Keeping Lab Busy while working

Discussion in 'Labrador Puppies' started by Rob Pienkowski, Jan 16, 2017.

  1. Rob Pienkowski

    Rob Pienkowski Registered Users

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    Hello everyone! I'n new to the forum but on my 3rd lab. Sadly we had to put down my 12 year old lab this past June. We have a male 5 year old and decided to get a puppy. We brought him home at 8 weeks and he'll be 9 weeks tomorrow. For whatever reason, I don't recall the questions/concerns I'm having now 5 years ago. Now, I cant complain. We are diligent about taking him out and he does not have any accidents in the house and does sleep 7 hours consecutively at night. Not bad for 9 weeks I must say.

    My problem is combining work with a puppy. I've read all over this forum and similar sites I should't leave the puppy in a crate for more than a hour at this age. This is quite difficult to do with 2 working parents, but we've managed. I have us (puppy and I) in a sun room, which is gated off from the rest of the house by a baby gate. There is a table I can work at and his crate and a # of toys are with us. My question for everyone is how do I keep the pup entertained while trying to get in a full day's worth of work (which is typically more than 8 hours)? I do take him out every 20-30 minutes and after relieving himself we do play outside for 5-10 minutes. He gets bored with dog toys rather quickly and then wants to chew baseboards, chair legs, etc. I have frozen kongs, bully sticks and other toys I can use to stimulate him. Any advice from you out there on what else I can be doing?
     
  2. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    Hello and welcome to the forum!
    I'm assuming you work from home? This is great, but it can also be very challenging with a new puppy. My pup is 12 weeks of age, and I find that mornings are a bit of a write-off at the moment. I work later into the night to compensate for it, when she's sleepy.
    When I can't watch her, she's in a puppy pen, so she has more space than just being in a crate, but the house is safe from puppy teeth.
    I also use things like snuffle mats or a reward bone (https://www.battersea.org.uk/product/battersea-reward-bone) to keep her occupied. Lots of short training sessions throughout the day wear her out more than just play does, so I do as many of these as I can.
     
  3. Jenny B

    Jenny B Registered Users

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    Agree puppy play pen! Bigger than a crate - space to move around with toys, food toys etc and to crash out and contained so you can do stuff you need to. Though it did take a little while for our puppy to get use to it after the first couple of times she realised there was plenty to do (and food). Also handy to teach that once the teeth come out playing you are getting and and stepping out of there too.
     
  4. MF

    MF Registered Users

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    Have you considered doggy daycare? I am guessing he's a bit young right now -- our doggy daycare would only take pups from 3 months and after all vaccinations.

    I only sent Snowie once a week to doggy daycare (other days I had someone with him while I worked). On the day he went, he was shattered when he got home, incredibly exhausted from playing the entire day with other doggy friends. We stopped at 6 months as they would only have neutered pups after 6 months and we have kept Snowie intact. For that three-month period it was incredibly useful.
     
  5. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    I was really busy at work when I got both Charlie and Betsy (3 years apart!). I didn't have the problem of not being able to work, because I simply had to work. I wrote out a routine of play, training, cuddles, and so on and I stuck to it. Betsy was in that routine from day one and she was in a pen or a crate while I worked. She certainly spent more than a hour a day in a crate or pen, but she got out for activities very often.

    Her pen is large, and her crate was also large (I had a smaller crate for toilet training).
     

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