Thanks for all your heartening replies but could someone please advise on how long he can be left in crate in the day please as that is worrying me as I have to be out 7.45 to 4.30 three days a week?

There's a good few people on here have their puppy sleep in their room in a crate, that way, should he cry during the night they can say a few words of comfort to the pup
Once he gets used to the crate, sleeping through the night etc. you can slowly move the crate out of the room if you'd prefer him to sleep in a different room long term.

Having a puppy is nuts, and at times you naturally have wobbly moments, especially when sleep deprived! But all the good outweighs the bad for sure!
Seriously, in a weeks time, you'll be on here telling us about your success of him sleeping through the night Good luck! And we love pictures on here too

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Do you have someone who can call in during the day to feed and exercise him?
For me, I wouldn't leave a pup in a crate for more than 4 hours, but that's just me.
If he could get an hour out with someone during the day, that would be good xox

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Hi, I am out from 6:15 - 4 and I got a day care lady, who comes around at 9:30 to pick Bella up and brings her back at 4. So Bella is alone for 3-3.5 hours in the morning and sometimes a couple of hours in the afternoon if I am staying out a bit longer. Bella is not in a crate during these times, I have put baby gate on living room door, so she has the whole room for herself. I also turn the TV on in the morning so that she doesn't feel lonely.

Your pup should be fine as long as someone takes it out and plays with it for at least an hour, twice at least while you are away. Anything less than that I think is unfair on the pup but that's my opinion. Maybe you could get someone you know or a puppy sitter to come in for 3 hours from 11-2?

I'd may be get a small crate for night time and either a playpen to attach or a large crate for day.
The pup won't be able to 'hold' for long so would need someone to take it out to the toilet at least every 2 hours (or have access to training pads) and spend a bit of time playing/keeping him company.
With mine they had access to training pads as I said and a friend popped in mid morning, i came home lunch time and kids got home at 3.30 so they were left 8am - 10.30 11- 12.30 1-3.30.
Hope that gives you some idea - I dropped the mid morning visit at about 6 months and the lunch time at about 1 year - I also work 3 days a week.

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A dog Possesses Beauty without Vanity,Strength without Insolence, Courage without Ferocity, And all the Virtues of Man without his Vices.

Chin up
Puppies are exhausting. You sound very caring and conscientious or you wouldn't be worrying so much
My advice; take one day at a time It will get easier Once you get some sleep the world will be a sunnier place
An American Cocker, what a lovely choice. i don't think you will have any regrets in the long run.
Linda

Could you be just overwhelmed with your son moving out coinciding with a new pup? At times mine is a pain in the neck but I would still miss him if he left home!

When we had Dougie at 8 weeks old he was already used to a crate so had no issues with it, not sure if a crate is new thing for your pup?

From my experience the more time you can spend with them initially pays dividends as it prolongs house training otherwise. How flexible is your work, instead of 3 full days would they agree to spreading the hours over the week so you do shorter days but more often for a while?

When Dougie first came home I took 2 weeks holiday, then my son had 2 weeks. Always closed the crate door at night but in the day to start it was only closed when he was having a sleep, then for short times if I was busy, mopping the floors for example so that he was used to being in there but could still see me. After a week or so would close for about an hour tops whilst I did the shopping.

Its really a very personal choice how long you think is suitable to leave them either alone or closed in a crate and not for me to judge but you seem very concerned about that point so perhaps don't feel comfortable about it?

No idea if it was using a crate or just lucky but Dougie never cried at night at all. My previous dog screamed the place down for about 3 months so do sympathise. I used to cover the crate with a throw (not completely just the top & sides, but front was not covered) to make it more den like. At night for the first week home used to leave the radio on low, strangely my son said it should be classical music! and used to leave a dim light on, we used a camping lamp thing.

Hope you can sort things, puppies are hard work at first and it is easy to forget that part, bit like having a baby really. Good luck

I do sympathise with you - I think that anybody who gets a new puppy and finds they cry through the night really finds it hard. I remember Bailey cried every hour for the first night, in the end I just took my dressing gown off and gave it to him and the smell seemed to settle him, he still has that dressing gown a year later as his comfort blanket...I had to buy myself another!!!

We also after that first night crated him, covered the cage with a blanket to create a den, added a hot water bottle and left a radio on quietly....it took about a week but he soon stayed quiet all through the night. I know he wasnt alseep the whole night because I could hear him moving around but he seemed to realise when that blanket went down over the crate it was time to rest. We never gave in and brought him into our bedroom, we really didnt want him getting used to that.

Having a new pup is very hard and there are times you will want to pull your hair out but with consistent training you will start to reap the rewards and the pup will get used to your routine. Bailey brought us alot of stress in his early days, he was very nippy and hyper and I cried at one point as I was sooo tired, but looking back it was all completely outweighed by the love and laughter he also provides.

At 6 mths he completely turned a corner and is now almost 1 year old and well behaved..most of the time...he enjoys walks, a game of fetch and then a good cuddle!!! I found that when you start walking them their behaviour really improves because they are venting all that puppy energy. We both work so he does have several hours a day alone.....he gets 3 walks a day to keep him relaxed while we are away.

I am now looking at getting a second puppy so it cant be that bad!!
I guess its like child birth, straight after the event people say its painful and horrific and they will never do it again. But they soon forget about that when they have their new bundle of joy and afew years later baby 2 is on its way! Besides puppies dont give you stretch marks ;-) xx

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