# work and vizslas



## spartan1 (Nov 27, 2012)

I am in the process of choosing a breeder to get a vizsla from this summer. My concern is that I will have a regular job working 8am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. Will it be possible to raise this young pup with being gone so long? I will be able to let it out at lunch everyday for the most part. Thank you for the input and help!


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## san24 (Aug 27, 2012)

I`m in the same situation. I already put down a deposit and should have a pup by March. I have a regular job - 7:30 to 4. I have a short 30 min break for lunch and I live 15 mins from work. I can let the pup out during lunch and maybe take a 10 min longer lunch break.

The other thing is, I just moved into a pet friendly apartment, after I signed the lease the landlord tells me only small dogs are allowed. Well, the pup is going to be small until I move out in 10 months, at least that`ll be the argument I`ll be using 

I`m a bit worried. It`s going to be tough. I can do my part, but in the end the dog really has to get used to staying for long periods. Its only the work hours, after that I can provide a good life.


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## GarysApollo (Nov 27, 2012)

I picked up both of my pups on fridays so I had the weekend and then me or my wife took off the next week or at least a few days. We tried to get them on a schedule, and used to their crates. When we went back to work we got them worn out in the morning put them in the crates when we Left for work, let them out at lunch, and then hurried home after work. It has worked out fine for us!


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## san24 (Aug 27, 2012)

Not related to the topic...are your pups from the same litter?


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## spartan1 (Nov 27, 2012)

I have the same issue with the small dog thing at my girlfriend's apartment whom I'll be visiting on weekends next year as she goes on to grad school. Is it like a 40 lb limit? I actually met a female who was at this weight limit full grown. I would think you could fudge some numbers for your land lord since they are so lean anyways ;D


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## san24 (Aug 27, 2012)

Its a 20lb limit.


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## lilyloo (Jun 20, 2012)

I would highly suggest hiring a dog walker or friend that can come and let the pup out and play with it a couple of times a day, in addition to you coming home at lunch. Be prepared for a crazy puppy when you come home in the evenings! I know it can be done, since there are several people on the forum who work all day. I am sure some of them will chime in shortly....


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

We had a similar situation. Between our two work schedules, our puppy is left from 8-12 and 1-5. I come home for lunch for an hour to walk him. In the beginning, we did get some help to break up the afternoon in half (we are lucky to have neighbors that love puppies!). I definitely think it can be done, as we did it and Miles has adjusted well. 

Things that have helped us leave him for this long are a long exercise session in the morning (or for a puppy lots of playtime), leaving music or TV on, leaving a Kong or other safe toy in the crate, and if it's dark out leaving a light on. 

My husband also took a week working at home so we could crate train the puppy. We started with 30 min the first day and worked him up to 4 hours over the week so when we started our normal routine it wasn't shocking to him.


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## GarysApollo (Nov 27, 2012)

No. I have a ten month old, and a eight week old puppy that we got a week ago. This week was the new boys first in him crate while we are at work, he has done great (no pee or poop in house or crate).


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## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

My husband and I both work full time but we have a dog walker who comes twice a day (he did come 3 times a day until Luna was about a year old). 

Also, 2 days a week, Luna goes to doggie day-care for a half day (5 hours) so she can run and play like a nut with other dogs. 

Then, we exercise them at night. We don't actually exercise them in the morning before work (we did when Luna was a puppy though). They go out to do their business and they play in the yard for a few minutes on their own but they're not really "morning dogs"


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## Kay92 (Oct 19, 2012)

It's awesome to hear how well that everyone does with the Vs crated while at work. I guess me and my family are really lucky because I work part time and am at home with Chuck and Riley until late in the afternoon only 3 days a week.


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## spartan1 (Nov 27, 2012)

Thanks for all the input. It sounds as it will be manageable with some time before work, at lunch and plenty after I get home. Hopefully I wont be taking any work home from the office this summer.


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## veifera (Apr 25, 2012)

You can look on Craigslist for families who own dogs, work from home and provide the "1-on-1" day care while you're at work. The process is very straightforward - you meet, interview each other, see if you feel good about their own dogs, their approach and views, etc - then have a trial run. 

Once my puppy was old enough, I went through series of commercial day care places and then by accident found this solution online. I couldn't be happier with the care, attention (and exercise and socialization) they provide. They are "dog crazy" in the best sense of the word and have a yard that's big enough for 3 dogs to run and swim. It's working perfectly for us.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

There's a good thread called " adjusting to first V, lets be real" under General Vizslas. I suggest for you to read it. 

