advice\suggestions needed please!!
 

first of all let me just say YT has been such a great help for me and my bailey! :)
here's what im here for today: okay SO im about to graduate and my plan (which i recently decided on) is to move to houston, tx in october, move in with my dad in downtown, and search for a job, more than likely my dad will get me a job for his company! anyway this is a huge move for me, and im nervous since ive never lived with my dad before, and im prob guna feel a little lonely.....well anyway yesterday, i was talking to my dad and he's in the process of buying a house, and i was asking him about the fenced yard, etc and he says "ahh, well maybe you need to think about the whole dog thing ...like what r u guna do when u start working? leave her in the crate for so many hours, etc?" i got really upset so i quickly ended the convo and began crying....

i could never give my baby away, i knew i needed to get on YT and search and think ab all my options before calling him back bc i was too upset at the moment. so i searched th forums by typing "working moms, crate hours" to see what others do and i came across the xpens, play yards, etc. i called my dad today and he seemed ok with it!! whixh was a HUGE relief for me!!!
so my question here is i need some ideas on what exactly im looking for and how\where to searxh and help for me to explore all the options! i want something big enough for her, she's 7lbs, pretty small...i want to be able to leave a bed, food, water, and a pee pad most importantly! i need one that has like a closable top, and a floor on the bottom, for accidents. i need it to be safe! :)and are there ones like this that can be folded up and put away when not in use?

thank yall so much for the suggestions that im sure are headed my way!! i have to make this work. and im assuming once i begin work, like 8 hour days, not sure, but i domt want to leave her in her little crate that long!

any people on here in the houston area? were going to be living in a nice area called "The Heights"! i will be looking to make friends...this is a huge change im making as my transition into a "big girl" begins!! wish me luck lol :)

Can't help on expens, as I don't use them. But just wanted to say that I also leave mine alone when I work and it can certainly be done. While it would be nice if we could all stay home all the time with our babies, many people cannot! I just doggy proofed my bedroom and they stay in there with pads, water, toys, and the bed to sleep on. :) Good Luck with your move.

I did the same thing I was a full time student so I dogie proofed our guest bathroom and that's where Tibbs would stay! He actually loves it in there now he thinks that's his area.

I was heartbroken for you at the beginning so afraid this wouldn't work out. I know you would give up living with your dad before leaving Bailey. I'm sorry I have no advice for the X-pen my 4 are gated in the kitchen sunroom and use potty pads in the laundry room. I know this is a huge step for you moving away from your mom.I was concerend when you said your dad doesn't have a fenced yard. Has your dad ever had a dog in his house and does he like dogs? I pray this transition works out well for you and Bailey.

Hi there,
This sounds like a tough situation to be in. I know you will do everything possible to keep your baby safe. I think many people work and leave their dogs at hime where they are safe. Maybe after you move and know the house it will be easier for you . If your not able to section off the house then a ex pen will be perfect. Just make sure it is large enough to allow a potty pad, food, and toys plus a sleep area. I wish you the best.

your right, i would give up moving before leaving her...thats why i just got off the phone with him lol

but no, his new house that im almost positive he's going to be living in has a small fenced in back yard!! im really excited about that too!! and yes, my dad loves dogs, i know he'll love bailey! and guess what hes going to meet her this friday for the first time, he is coming in town for my graduation! :)
but my dad had 2 jack russells, but he just had a divorce, and she got the dogs. but i think his worried are ab the new house, and damage being done to it, thats why i gota make a plan and get a good playpen so that i can make sure she is ok along with not having him get upset with me...

I use a Sea Breeze Petite Pen for Gidget when I am not home. I put her bed, dishes, toys, pee pad, and she is fine. These are adjustable in size, so you can make them larger or smaller. They also travel well.

I work full time but I do not put either of mine up. They have free run of the house. That has worked for us! :) And I sure have a nice little greeting committee when I come through the door!

ohh that.sounds good! does it have like an easy to clean floor? where did u buy it?

Pet Gear Travel Lite Octagon Soft-Sided Pet Pen with Removable Top - Crates, Carriers & Kennels - Dog - PetSmart

Other places sell these also.

These are soft sided and also have a bottom and top.

Just another idea. If he is potty pad trained you may be able to give him the run of your bedroom during the day. I have foam stairs next to my bed to she can get up on the bed during the day and she uses the potty pads, has water and toys.

I got Riley's x-pen from www.petedge.com

It is this one:
ProSelect Suite Retreat Pet Pens | PetEdge.com

I no longer use it.
He has full run of the whole place, now.

I trained him to use a litter box with the peepee pads in it. I also got a diaper genie for the used pads, so there is no smell.

He goes outside, as well, but I feel better leaving him with a litter box in the corner, just in case he has to go. :)
I got the larger second nature purina litter box.
The Mini is the larger one.
Amazon.com: Second Nature Dog Litter Pan Minature...

