picture and a question

[Mollyrocker]

First here is another picture of Cricket with her big sister...I haven't been able to take many pictures because it has been so rainy. This is from this week.

Second I have a question about a schedule.

I work part time so I am home alot, and when I am gone for more than a few hours, I have a petsitter come in for play and potty breaks.

2 days a week I am home almost the whole day. I need to set aside time to work on my paintings...I am finding it difficult to not spend all my time with Cricket and Lucy. I feel guilty for crating for blocks of time. I need to pretend I am not here.

What is a good schedule/balance for a 10 week old puppy so that she is properly stimulated but I still can work at home on my projects? Lucy is no longer crated...just Cricket.

We start the day at 4:30 am and go to bed around 9:45pm

[Kirbysmom]

My husband is in the same situation-he's a teacher and has the summer off, so he needs to balance doing some things around the house, but giving time to the puppy. We get Kirby up with us, and do breakfast, and potty, little playtime, and then take her for a nice long walk. After that she's usually tired anyway, so we give her a Kong, some ice cubes, a chewie and some toys in her crate (in case she wants to play, but really she just sleeps) for a couple hours. Then it's out for potty, lunch, a walk and playtime-at least two to three hours-at which time she wore out, and we go through the morning crate routine. Sometimes the afternoon time is longer, Kirby is feeling the heat of summer and likes to take a longer nap-so sometimes it's 3 to 3.5 hours in the afternoon. We've found that our dog really needs her naps and quiet time, or she turns really cranky, and starts "testing limits"-she'll go after fingers, toes, cords, carpet etc. and REFUSE to be redirected (terrible twos I guess.) Anyway, then it's about time for me to come home, and she's out the whole evening-that's usually backyard playtime, because the sun has gone down enough that the whole backyard is in shade. Kirby likes to hunt ants, and can do it for hours!

[kayharley]

A ten week old pup is going to need quite frequent potty breaks.

I believe there is a rule of thumb regarding age and how long they can go without relieving themselves....a 3 month old pup, 12 weeks, can only hold it for roughly 3 hours during the day. (Forum members...please contradict me if I'm wrong...been a few years without a pup )

What I found to be an excellent puppy tool was the ex-pen. Put a cheap durable flooring underneath,have an open crate, water bowl, toys and it's a safe haven for the times you are not there. Not only would this work for the few hours you are away from home, it would work for when you are home but unable to watch your pup 100%.

[tena]

When I did freelance work from home we had this issue. Sophie would want to go walking every minute of everyday. She would beg whine and pest. I finally got her on a scheduale that worked. Some walking in the morning then about 3 hours of work for me while she laid in her bed, then some walking again....If we don't keep her on this type of routine you get nothing done but walk her around the nieghborhood.