Time alone

Question
I have a teacup poodle and a tiny toy poodle.  Both are wonderful little dogs and
I have been home with them most of the last 2 years.  Now I have to work
fulltime.  How long can they be left alone before being let out?  Is it possible to
retrain them on potty pads?  I do not want to cause them undo stress......

Answer
Hello Fiona,
What I would suggest is to get an exercise pen or find a small area for your Poodles to stay in while you are at work.  Lay some pee pads down for them to potty on, place some toys around for them to play with, and instead of a water bowl I would use a water bottle for them to lick.  This way, they won't spill it and have a wet area to stay in.  
You can put the exercise pen on a kitchen or laundry room floor where they won't make a mess.  

If your dogs won't use the potty pads in a corner of the pen, lay them all over the floor and gradually reduce the area of the pads.  
I would put them down all over at first, then 3/4 of the area, then 1/2 of the area and finally 1-2 pads.  This way, you can give them a potty area, a rest area and room for them to play a bit.  

This shouldn't be too stressful for them, yet will confine them so they don't hurt themselves or the house while you are gone.  Be sure to take them out to potty before you leave and when you get home and they should be ok.

I hope this helps you some.  If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim