Is there a difference?

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Dang straight there's a difference!

Puppies have a lot of needs that can't be met with that large gap in the middle of their day! Most especially, they need to be walked. But they also have other needs that can't wait while they're small, like socialization, training, and comfort. An older dog can wait for a while, but a puppy needs monitoring.

In fact, being aware of this, I've very carefully planned my next puppy purchase with my family and the breeder for a time when my daughter will be old enough to be home by herself during the summer all day, and is old enough and experienced enough to *deal* with a puppy by herself. Further, the planning involves the puppy being old enough to stay alone for longer periods when my daughter goes back to school in the fall - puppy's age at roughly 24 weeks. At that point and forever more, the puppy will be alone no more than five hours each day.

Needless to say, the dog will be as much my daughters as mine.

So, yeah, I understand the difference. And I plan for it.


*Edit:*
Whoo-hoo! Someone doesn't care for my careful planning! Too bad for them. ;-p...Show more

There is a huge difference.

A puppy needs housebreaking. You can't do that if you are away 8 hours a day.

A puppy needs to be socialized. You can't do that if you are not home.

A puppy needs lots of time and attention throughout the day to stop it becoming distructive. If you are at work all day the only way to avoid the distruction is to leave it in a crate all day.

By the time it becomes a dog it should already be housebroken and have more control of it's bodily functions so yet it can go from the time you go to work until the time you get home.

A dog should be socialized by the time it's a dog and no longer a puppy.

A dog often would rather sleep all day and be ready for play and attention when it's owner gets home. It should also be trained so it won't be distructive once you are gone so it won't need to be left in a crate for 8 hours a day....Show more

Hi Rachel;

Yes, to me there is a HUGE difference. The best way that I could explain it is this....a puppy is like a toddler child. You have to be home with this puppy alot to make sure they are well taken cared of and to teach them to go potty and show them lots of love. You have to be able to socialize them so they know how to play nice with others when the time arises. You have to teach them right from wrong ( obedience classes ). If you have a 9-5 it won't be impossible to do, just very difficult.

Having a Dog is kind of like having a child who is already in school. While this child is in school you can go out to work and know that they are ok being without you for awhile. They already know how to go potty so they could hold it for longer periods of time, they are well socialized ( well, some anyway ) so they know how to play nice with others. If you have a 9-5 with a dog in the house, you know they could hold their bathroom breaks longer and you know they won't get into too much trouble because they know right from wrong ( hopefully ) and you could stay out longer knowing they you don't have to worry about them as much as you would a toddler or a puppy. To me there is a huge difference. I hope you understood this and I didn't come off as rambling again..I tend to do that alot!...Show more

Hello dear Rachel,

Of course there is a difference, a BIG difference.
A puppy is not capable of holding its bladder for 8hours.
If crate trained, the pup will have no other choice but to soil where he sleeps, if not crated the dog will soil inside the house, in the long run making housebreaking harder.
One minute the pup pees inside, the next he gets told of for going inside = confusion!!

Puppies need interaction, socialisation and time,
Just one difference.

I’m not however saying that anyone who works should not own a puppy.
You just need to be able to manage your time.

Add-
Is dat your soul I see? - a perfect example of someone who can manage their time and juggle a job and a puppy....Show more

Isn't it a little obvious? Puppies are like newborns; they need to be nurtured and taken care of, and usually need someone around them, otherwise they get scared and whine. Puppies can only hold their number 1 and 2 for a couple of hours while dogs can pretty much hold it all day. Dogs aren't as active as puppies and don't need as much attention, but with puppies, you have to be up their butts and in their business constantly so they don't develop bad habits.

But you know what? People with a 9-5 can take care of a puppy. While I was at school and my mom had to pick me up, we left a cabbage patch kid with my puppy and he did just fine....Show more