# 8 week old Charlie and me going back to work - advice needed.



## Lewijen (Jul 14, 2021)

Hi there ! 

I would really like some advice.

I have an 8 week old Vizsla, he’s beautiful.

I’ve had him for 4 days and he’s doing sit command and sleeping in his crate. Weve moved the crate slightly further away from our bedroom each night and he’s woken up in the night for a little attention but nothing crazy.

Today he’s had very runny poo and when he was sleeping in his crate down stairs he Pooed his crate …. This Could be the bits he’s eaten in the garden when I took my eye off him. So I slept next to his crate tonight as he’s also being sick. 

I am a little concerned that I’m currently off work sick (post operation) and I will be going back to work full time in August.

My partner is a nurse and she works 6.30am to 5.30pm (out of the house), so I am currently running around for the pup as I need my partner to sleep as much as possible.When I go back to work I will be doing 6am to 5.30pm (out of the house).

I will be getting up early when I go back and walking the pup in the morning and in the evening when I home.

I am just very concerned about my lifestyle and the dog. I love him and he’s absolutely beautiful.

I love being in the mountains and that’s why we bought him but I know I’m already feeling sometimes a little overwhelmed- and I’m not back in work yet.

Do you have any advice on how I can train him ready for me being away from the house for such long periods of time? 

My partner and I have agreed to pay for a ‘Dog Walker’ for the hours we are in work. This is very expensive but we believe this is best thing for him in the long run. 

I Have a tiny garden where we could create a run pen for him but there is a high number of puppy thefts in the area so this pen would have to be bomb proof. 

Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.


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## InTheNet (Jun 1, 2016)

Did you do ANY research before you got your pup?
All puppies are a lot of work. Vizsla even more so. You can not expect a 10-12-14 week old pup to last all day with out having to do his business.

Your pup will need to be let out at least twice in a 12 hour stretch. An adult dog would have a hard time holding it for 12 hours. Can you hold for 12 hours?
Will you be able to exercise your pup daily. Exercise for a V pup is NOT a walk around the block. It is an hour plus of off leash running. Will the dog walker be able to exercise the pup? Running for a V is not your run speed. That is just a slow trot.
(This caught me in a foul mood.)


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## Lewijen (Jul 14, 2021)

Hi there, 

I hope you are well.
I can understand your frustration from my message, it’s ok. 

We did loads of research and I have fields and fields around me as I live in Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

The research advised that the Vizsla is a fantastic dog at adapting. We have dog walkers prepped and he is responding really well to being left in his cage when I cracked on with jobs today, so that’s a step in the right direction.

Sorry if you had a bad day, but I thought this forum was for advice and freely sharing not criticism haha! But it’s ok, I guess you had a bad day.
Anyway, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Speak soon.


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## InTheNet (Jun 1, 2016)

I apologize.
It will be hard for the pup but If you can get him enough exercise/ potty brakes during the day he will adapt.
The first 6 months will be a challenge the next 6will be, getting better. after 1 year you will be fine. Good luck!


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## Dan_A (Jan 19, 2021)

That's a really long stretch of a day for the pup to be alone even with appropriate potty breaks. If your walker is providing 1-2 hours of off leash play as part of the service in addition to potty breaks I can see it working OK but not really optimally as for the most part both you and your partner will be absent in the pup's life.


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## Kazi (Jun 8, 2020)

Lewijen said:


> Hi there !
> 
> I would really like some advice.
> 
> ...


Hi, glad ur enjoying ur little guy and reading ur post I can understand ur concern. As with the other advice it’s a big ask for a pup to be left for hours and especially a V as they are such unique dogs and need much love, interaction and exercise. I researched my V but it still caught me off guard and the 1st year has been a challenge to say the least. We r now reaping the benefits of our hard work so can I reassure u it’s doable. 
Me and my hubby both work but lockdown provided me with more time with pup as I worked from home. So I suppose I didn’t leave him alone for as long as ur expecting to leave urs but he was crate trained and this was a lifeline. If u can give ur pup a good hour before work a break with dog Walker and a good off leash run when ur home I think u will manage but it will b hard going but it will be worth it.

My V Reggie us now 15 months and he’s a great boy, with plenty exercise he can be at home very happy when we r working. So my advice is he’s ur dog he will adapt to ur situation in so just carve out a plan that works for u and pup. BTW I’m not a expert just my thoughts but I wish u good luck


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

At 8 weeks old there isn't much training that you're going to get in at this point. Over the next two weeks you should be able to get him conditioned to the crate and house trained. He is most assuredly not house trained at 8 weeks old. I promise you that.
He is going to have runny poops and solid poops. His diet is changed, the water is different, everything is different for him right now.
My entire work career has been long hours just like yours. 12 hour day and nite shifts, At times my wife's hours were the same, and at times, the exact opposite shift for 12's.
It is going to cost you more, but you will need to get a pet sitter for a few months to come in ,let your puppy out, make sure it has water and feed it. You don't necessarily need a "dog walker" right now.
There is also the option of "doggy daycare", but you're still a bit of time away from that option. I've never personally had a puppy in day care. Hopefully some one can chime in.
You can create a temporary kennel environment in the house to give it more room, but it will take some forethought and planning. I would not recommend an outdoor kennel for many months.
As I said, it is doable, but it's going to take committment on your part.
Puppies and dogs will adapt to your routine in time, but you have to be fair about it. You and your partner will have to ensure that one of you comes straight home from work, Every night! Your puppy/dog will develop an incredibly accurate internal clock and will know exactly when one, or both, of you should be coming through the door. That needs to happen every day you are at work, or I guarantee you that some destructive habits will be develop due to anxiety on the dog's part. No stopping for social activities, or doing errands after work. Get home first, take care of the puppy, and then go back out.
Finn is my first Vizsla in 30+ years that has had the benefit of having a person in the house all day.
On my work days Finn is up at 4am with me. I leave the house at 5:15am, and do not get back home until about 5:00pm. Four days a week. There are periods where I don't get home until after 7:00PM, six days a week.
My wife is home full time now, so she's up a few hours after I leave, but for many years we had the same schedule. We "hired" the little girl across the street to come in, let the dogs out before she left for school and when she got home and feed them if necessary. (I think she bought her first car with the money she earned from watching our dogs for a decade or so. 
As I said, it is doable, but it will take work. Hopefully your partner is every bit as enamored with the new puppy as you are. it will make things much easier.


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