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05-14-2008, 04:51 PM | #1 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Columbia, MO
Posts: 56
| New work schedule worries... In a couple weeks Carter is going to be completely freaked out... Not only am I *moving* to a new apartment, but I'm also starting a new job where I'll be working four 10-hour days a week. I'm so nervous about this. Since I got him I've been in school, and my schedule varied day to day, but I was only ever gone a few hours at a time. I don't know what to do... I finally got him an x-pen, and I'm thinking of leaving a potty pad and food/water and a toy or two and a bed in with him. But 10 hours?! I feel so bad. There's no way I can leave to play with him at all during my shifts, and I can't afford a pet sitter, and pretty much everyone I know has left the town for the summer. Is he going to hate me?! Right now I'm potty training him on pads but he keeps ripping them up. I'm going to try washable ones, but he's being crate-trained right now, and I just can't leave him in the crate that long while I'm out it's so cruel. Need some advice! I want to be as consistent as I can because right now the potty training is sort of on hold until we get set up in our new apartment and I can start fresh.... =\ I feel like a horrible puppy owner...
__________________ ... katie |
Welcome Guest! | |
05-14-2008, 05:00 PM | #2 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Canton,Ohio
Posts: 514
| Is there any way to work 8 hr shifts instead? Or negotiate a longer lunch to come home to him? Or how about getting an apartment REALLY close to where you will be working so you can get home quicker? Its tough. I work 8 hr shifts and Lexie does well. I am able to get home for lunch most days, and my son is home early in the afternoon. I work in the hospital, so I know about long shifts. If I know I have a marathon shift, I arrange for my dad or a friend to at least come over for a little bit to let her outside and play with her, It helps that she is no longer confined at all. I did have a huge playpen for her for probably over 1 yr. I put a nice bed in there for her, as well as her food and water. She also hads a pee pad and toys. Good luck-I hope you can figure something out- I know how difficult it is!
__________________ Kris , RIP Lexie , Bella Zoey |
05-14-2008, 05:03 PM | #3 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Columbia, MO
Posts: 56
| Unfortunately, the 10 hour days are how I was able to get the job... but my new apartment is only a few minutes away. I know they won't let me leave at all for lunch. I just hope he doesn't hate me for this..
__________________ ... katie |
05-14-2008, 05:15 PM | #4 |
Donating Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 225
| The weeks leading up to you working I would start leaving him for longer amounts of time. This way it won't be such a shock when you do have to work 10 hours. I am a teacher and don't work much in the summer. In August I gradually increase the time I am not home. This has worked for me.
__________________ Murphy 4/3/07 Toby 12/11/92-12/29/06 |
05-14-2008, 05:20 PM | #5 |
No Longer a Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: tuscaloosa
Posts: 779
| I know how you are feeling I had the same issue a few months back till I switched posts. The best you can do is what it sounds like. And a another option is getting a playmate. Not meaning another yorkie if budget doesn't accept it. Andy did great after stormy came to us. But the main thing is when you get off or before work paying attention and think of it this way you have 3 full days to be with out of the week. He won't hate you just love on him when you are with him! |
05-14-2008, 07:54 PM | #6 | |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Belmont Shore SoCal
Posts: 852
| Quote:
I know you mentioned this, but I hired a puppy sitter, that comes in everyday that I'm at work and takes her out, and hangs out with her for a few hours to help out. She is licensed & bonded and only charges me $20 a day!! I find this to be a VERY inexpensive!! I'm sure if you looked around, you could find someone who could do it within your budget... Our girl Natalia loves Roxi so much I practically have to force her to take the money!! It's crazy!!!! When she is at home alone, I give her the living room and kitchen, she has all her stuff, food, water, toys ect. and I leave animal planet on... I know she's little & cute, but at the end of the day she is still a dog and does just fine... Your baby will adjust, may be a little tough at first, but he will get used to it... Roxi just chills & eats and plays around... I also have a couple cameras in my place so I can watch her!!! Good luck, you will both be just fine!!!
__________________ Melanie Roxi & Rocco Last edited by melanie daley; 05-14-2008 at 07:57 PM. | |
05-15-2008, 06:12 AM | #7 |
YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fairborn, OH
Posts: 345
| don't worry about this. i do the same thing. i work 8 hour days, but it equals out to Kash being alone for 10 hours because i leave half an hour early to drive to work, and it takes me half an hour to get home (that's 9 hours), plus i have my lunch break, but i can't come home to see him because i work too far and gas is costly (so that's 10 hours). i keep Kash in an x-pen with a pee pad, water/food, toys, and his crate. he does fine with it... he's just overly excited to see me when i get home. if you read other threads about this same situation, most people agree that yorkies don't REALLY know how long you've been gone, whether it's 10 hours or 10 minutes. i get the same reaction from Kash when i leave to take out the trash as when i come home from work. the same bouncing, happy-to-see-me puppy. i've been doing this with Kash pretty much since i got him about 3 1/2 months ago. and no problems thus far. here's the thread i mentioned about a similar topic: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...yorkies-3.html good luck!
__________________ Mae, Kash & Milan |
05-15-2008, 06:48 AM | #8 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 45
| I do the same and Harley is usually home about 9 hours (7:30 - 4:30) by herself, and thats a minimum. Some days it's probably been up to 11 hours. I keep her in the bathroom using a babygate connected to the master bedroom, so she doesn't feel so enclosed. I leave Animal Planet on the tv which she can see and hear from the bathroom. She has a full bowl of water and all her toys. I bought the puppy kong and stuff it with her kibble so she can have a snack during the day (and I feed her from her bowl in the morning and at night). She has her crate to go in and sleep, which I know she does because I find her toys in there, and she has pee pads next to the tub. Sometimes they get thrown around (not chewed up or torn) because when she runs on them, they slide around, so sometimes I have to tape them to the floor. She does fine. I know she barks and whines for about 10 minutes when I leave and she'll bark and whine when she hears the front door open when I get home. Other than that, I've had no problems with her. And she doesn't hate me. We play in the morning and again when I get home. Then we'll do a long walk and some training. Then I let her run around the house for the rest of the night. Sometimes she wants to play with me, and sometimes she wants to stay on the floor and chew on her toys. If I am watching tv in the living room and she gets tired, she tells me she wants on the couch and she goes to sleep. She has started this new thing, and maybe it's because I've been staying up later than usual this past week. But if I am in my bedroom doing work on the computer and she wants to go to bed, she stands either next to my bed or on my bed and barks at me until I go get in bed with her. It's not enough to just pull the covers back, I have to go lay down so she can get under the sheets next to my leg. After a couple of minutes, I can get up and do whatever it was I was doing. |
05-15-2008, 06:58 AM | #10 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Columbia, MO
Posts: 56
| Thanks you guys, this board always manages to provide me with some relief!
__________________ ... katie |
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