Me and my partner took 3 weeks off (1,5 each) to be with Elza when we brought her home. For 3 months he only worked nights 5 days a week and I did days. After that if we both had the same working hours she would go to the dog walkers house for the whole day. She requires 2 hours off leash time a day every day and she's not the highest energy vizsla either! In the last 11 months we've been to the cinema 3 times, we had a few holidays but only with her and her routine is the same so they are not beach holidays sitting around and relaxing... We don't go out anymore but instead have walks or hikes on our days off. If home she would want you to play with her, or she wants to sleep on you next to you or be with you. 

I find it difficult to understand having a dog- any dog- then leave her home most of the day alone. Not to mention your last comment that hopefully you won't be taking work to home...

Vizslas are not like any other dog, they need the attention and exercise or they become destructive. Of course you can leave them in a crate but then again what's the point. 

This is the reality and sorry if I didn't say what you wanted to hear. Vizsla is a high energy hunting dog, it can be kept as a pet of course but keeping it in a crate 8 hours a day, 5 days a week it seems cruel to me. That's my opinion...


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## spartan1 (Nov 27, 2012)

I don't want to be bringing work home so I have more time to be out training, hiking, and boating with my dog. I share ownership of the business with my father so I will be able to manage my schedule. There will be days where it will be in a crate but there will be several days where he won't see it. (once potty trained)


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

I don't think the crate should be viewed as a negative thing. Miles is crate trained, and while he no longer uses one in our home, during those early days the crate saved our house from destruction! We also crate him when others watch him as I don't want to be responsible for him getting into trouble at their house. I think crate training makes it easier to travel and have peace of mind when you are away, and when the dog is a puppy the crate is also a safety measure as they get into everything


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

I didn't say the crate is a bad/negative thing but leaving the dog in it 8 hours a day is wrong in my opinion.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Once old enough, dog comes along...
Dog helps by sleeping on his daybed :-X
Of course, we break many times during the day. Come to think of it, I spend more time with the dog than other family members :-[ 
At home, the sleeping arrangements favor the dog :-[ most of the time (these days). 

BUT, if needed, the dog is placed in the crate, where he can relax for an hour or two.


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

Please Spend 4-8 hours in one Some fun you will be Zoo in

watch any big cat in a cage his pace is his loss of hope and freedom he seeks

zoo's in most cases are for humans not the animals we view thank God some of this is more natural and changing now

Mine in fact all of mine Earned the front seat all my rigs

and yes I have crates outside open and free protected from weathers and many blankets

Many will need a crate

mine will never

he my bed warmer in my log bed and he gurrrrs if I move some

and yes he has his own pillows : lol

if he works outside or hunts

all is washed and cleaned

Never one pee or poop event

at least Rudy

He far smarter then me  ;D

we only crate once we hit the fields and note make sure there strapped in your rigs

you wreck your loves are launched


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

We seem to have gone off on a tangent about crates. It happens. 

I think you need to budget for a dog walker to come once or twice a day or a doggy day care situation. Your pup won't be able to go to a traditional day care until he/she gets shots/vaccinations, but may be able to go to home based one. We used this one day/week in the beginning, when hubby and I would both be at work for a six hour period. It worked out pretty well. They charged us $40/day. Oso was a lot of work at that time and it was worth it. 

In the beginning, the pups aren't physically able to hold their pee/excrement for more than 3 or 4 hours. While it sounds like some may be able to longer, ours sometimes didn't even make it till 3 hours. Another thought is socialization. V's can tend towards timidity and those first few weeks, it's important to start socializing, socializing, socializing. Here is a helpful list from Sophia Yin's website. http://info.drsophiayin.com/puppy-socialization-checklist-0/ 

If you can take off time in the beginning, I would recommend it. I, too, wonder about the fairness of getting a puppy when you will have very little time to train and socialize it into the kind of pup you desire it to become. 


**As for the apartment, sans, since they didn't tell you about the size requirement before signing the lease, you may be able to work with them. That was misleading and they put you in a bad position. 20lbs is much different than a V's size. V's can be tall and light and look much bigger than their weight dictates. We called our landlord and told her that we liked our apartment, but we were going to add a medium sized dog to our family. We told her that if we had to we would most certainly move, but that we'd prefer for her to make an allowance for us to keep him. If there were problems, we could move at that point. She was happy to have us stay.


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