hours during the day at 10 weeks, and about every 3 hours over night.

I wish you the best, I think there are several people here who have raised puppies while working full time, so I hope they chime in with some suggestions.

 

[Gpcoguy]

I did both of the above with Rose. Had a crate/playpen setup and had a neighbor come in twice a day to let her out

 

[LifeofRubie]

Mirroring other people's responses: I crated during the day and had help from family. Crating really is the way to go when they're young and alone and even overnight.

My commute was about 25 minutes one way (when Rubie was a puppy) but there were times I would make the trip home over lunch to spend 15 minutes with her. Otherwise, my mom or sister would stop by and either let her out or take her to their house for a bit and I would pick her up on the way home.

I would get a up a little earlier in the AM when she was very young to spend extra time with her before leaving and then evenings were spent with mental stimulation, play, and classes. If your puppy is appropriately stimulated when not in the crate, crate time isn't usually a big deal and they will settle in to your routine.

Curious, are those 4 ten hour days and then 3 days off during the week? It can totally be done and if everyone who worked full-time were deterred from having dogs because they worked, then there would be very few dog owners in this world.

I know my husbands Chiro brings his Great Dane Grace (!!!) to the office here and there but it's his own practice. Any chance they would let you bring him occasionally if he were crated in an office or something during appointments? I effing love office dogs.

 

[hines.austin94]

I know you are excited about becoming a new Dober-Dad, but leaving a pup alone for 10 hours a day is going to be a hardship on you both. How old is he when you bring him home? I'm assuming you are getting a puppy, but if it's an older dog thats house trained that would change a lot of my concerns.

Assuming a puppy: If you could have a trusted friend or neighbor come take him out at least once a day while you're at work, that would be the best, in addition to coming home on your lunch break. I agree that a crate type kennel is safer than an indoor pen. They can also bark and howl non-stop which will cause problems if you are in an apartment situation. Chewing the bed & toys with no supervision can lead to swallowing fabric/plastic/rubber etc. and causing blockage - a deadly situation. Your house training will become terribly difficult since there will be nobody there to give him an options except to soil his area, then being a confined young puppy will probably get it all over himself - thus needing a bath the instant you get home. Even if you used the pen and he pooped and peed outside the crate, this is going to be an awful smell to come home to. Plus he will assume that going on the floor in the house is "OK", so again, harder to learn it's not the place to go. A puppy needs to go out at least every couple of hours during the day at 10 weeks, and about every 3 hours over night.

I wish you the best, I think there are several people here who have raised puppies while working full time, so I hope they chime in with some suggestions.

My plan was to ask a friend to drop by during the day or even stay there a few hours/work from my place, or hire someone from Rover or something to drop by a few times. And I was just going to pen off an area away from anything else. So basically his crate door would open up into the pen so he could get out and play some but also be able to go back into his crate and bed. There wouldn't be anything in the penned off area except for a few toys, automated feeder, and a little water bowl so no furniture to chew or anything like that which I don't know if that helps or makes it any better or anything. Can you tell I've given this a lot of brainstorming to try to figure it out? Haha. Like I said I know it's not perfect or even ideal but I thought that might be ok. I considered crate training and just eating the initial expense of hiring someone to watch him half the day or so.
Thank you for your concern, advice, and wishes!

 

[Firestar Dobe]

I agree with everything @LifeofRubie said. Working full time should not be a deterrent to owning a dog, you just have to be creative in your solutions! If you are planning on letting your Dobe have toys when you aren't at home, make sure they are larger than his mouth and have nothing that could be chewed off so you don't have to worry about him choking. I would suggest toys that are super tough, like kong toys. It will be important for you to find someone to check on him maybe twice a day while you work so he can get potty breaks and maybe a little outdoor activity. Crates are wonderful to have to keep him safe and secure, his own den so to speak. Potty training will probably take longer due to the hours you are gone, but in the morning, evening and on weekends you will really need to stay on top of it. It sounds like you really want to make this work, and I think you can with persistence and patience.

 

[hines.austin94]

Mirroring other people's responses: I crated during the day and had help from family. Crating really is the way to go when they're young and alone and even overnight.

My commute was about 25 minutes one way (when Rubie was a puppy) but there were times I would make the trip home over lunch to spend 15 minutes with her. Otherwise, my mom or sister would stop by and either let her out or take her to their house for a bit and I would pick her up on the way home.

I would get a up a little earlier in the AM when she was very young to spend extra time with her before leaving and then evenings were spent with mental stimulation, play, and classes. If your puppy is appropriately stimulated when not in the crate, crate time isn't usually a big deal and they will settle in to your routine.

Curious, are those 4 ten hour days and then 3 days off during the week? It can totally be done and if everyone who worked full-time were deterred from having dogs because they worked, then there would be very few dog owners in this world.

I know my husbands Chiro brings his Great Dane Grace (!!!) to the office here and there but it's his own practice. Any chance they would let you bring him occasionally if he were crated in an office or something during appointments? I effing love office dogs.

Yeah I had planned on getting up a little earlier to play and try to tire him out so maybe he would sleep pretty hard for a few hours and make it somewhat easier. I may/may not be able to run home for lunch (if I am at the clinic closest to me I SHOULD be able to but I'm not sure what my set schedule is just yet).
I have yet to ask about bringing him with me if I set up his crate in the back room or something but I can imagine the answer is no. I love office dogs too and like to think the vast majority feel the same! Maybe I'll luck out and they will be ok with me doing that until he's about 4 months or so haha.
Thank you for your advice!

