Hi,
We're from the UK too! Kent. My fiancé and I got Penny when she was 8 weeks and she's now 5 and a half months. We were also very worried about working full time but figured having a dog shouldn't be something we missed out on because of work (I mean, having a puppy shouldn't be something for people who can afford to work or work part time)
We took a week off work for her to settle. I work at a shop in town not far In the car from home, and my fiancé works at a pub. He does do shift work so days that he started at 11 it later we would leave her in a crate until I got home just after 5.30. On days he had an early start so it would be an 8 hour days would pop home In my lunch break for half an hour or so, let her out for a wee, feed, water change and play.
We did training classes for 8 weeks when she was old enough and spent all our time when we weren't artwork practising toilet training, learning tricks for obedience etc.
I'm not going to lie, leaving her at first was heartbreaking, and I did worry. The one thing that made it more bearable was our camera.
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It's a netcam, we set it up facing her crate and you can access it over the Internet from any smartphone or ipad. It's been such a help in putting my mind at ease while we're away. Already I can check on her from work, and if anything was wrong I could be home in less than 10 minutes.
Anyway we're now at the stage where Penny is almost fully toilet trained too outside, pads aren't used any more much. She's great at her tricks. She walks off the lead at the park good recall.
We received a lot of questions and criticism for considering getting a puppy with full time jobs, but as long as you dedicate most or allow your time outside of work to the little one, which you definitely sound like you would, it'll be fine.
Im positive that us being away from Penny has in no way adversely affected her. In fact, I'm glad we started getting her used to being away from a young age, she knows the time, hops in her crate and sleeps for most of the day. I don't have to come home at lunch any more and I come home to no wees or poos, and a very happy puppy.
Don't let anyone tell you it isn't possible. Good luck
Danni, Ben & Penny
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