6 month pup

Question

6 month old female   QUESTION: I was offered a 6 month old female puppy that I really want.  The thing is, this will be the first family pet.  We've always talked about having a dog and it being a GSD.  I have a 5yr daughter that has been asking for a dog as well.  There are a few obstacles that I need advice on before taking on this responsiblity.  my house is not that big for it to be a house dog so it will have to live in the backyard, I've heard mixed advice as to being cruel to leave it outback then others say that its fine to leave it outside.  Also, both me and my wife work so no one will be at home for the most of the day until we are back from work.  I can get on of those covered food containers that they can stick thier head in to eat/drink.  My worry is, will leaving the dog alone during the working hours bad for the dog?  would it be wise to get a good size kennel so that it cant be free roaming in the yard or should I leave her loose in the yard?  what other things should I consider or should I not even accept the dog?

ANSWER: Some dogs adapt well to such a life, and some don't.  They may bark, dig up the lawn, escape, destroy things, and other mischief.  In some ways, it makes little difference to the dog whether it is loose in the yard, in an outdoor kennel, or crated inside, it is still left alone all day.  There are those that would seriously suggest you shouldn't have a dog, but I don't agree.  I am a big believer in crates, but hate to see any dog left over 4-5 hours. If you can't make it back to give it a mid day break, see if a neighbor or professional dog walker can. Doggy day care is a great idea too.

Starting with a 6 month old has many advantages as long as it has been properly socialized.  If it is not used to strangers, being left alone, and young children, you could have problems.  Spend some time with it and see how it does.

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QUESTION: I was planning on walking her in the morning and when I get back from work along with some play time.  I can have someone give her a break in the afternoon but it probably wont be everyday, more like every other day.  As for the digging and escaping, that is my biggest worry, that is why I was thinking if using a kennel to keep it from escaping/digging.  what about having her sleep outside in her dog house?  will that be ok for her at her age?  I really appreciate your advice,


Answer
You could try letting her loose in the back yard and see how it goes with the kennel as a back up plan.  I don't think the dog house will be a problem.  By the time cold weather sets in, she will be almost a year old and should grow a good coat as long as she is outside a lot.  I see no good reason to make her sleep outside.  A crate will solve and chewing or fouling problems.  

It is only natural that a puppy resists its crate at first. What the puppy wants more than anything else is to be others, you, anyone else in the household, and any other pets. In our modern society, even if we are home, other things distract us from the attention an uncrated puppy must have. The only real solution is to crate the dog when you aren't around. The dog may be happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them will rest in their crates even when the door is open. I think the plastic ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

Leave it some toys. Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter. Don't leave anything in the crate the dog might chew up. It will do fine without even any bedding. You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

A dog that has not been crated since it was little, may take some work. Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate. Praise it for going in. Feed it in the crate. This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding time for more than one dog.

The "shut the puppy in a safe room" is a fallacy. Very few houses even have a safe room. How many of us have a room with a hard surfaced floor and nothing else? Most rooms have electrical cords to chew if nothing else. In addition to destroying anything a bored puppy finds to chew, it may choke or have intestinal blockage from the pieces. I had a friend that left her dog in a "safe" room. It ate a hole in the floor covering. The safe rooms fail to give the dog the comfort of the enclosed space their instinct requires. Nor do they restrict activity extending the time the dog can go without relieving itself.