 

[Kswoodssue]

You might ask your breeder for their best advice also. I was advised to crate no longer than approx 1 hr for each month they are old, so a 12 wk old pup could be crated for no more than 3 hrs. If your babysitter comes in twice a day the first few weeks, you should be good. Most of us have to work.

 

[JanS]

Welcome from Minnesota!

We've all had to work when we got our pups but I think your plan to have someone you trust come and check on him a couple times a day would work. 10 hours is definitely too long to leave a pup crated or penned and it would be setting him up for accidents when he can't help it.

 

[hines.austin94]

I agree with everything @LifeofRubie said. Working full time should not be a deterrent to owning a dog, you just have to be creative in your solutions! If you are planning on letting your Dobe have toys when you aren't at home, make sure they are larger than his mouth and have nothing that could be chewed off so you don't have to worry about him choking. I would suggest toys that are super tough, like kong toys. It will be important for you to find someone to check on him maybe twice a day while you work so he can get potty breaks and maybe a little outdoor activity. Crates are wonderful to have to keep him safe and secure, his own den so to speak. Potty training will probably take longer due to the hours you are gone, but in the morning, evening and on weekends you will really need to stay on top of it. It sounds like you really want to make this work, and I think you can with persistence and patience.

Thank you for your advice!
I already bought some toys and made sure they were durable enough to withstand aggressive puppy chewing and not break off or anything but also soft enough that I come home to a toothless dog. I got a puppy Kong toy (not sure if I should have just went ahead and gotten the regular red one or not though) and some of the fill stuff that goes in it. I though about filling that and throwing it in the freezer the night before to get it to last a little longer and hopefully keep him more occupied with that one.
I know nothing about puppy training is easy but yes I really do want to make this work and I'll try whatever I can to make sure that happens!

 

[Ravenbird]

My plan was to ask a friend to drop by during the day or even stay there a few hours/work from my place, or hire someone from Rover or something to drop by a few times. And I was just going to pen off an area away from anything else.

You've made great plans and it sounds very workable. Your initial post sounded as if the puppy would be alone for 10 hours but now it sounds much better! OK, next question: When is the new arrival coming and when do we get to see pictures!? And name, sex, color... we need info, man, info!

 

[Kaiser2016]

I got a puppy Kong toy (not sure if I should have just went ahead and gotten the regular red one or not though) and some of the fill stuff that goes in it. I though about filling that and throwing it in the freezer the night before to get it to last a little longer and hopefully keep him more occupied with that one.

Good planning! If the Kong is still in the packaging you could just opt for the full size one in red or preferably black. You can use them for a lifetime! My 6 yo Dobe gets a frozen one everyday as part of his daily activities to keep him occupied.

 

[LifeofRubie]

I think a Kong is a great idea!

personal opinion: if he is going to get a Kong regularly, I would explore options other than the Kong branded filler. Our dogs get Kongs maybe a couple of times a week and we use just plain yogurt and pure pumpkin and an occasional swipe of peanut butter. It's a bit healthier, fewer calories than just the filler/peanut butter, and freezes better! There are a ton of options out there! We've even done thawed raw patties and then refrozen (which would then be part of their daily food intake). The Kong branded stuff in cheese-wiz type format could be good for special occasions.

I'm lucky enough to work from home these days but when my Lab see's me put together Kongs and put them in the freezer, he's all but kicking us out the door for his special T-R-E-A-T All it takes for me to pull them out of the freezer and both dogs zoom up to their crates and then proudly parade their empty Kongs around when we get home!

 

[Ukesox]

I’ve done the play pen + crate for all of my Dobe pups, but only for a morning shift of 3.5 hours. It works well but only for the first few weeks as they grow fast & either crash through them or jump over before long. Boredom is going to be the biggest issue for the pup & a bored Dobie can be very destructive. Filled Kongs are good but only occupy interest for a short while (about 10 minutes for my latest dog) & toys are usually only of interest if a human or another dog is involved, or if they can be destroyed.
Toilet training is likely to be difficult & separation anxiety a real possibility. If you have to push the pup into a crate against its will because you’re in a hurry that could cause problems too.
With your schedule it’s do-able but it’ll be a collosal task for you & a pretty miserable existence for the dog.

 

[hines.austin94]

Update:
Sorry I am just now getting back to everyone so late with an update. Been very busy haha. So unfortunately I had to do some hard talking through this with friends (and myself) and ultimately decided I just needed a bit more time until I had a stable schedule for work and could fully afford to have a sitter(s) drop in or watch him throughout the day while I am at work and until he's old enough to stay by himself for a little while. It was tough as I was supposed to pick him up this past Saturday but I am incredibly thankful for the breeder being very understanding, kind, and compassionate. Luckily, I still have until about mid-September to choose a pup from a future litter before my deposit expires so I am hoping to be settled in and have the finances to afford the things I need to give my pup a happy and healthy life! thank you to everyone for all the support and advice and I will hopefully be back in a few months with a better update and pictures of the newest member of my house of one, Taco (for those wondering the name haha)

 

[Ravenbird]

ultimately decided I just needed a bit more time until I had a stable schedule for work and could fully afford to have a sitter(s) drop in or watch him throughout the day while I am at work and until he's old enough to stay by himself

Very wise on your part. Like everyone mentioned, it's do-able, but not ideal. It took me years to get to a point where I knew I had time and space to devote to a puppy. We look forward to hearing from you in the future with the new Taco and a solid plan.

 

[Ukesox]

Hats off to you hines.austin.94. Having set your heart on a pup you have made a very tough, but good decision to postpone.