Quote: Frank Crivello

One thing I would like to ask is, what if I left a 10 week puppy in my yard with an open door on the crate? I have a secured yard where the puppy will not get in trouble nor chew anything up. Nothing but 600 sqft of concrete and chain link fence with 2 gates. Then when I get home, I bring the crate back inside and the puppy can stay inside overnight.

I can't imagine a 10 week old puppy being alone for hours a day, day after day. I agree with one of the above posts, that a puppy is a baby! They need teaching, and bonding and company. I don't want to sound mean, but you have to think of that puppy's needs and well-being and not want you would like to have. Dogs are pack animals. Maybe a kitten would be a better choice? They don't mind being alone as much as dogs do.

I have 4 adult dogs, and 6 ft vinyl privacy fence around my house, and live in a fairly safe neighborhood, even with that, I wouldn't consider leaving my adult dogs in the yard by themselves, not to mention a puppy.

Besides, leaving a puppy by himself for 10 hours at a time without attention is just way too long. If you are trying to do what is best for the puppy, than I can tell you that is not in his best interest.

If you did that the pup would never bond with you to the point where you could train it successfully. It could get hurt or stolen.

Pups need socialisation to become good adults - you don't want an aggressive dog? Well if you did that you would end up with a very shy, nervous, neurotic working line GSD who will pretty soon be 90pounds - that is a ticking time bomb!!!!!!!!!!

I work with 'pet' dogs who have been treated the way you propose to treat yours, without exception they have been FUBAR and it takes a lot of rehabilitation to even try to turn them back into a normal dog.

I would be dubious about bringing a dog of any age into that kind of environment.

I know you want a puppy, that much is obvious but for the sake of the dog, your sanity and the safety of the public resist the urge.

I agree with all of the above posts and would like to share my very recent personal experience with a GSD pup.

I work a 4 day work week. I have odd hours, most days mid morning into the evening. Even with all this on my side it was very hard when my pup was 9 weeks to 8 months old.

I would get up a 5 in the morning so I could spend 4 or 5 hours with her before I went to work. Because I worked a full day she was not crated, but confined to a completely and totally floor to ceiling puppy proofed room. I was lucky to have he space for this. I had large (6x20) fully enclosed porch with nothing but her stuff in it.

The breeder she came from was very against crating unless you can take the pup out for exercise at a MINIMUM of every 3 hours. This made housebreaking take longer because I had to paper train her. She wasn't completely housebroken until 7 months. Even hen it had to wait until I could take a week off.

I hired a good dog walker, but had to search far and wide for one hat would take her by herself and never go to a dog park. It is REALLY expensive and it came with is own set of problems, nothing major but here are a few habits that have popped up because he allows her to do certain things that I would rather her not.

When I would come home from work it would be all about her. She had been sleeping all day and I was tired! It was hard, but the way I looked at it was that she never asked to live with me. It was my duty.

I would spend a minimum of another 3 hours just with her before bed, and every waking moment on my days off. This means that work nights I got an average of 5 hours of sleep. I never went anywhere without her on my days off, and for the most part I still don't.

Now we are settling into a more adult schedule and its getting easier, but its still a lot of work. I don regret it, but If I could do it all again I would probably not get a puppy.

You really are trying to make this square peg fit into a round hole aren't you... for your own personal needs?

If after reading all the advice on what the needs of a new PUPPY are in order to grow into a well balanced, safe, happy member of your family, your response is "how about if I leave it alone in a concrete play pen for at least 10 hours a day" we obviously aren't being of much help to you.

My advice, in all seriousness, is to volunteer at your local SPCA and stop there - every day on your way to and from work, rain, sleet, snow or sun for the next 16 years. Clean out cages, groom the dogs, play with them. This way you will get your "dog fix" and will be helping all the other dogs whose owners didn't meet THEIR needs and then dropped them off for someone else to deal with. You will end up with the same dog but without the expense and hassle of having to clean up all the crap off the concrete.

It sounds like you've already made up your mind and you are just looking for someone to tell you its ok. You aren't going to get that here.

Listen to your conscience. You aren't in a good place in life to get a puppy. If you do, its just going to create another GSD that's seriously unhinged in the head. I see enough of those every day.

I wouldn't even feel good about leaving an adult or senior dog home alone that long. Its a boring lonely life. Unless you are willing to pay for a dog nanny or send the thing to daycare all day, I'd find something else to get. Like a cat.

I'm sorry if my post angered you.

I was just trying to explain hat having a pup when you work full time can be done, but it is not ideal, and its an 8 hour day on top of your work day. Plus, you are still going to need someone to give you extra help while you are at work.

My dog is growing up to be well adjusted, well trained young adult. People remark all the time that I have done a really good job with her. I can (and do) take her everywhere with me, every chance I get. She behaves, is confident and friendly.

The few problems that we have are mostly teenage challenges. These issues are because she has a bit of a bossy streak in her, and I don't think it would be much different if I could have spent the whole day a home with her.

Lauren, i don't think your post angered her.
Im sure people all over the world get puppies that work full time then leave them in a crate all day.

What everyone here is saying is that it's unfair to the pup to spend that much time alone.

And it is unfair to take a puppy from being surrounded by his siblings 24/7 (more than likely) bring him into a brand new home
and 5 days a week keep him in a crate for 10 hours ( i think that was the time line the OP said)alone.

And to the OP, I desperately wanted to get a puppy after having to put my last dog down. But I knew I just didn't have the time that was required to raise a puppy this time.
So I chose to rescue. And have no regrets at all about my decision. Anyone who has rescued a dog will agree that they have a special bond with their owner's, almost like they knew you saved them from a not so nice situation.

So don't omit the option of getting an adult dog from a rescue or a shelter.

And as someone else stated, even leaving an adult dog home that long is pushing it, so think about having someone come in during the day to let them out.

Sorry If the above post doesn't make sense. I have a case of the Mondays, only its Sunday morning!

When I read Barbaras post I thought it was directed to me because of the "re:" on he top bar.

I agree with everyone here. Don't get a puppy!

German Shepherds have very specific needs in order to become well adjusted. Most people just cant do it. All of you will only end up worse off.

I waited 10 years for my life to even come close to being able to meet the needs of a pup, and it was still almost impossible.