How to Take Care of a Puppy While at Work

If you have a new puppy, you want the best for her: quality food, safe toys and the best health care money can buy. Which begs the question, What do you do with your puppy while you're at work making that money? There are things you can do to make it easier on yourself and your little one until she can be trusted alone in the house.

Things You'll Need

• Dog crate
• Old sheets or towels
• Water bowl
• Nylabones

Instructions

1. Get up early enough to take your puppy outside and feed him breakfast. After he has eaten, take him outside to potty again.

2. 

   Once you are back inside, put your puppy in her crate. Make it a fun, learning experience for her. Her crate should have a name, like "place" or "house," and she should receive a treat for going inside. Make sure to pad the crate with clean, soft towels or sheets.

3. Place a bowl of clean water and two Nylabones inside the crate (Nylabones are very safe, with no parts the puppy could choke on). Leave a radio or TV on to keep him company.

4. 

   Around lunchtime, either go home yourself or have a friend, neighbor or professional pet sitter check on your puppy. Puppies under six months of age need a midday meal, and puppies of any age will need to go potty and exercise during the day.

5. Consider taking your puppy to daycare at least twice a week. This will be a nice change in routine for your puppy, and a great opportunity for her to exercise and socialize with other people and other puppies.

6. 

   When you return home in the evening, take your puppy out of his crate and potty him, then feed him dinner. Evenings should be bonding time for you and your puppy. You've been gone all day, and it's important to his development that you spend time training him, playing with him and making him feel safe and loved.

Tips & Warnings

• Your puppy's crate should be big enough for him to stand up and turn around in, but not big enough for him to find a place to potty. If this routine is too much for you to handle, consider adopting an older dog--there are many that need homes, they are easier to train and they make loving companions.

• Don't leave plush or rubber toys in your puppy's crate--it's too easy for her to choke on torn pieces. Never leave your puppy without a bowl of clean, fresh water.

Resources

• Caring for Your Puppy While You're at Work