New house, new pup, shift work!!! :-(

Hi, I'm quite new to this forum and only joined today. Firstly want to say hi, and secondly I've got a few questions that if anybody could help with I'd appreciate. I'm basically just about to move into a new house of my own, and having lived a life with dogs, I'm going to get me a young Staffie pup.

I currently work shifts full-time and live on my own. I currently work days 0700-1700, late's 1500-2359, and nights 2200-0700, as in six days at work 4/5 days off most of the time.

My parents live just down the road, and I was hoping to leave the dog with them on the day shifts and collect her after I finish work. Walking her before I drop her off in the morning, and later on in the evening's when I have her back home. My parents will most likely walk her to so she will be spoilt with three walks...

On the late shift's, I would walk her before work and after I finish with a friend nipping round, to feed her about 17:00/17:30.

As for night shifts I'm hoping she will sleep at 22:00, and when I come back in the morning ill walk her before having a little kip myself, leaving her entertaining herself, with me close by.

What i'm asking is basically will the dog know that I'm the pack leader so to speak, or will it get confused spending a few days at my parents? hence not take commands from me.

Secondly leaving the dog on its own whilst i'm on late's is that fair, although somebody will come in for a little bit to feed let out etc. Obviously I will have to make use of a crate, to prevent my house being destroyed..

Many thanks

James.

Hi &

Welcome to the staffordshire bull terrier niceboard. We are pleased you have decided to join us, and hope you enjoy your stay. We hope to see plenty of pictures of your staffordshire bull terriers or any other breed you may have in your household

If you would like to enter your dog(s), puppy(s) or another pet(s) you may have into our Monthly Competition, voting starts on the 20th of every month, if you are lucky your dog maybe placed on our Hall Of Fame page on our website.

Just one last thing before you look around could you please just have a quick look At This Poll, we would love to know how you found us.

Here are some links that will get you started with the website:-

Please read the Forum Rules before you start posting.
Here are a List of Tutorial & FAQs that will help you around the forum.
You can ask for Help here if you are having trouble doing something on the forum.
If you have any ideas to improve the forum please let us know Your Feedback Here.
We have a Website with alot of information if you would like to view it.
Make a Donate to help us to keep us improving our forum and website.

Done the poll, i'll read the other links, thanks

James.

Hi James and welcome to the forum.

It all sounds fine to me I ran pubs for 10 years so I know what its like, now whilst I was lucky enough that Moo came with me, if I ever had bar extensions, or was working a full shift 10am-1am (the following morning ) she would stay round my mums.

Even now I think she spends more time with the dog walker and my mum than me as I work 9-6 5 days a week and we live alone. But yes she does no I'm her mum, she is happy to go off with anyone THB but I am her handler and she knows it!

Good luck with your search, maybe an older rescue dog would suit you, puppys can be hard work and you ideally should take time off in ht einitial stage, guessing thats not going to be poss with a new job! 8/10 months is still a pup but getting past the naughty stage, slightly more mature so to speak.

Keep us updated

Hi James and welcome to the forum from Rocky and me.

Well done to you for getting some questions asked first before you get you new addition.

Working your shift patterns is not easy I know I have done it myself in the past and can be quite stressful. Having said that it is not impossible to work around your new pup or "her" work around you. There are members on this forum that do it or similar.

Your pup will know for definate where her home is that's with you. So you must set the bounderies. The crate will be useful as this is a safe haven for the puppy.

Hope this helps a little. Have fun

Thanks for the replies guys. I just wanted to check i wasn't the only single person/shift worker with the want for a dog on his own, looks like my mums is going to be the place for a few days then lol. yeah defiantly going to go down the crate route. This is more the reason why I'm getting a female in the hope that she will cope with bouts of being on her own better..

Is the crate ideally suited for the kitchen, or the bedroom. Or does it not make a difference?

I wouldnt say it was a problem.

During my training I worked in a hospital to fund my fee's etc and had Tilli n Zeus then only, they used to stop in their crate from 5 am to 7.30 am when my mum would come spend the morning with them till around 1pm then she would be back at 4pm to sit with them again.

I used to work 3 15hr days then have 4 off. They got very used the routine but always loved it when I came home.

Hope I helped

I'm just glad this is an active forum you find a few and nobody ever answers any questions lol. I can relax now and concentrate on getting the house sorted then :-). Make it dog proof..

You would always get a reply here, you can also use the search facility loads of questions may well be answered there too.

Hi and welcome from Tyson & me. You have obviously done a lot of thinking and planning so I see no reason why the situation will not work out. Do tend to agree with janey though that a puppy requires a lot of attention and it is best to have at least a few weeks at home with him or her.

Hiya and welcome to the forum

welcome

I'll do that get a few weeks booked off initially when she comes home :-). How long does it usually take before you can trust them with the run of the house.

hi

Hi and welcome to the forum. I don't see why that won't work and I believe that your pup will know that you are the one to look to first. Honestly, if you are doing the majority of the walking and feeding, she will most likely bond to you very strongly. Not saying the bond also won't be tight with your folks, because it sounds like it will. The pup will be more like a family dog when everyone is around which is what most people would want anyway.

thanks for all the answers guys, and hi to all those also saying hi.

Hi & welcome.

I don't think you'll have too many problems, although toilet training may take a little longer because you won't be there to let the pup out.

The only thing I would say is that a pup can't control its bladder & bowels, so if you shut it in a crate for more than an hour or so you will get accidents in the crate. Even at night it may not be able to go a full 8-10 hours without peeing/pooping.

Have you considered a slightly older rescue dog?

Caryll wrote:Hi & welcome.

I don't think you'll have too many problems, although toilet training may take a little longer because you won't be there to let the pup out.

The only thing I would say is that a pup can't control its bladder & bowels, so if you shut it in a crate for more than an hour or so you will get accidents in the crate. Even at night it may not be able to go a full 8-10 hours without peeing/pooping.

Have you considered a slightly older rescue dog?

Very good points

Yeah I thought about getting a rescue dog, its just the hassle you have to go through having the home visits etc, and then waiting... In addition to this I'm always concerned if prior to me if he's has been mistreated or has an issues.

I wasn't sure with its bladder controls, I thought it could do 3-4 hours once it was asleep. I'll just have to make sure that I take it out every hour. I think to start with might get it looked after on nights until its older and can manage a full night.

Well worth a think about though.

Hi from me and Vinnie

Hello me and Vinnie! :-)

brophski wrote: I think to start with might get it looked after on nights until its older and can manage a full night.
Well worth a think about though.

That's a good idea.

My mam and dad have always had Samson during the day and he has no problems when I'm around I'm in charge when he's with my mam she's in charge unless I'm there, my mam was a guide dog trainer so she can handle dogs i suppose you could get problems if the person that looked after him didn't understand dogs

hia from me and sasha

I just have to hope that she gets on with my mothers dogs! three little yorkshire terrors, one is only 6 months old and loves to just jump on the others..

Hopefully given the size of the pup and the fact that its probably bigger than them to start with might aid in them getting on lol.