leaving puppy outside.

agent graves

at the start of April i will be getting a German shepherd puppy.. the problem i have is im in college ( mature student before im told im too young for a dog). so i will be gone 4-5 hours at most at one time and i was thinking of leaving them out the back (oh yeah i have a 3 year old dog as well) for the few hours. there is a decent size shed out there as well and no hazards.. what are peoples thoughts on this... would it have any bad effects on the pup?
this would only be for a month because college is finished mid may..

Dolliepop

It would be a bit risky to leave a pup outside, there are a lot of horrible people stealing dogs, a puppy is an easy target. It would be more beneficial to leave him in day care for the few hours where he will get socialization with lots of people and dogs. Leaving him alone out the back garden could make him hyper or destructive.

agent graves

im in an estate in a quiet village so theft is unlikely, most people up here have one or two dogs aswell.... and wouldnt be out the back on his own as i have another dog.

ekimiam

if the puppys anything like my GS was last year you wont have much of a garden left! when we had to , she was locked in the kitchen on her own, the other dog had the rest of the house. she often had the recycling for entertainment.
they are almost full time jobs! i bet there would be somebody local who would take the puppy for a few hours even one or two days a week.(as its only short term) good luck!

Sobko

There is no way I would leave a pup or any dog outside alone for long periods of time and unattended. Too many horror stories of dogs all over the country both urban and rural of dogs young and old being stolen. Too much of a risk. It would be safer to crate train them to sleep inside.

just a question: If the Pounds and Rescue centres are bursting with dogs (pure breds too) why are so many being stolen? I've just been wondering about it lately?

I have a dog and 2 cats and leave them all out when I go to work (3 days a week). They have a fab kennel with insulation and rugs and an enclosed garden. I make sure I get up early and walk the dog before I go to work so she is kinda settled and happy when I leave, then walk her when I get home too. She is 12. The other days I'm at home so its grand.

I think it might be ok for a short term - you say just about a month ? Especially if you know people around you and its a safe enough area. Guess it depends on the age of the pup and how well he/she will get on with your other dog.

I'd love to get another dog but because I'm working feel it would be unfair. Then again it could be company for my own dog? Good luck with your decision and your new pup!

harrymagina

The dog will be perfectlly fine. 5 hours is grand. Its not like your leaving the pup the full day unattended.

Joeseph Balls

agent graves wrote: »

im in an estate in a quiet village so theft is unlikely,

Just as likely if not more so.

Tranceypoo

Deleted User wrote: »

just a question: If the Pounds and Rescue centres are bursting with dogs (pure breds too) why are so many being stolen? I've just been wondering about it lately?

I have a dog and 2 cats and leave them all out when I go to work (3 days a week). They have a fab kennel with insulation and rugs and an enclosed garden. I make sure I get up early and walk the dog before I go to work so she is kinda settled and happy when I leave, then walk her when I get home too. She is 12. The other days I'm at home so its grand.

I think it might be ok for a short term - you say just about a month ? Especially if you know people around you and its a safe enough area. Guess it depends on the age of the pup and how well he/she will get on with your other dog.

I'd love to get another dog but because I'm working feel it would be unfair. Then again it could be company for my own dog? Good luck with your decision and your new pup!

Dogs that are stolen can be used as bait for training fighting dogs, used for breeding, stolen to order and sent overseas so none of these dogs would end up in rescues/pounds, alteratively they could be dumped if they discover they're neutered/spayed or are 'hot' ie all over social media and the like as the owner is desperate to find the dog. The pounds and shelters are mostly bursting for 2 reasons, 1. Because people don't spay their females, she has a litter and they can't be bothered/can't cope so puppies and/or mummy dog ends up in pound/shelter and 2. Because people get a cute puppy having done absolutely no research (so they've invariably bought it from a puppy farm or back yard breeder), after a few weeks or maybe months they realise they can't cope cos it pees and poops and they know nothing about training and can't be bothered to put any work into the dog, or it loses it's cuteness, or it chews their iphone or some other lazy reason and they take it to the pound or just dump it. People can be pretty despicable and heartless.

And that's why the pounds and shelters are full to the rafters.

DBB

agent graves wrote: »

so i will be gone 4-5 hours at most at one time and i was thinking of leaving them out the back (oh yeah i have a 3 year old dog as well) for the few hours. there is a decent size shed out there as well and no hazards.. what are peoples thoughts on this... would it have any bad effects on the pup?

Leaving aside the risks of being stolen etc, I would urge caution about leaving a puppy alone with an adult dog until they have become very closely bonded and safe together.
The adult could become too much for the pup, or it could very possibly be the other way around, whereby the adult gets peed off with the puppy haranguing him with no respite because you're not there to intervene... a very common problem and one which can really distress the older dog!
I'm not a huge fan of separating dogs entirely, I like to be able to leave them alone so that they can still see and smell each other, but can't make much physical contact... so using things like baby gates, crates or playpens works really well to manage two dogs in your absence in the knowledge that they can't do harm to one another if things get out of hand.
If the shed is secure and a good size, you could perhaps fence off an indoor area of it for him... leaving the other side of it for your other dog. One dog only would have access to the outside in this set-up, but that would be the case if you left one inside the house anyway.

Tranceypoo

Tranceypoo wrote: »

Dogs that are stolen can be used as bait for training fighting dogs, used for breeding, stolen to order and sent overseas so none of these dogs would end up in rescues/pounds, alteratively they could be dumped if they discover they're neutered/spayed or are 'hot' ie all over social media and the like as the owner is desperate to find the dog. The pounds and shelters are mostly bursting for 2 reasons, 1. Because people don't spay their females, she has a litter and they can't be bothered/can't cope so puppies and/or mummy dog ends up in pound/shelter and 2. Because people get a cute puppy having done absolutely no research (so they've invariably bought it from a puppy farm or back yard breeder), after a few weeks or maybe months they realise they can't cope cos it pees and poops and they know nothing about training and can't be bothered to put any work into the dog, or it loses it's cuteness, or it chews their iphone or some other lazy reason and they take it to the pound or just dump it. People can be pretty despicable and heartless.

And that's why the pounds and shelters are full to the rafters.

yes I understand why pounds and shelters are full (irresponsible, lazy, uncaring owners).......my own dog is a rescue dog as are my cats and I know right now they are at bursting point. I fund raise for a local shelter.

I just dont know why non-pedigree dogs are being stolen if the pounds are full of them. But maybe as Tranceypoo said they are stolen for bait - its hardly for breeding if they are mixed breed

hope u enjoy your new pup and yes also make sure older dog likes pup before you leave them alone together.

Tranceypoo

Deleted User wrote: »

yes I understand why pounds and shelters are full (irresponsible, lazy, uncaring owners).......my own dog is a rescue dog as are my cats and I know right now they are at bursting point. I fund raise for a local shelter.

I just dont know why non-pedigree dogs are being stolen if the pounds are full of them. But maybe as Tranceypoo said they are stolen for bait - its hardly for breeding if they are mixed breed

hope u enjoy your new pup and yes also make sure older dog likes pup before you leave them alone together.

Not everyone knows the difference between a pedigree and mutt, or even what dog breeds are 'real' and what ones are 'made up', ie yorkiepoo and all those other made up breeds that can be sold as 'designer breeds', if the dogs looks a bit like a bichon or a lab or whatever, the person buying it may not know the difference, lets face it if you're buying a dog off some fella in a car park or in the pub, you haven't put a huge amount of thought into breed standards, etc!! Also don't forget the pounds/shelters have an awful lot of pedigree dogs as well!!