I got my "expen" from Target. It's actually for children, but your pup won't know the difference. :p Kaji started in an expen but eventually graduated to free roam of the apt.

Dh and I work full time, during those hours he is in his play pen. Dh bought me the pack n play for kids at walmart, its the yellow one with lil monkeys and other zoo animals!! I put his bed blankets food water and his fav bone toy. He doesnt have a pad in there bc he holds it :) good luck to you.

I have this one:

Amazon.com: Pink Pet Tent Exercise Pen Playpen...
It was $30 but they have several different sizes, colors, and prices.

Agree on the playpen idea.

You can always look for in-home petsitters to visit during the day or doggie daycare a few times a week, as well. :)

There are many different options for working Yorkie mamas!

I also bought the plastic expen from target. The one meant for kids. It's has 6 panels and I put it in a rectangular shape. I bought a scrap piece of linoleum from home depot to put under it to protect my floors. Roxy has her bed, food, water, puppy pads and toys in there and there's plenty of play room. My only problem is that she now jumps out of it. She is only 4.5 months old and weighs a little over 3 lbs and can easily jump out of it. I haven't found a safe way to cover it yet but I'm still looking. I really don't want to have to buy her another xpen right now.

Good luck with what ever you decide to do. Working and owning a dog is definitely do-able! I just make sure my dogs get plenty of attention and exercise when I'm home.

Also, just a word of advice i was bought a Soft sided pen but my puppy chewed through it in 2 hrs. It won't work for you if your dog likes to chew.

uhh ohh! :( i didnt think about that, my little girl is a chewer!! soo what does that mean? i need to go for the metal or which ever ones?? darn! i really didnt want to do that, i wonder if she would seriously chew through it...i really dont know...
like i really thought het chewing stage wouldve stopped by now lol but she still will chew on shoes, and everything else, i always have to watch what shes doing' i looked away or nodded off for afew min, she managed to chew through my phone charger cord, not thrugh it but enough to make it not work!

i would hate to spend money on one of those soft sided pens' and then for her to chew it and escape, id be so upset and concerned!

are the metal\hard sided ones a lot more expensive though? :( im bummed out, i was so excited!

There are some places that have doggy daycare businesses. I know your just starting out so I don't know if you could afford it but many dogs enjoy this. Of course you would really have to check out the place and look at references and such. Maybe you could take your dog just one or two days a week. You have to remember that though you may work 8 hours a day you have an hour you are gone for lunch and additional commute time. My work days were 10 hour days all together and some days were much longer. Then there is the stop on the way home at the stores you need to go to. I used to have a little Shih Tzu and when he was about a year old we gated him into the kitchen while working. When he was two he had the run of the house because he could hold it all day and the kids would come home and let him out after school. I would get the bigger playpen so you baby has plenty of room and can't jump out.
Hope things work out for you and your baby. Hopefully your dad will like her and get along well with the new member of his family.

I have this one too-actually two of them. One stays in the kitchen and one in my car for traveling. I like that the bottom is detachable and can be thrown in the washer. I also like that the top zips on/off, and the doors are fairly big. Noah thinks it's a run through lol.

SeaBreeze Petite Pens Pricing Here is the link to their website. My breeder uses these and recommended them. We LOVE these. I would recommend getting a 6 or 8 panel bc they can be opened up or collapsed in to make a smaller pen.

Sorry, that link didn't show the product. Hopefully, I got the right link this time. SeaBreeze Petite Pens - A lightweight solution to heavy exercise pens

Sorry, for all the post, the brain is still needing more caffeine. You might want to go up as high as 10 panels if you are going to be gone all day every day to give her plenty of room.

its ok! thank you...did u read my last reply to the post about being a chewer with the soft sided pens? i didnt thnk about that..bailey is a little chewer, idk if she would or not? :\

These are not the soft-sided x-pens. These are metal. I don't think you'll have a chewing problem. My Gidget can be a chewer and she leaves her pen alone.

You can put a piece of lineolium or a vinyl shower curtain down at the underneath for the bottom and you can make a top with a fitted sheet

I worked over 8 hours a day and Macy stayed in her wire playpen with no problems. She had food, water, bed, potty pad and room to play and loved it. I left a radio on when I left to keep her company. Her playpen didn't have a top but she never tried to jump out and she weighs a little over 6 pounds. Her pen was on tile in the kitchen but you can buy a piece of linoleum for the floor and put in your bedroom during the day. Also give her a sock or t shirt of yours that has your scent on it during the day.

Once the dog is house-trained, can't you leave it in the house while you work? They don't soil the house and do fine but of course they really need to be well-trained. Tibbe is housebroken but if I am going to be gone over 3 hrs., I leave pee pad down for him which he hasn't used since he was 1 1/2 years old. He just holds it until I get home.