To the OP - You've touched something of a sore spot with me today, here's a story for you. I doubt anyone will change your mind but read it anyway.

I spent 18 months waiting for the 'right' puppy to come along and 7 months ago I purchased said puppy. I worked mostly from home and could spend as much time with the pup as I needed. If I had to go into work I could take the pup.

Then 2 months ago my company went bust. Money has been very tight as a result. The only job I could get involves 10 hour days. I arranged for a friend to let the dogs out at a few times everyday and I came home at lunchtime.

In the month since then my pup underwent a lot of behavioural changes and was being stressed by the situation. I am a fairly good, knowledgeable dog owner and there was nothing else I could do.

So this morning my pup left with her new owner on a trial basis, he is a security handler who also does Schutzhund - her training is going to continue in that area and he will probably end up certifying her as a patrol dog.

That was what was right for my pup. Watching her staring at me as he drove her away was absolutely heartbreaking.

And to make matters worse yesterday I had to have my elder dog to sleep on vet advice. Went from 3 dogs to 1 in less than 24 hours - it was THE right thing for my pup regardless of how I feel.

And there you are trying to justify putting an even younger pup in a worse siuation. Think before you act.

 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 eval and work with problem dogs at a shelter (aggressive, fearful, unsocialized). This is a recipe for creating one of these poor dogs.

600 square feet of concrete for a puppy left all alone .... all day. No chance to even potty train, never mind socialize.

I would not leave an adult dog like this. A ten-week-old puppy -- OMG.

Dogs are pack animals.

Please listen to all these very experienced folks, Frank. Please don't do this to a puppy.

I have a 6' high 10 x 20 kennel in the middle of my 6' stockade fenced yard & I wouldn't leave my 2 adult dogs out there alone. If I am not home & out there with them or able to check on them constantly they are in the house. I wound never consider leaving a pup outside for even a minute unattendded & I live in a very good neighborhood. That is just NOT acceptable for a multitude of reasons. Pups can fall prey to a vast many things.....eating something they shouldn't, just being pups & getting hurt, or being a nice meal for a hunting bird of prey or any number of other things.

It is wrong to get a puppy just because you want one if you can't care for it the way that it should be to promote good mental & physical health now & in the future.

 Quote: Tanith Wheeler

So this morning my pup left with her new owner on a trial basis, he is a security handler who also does Schutzhund - her training is going to continue in that area and he will probably end up certifying her as a patrol dog.

That was what was right for my pup. Watching her staring at me as he drove her away was absolutely heartbreaking.

From one extreme to the other... folks who want what they want regardless of the ill effects, and someone who does the most difficult thing for the benefit of the dog they love. Tanith, I'm so sorry you had to make this decision, it makes my heart break. But what a wonderful thing to do for YOUR DOG.

 Quote: Barbara Schuler

Tanith, I'm so sorry you had to make this decision, it makes my heart break.

I am too.

But you know that you will never regret having put your dog's well-being above your own desires.

I believe that Frank will do the same. I believe that he needed to hear all the reasoning and ask all the questions, and he has done that.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

I believe that Frank will do the same. I believe that he needed to hear all the reasoning and ask all the questions, and he has done that.

I hope you are right Connie. My gut says the jury is still out on this one, but I really, really hope your instincts are correct.

It's amazing how many people pissed in my Cherrios when I had a simple suggestion/question about a puppy. Everyone made it sound like I was fixed on doing this, which I am not.

Also, from all the advice that I have seen on this thread after my last post before this one, makes it seem like I can't have a gsd of any age at all because of my work schedule. I am thinking everyone here who owns a gsd is retired or works from home.

So is everyone here retired or have their own home business??

 Quote: frank crivello

It's amazing how many people pissed in my Cherrios when I had a simple suggestion/question about a puppy. Everyone made it sound like I was fixed on doing this, which I am not. ...

No, what everyone did was try to be as clear as possible and to leave no doubt about their response. It wasn't until you appeared to be going back to the 10-week-old puppy idea with the "crate in secure yard" post that folks started to fear that you were indeed fixed on doing this.

This is a board that cares about the dog(s) first. The human sometimes doesn't get tons of sensitivity.

I've learned to grab the great advice from here and run with it, and ignore it if the tone wasn't 100% to my taste.

 Quote: Frank Crivello

.... So is everyone here retired or have their own home business?? ...

I now work at home. When I didn't, my dogs were adults, I adopted at the beginning of a vacation, I got up an hour early for power walks so dogs were left tired, I had a dog-walker do potty runs midday, and the first thing I did when I got home was attend to dogs.

Frank, if we pissed on your cheerios it was because, in spite of tons of advice explaining how much time/effort/training/nurturing very young puppies need, it appeared that you continued to fixate on having a puppy. You received lots of support on adopting a slightly older dog - from me included. You were also given some options on adopting a pup and hiring someone to assist during the day to help make sure the pup, if you go this route, at least has some interaction during the day.

This is a very, very supportive board / forum for folks who want to do what is right for their dogs. Even when you "step on our twinkie" you will find support if it wasn't malicious or intentional. There is simply not much tolerance for folks who ask for advice, get good advice from some really, really experienced folks (not including myself in this category) and then who continue to say "but what if..." when that scenario is still harmful for the dog/puppy.

If I said the wrong thing, I'll be happy to apologize.