A few questions on when I get a puppy. Advice please!?

If you are going to be getting a puppy, it will probably be 8-10 weeks old when you bring it home.

I'd just like to say, puppies normally need to urinate (or poo) once every 1 - 2 hours in the first few weeks. They are very young and their bladders are very small, so they need to empty more frequently... also a puppy has no control over their bladder until about 6+ months... so when they need to go they need to go, that's why it's best if you can be there to get them to the correct toileting area before they go on the floor.

What I am trying to say is, if you are away from the house for at least 8 hours a day, and your bf about 6-7 hours, expect to come home to poops and pees on the floor. I doubt even a 8-10 week old puppy will be able to hold on for 4 hours, 2 hours at the very MOST.

So you are going to have to be prepared to come home to a mess, you are going to have to be prepared that letting him do this on your floor while you are out will infact make the whole housetraining issue that bit harder, it will take longer than someone who is at home all day.

If a puppy is allowed to poo pee indoors without being corrected, it's NOT going to be easy to teach it otherwise. Even using puppy pads can cause alot of problems.

Some dogs puppies can catch on some what in two weeks, but it wont make his bladder grown any bigger in two weeks. He will still be very yong and need to empty his bladder often.

Also, I do not recommend you let a young puppy have access to a dog flap while you are out... what if someone got in your back garden and stole your puppy while you were out? What if some animal got into your garden and attacked your puppy, you wouldn't know anything to help. What if he somehow managed to escape from your back garden?

These dogs require patient, firm and fair training. These dogs should not be left unattended for long periods. Consider buying two dogs if you will be gone a lot. These dogs will do okay in an apartment if they get plenty of chances to be outdoors. These dogs shed twice a year, but it's not as noticeable as with other breeds, because the hair of this breed is very short. It's easy to groom and requires only occasional baths to be in a good form. Acquire beagle facts from kennels and get to see these inquisitive dogs.

To answer your 1st question about where you should keep him at work is quite difficult, because it depends if he is a chewer or not. There is no point wasting money and buying a cage if your puppy doesn't chew. But if he does you've got to get a cage. If when you first go out he chews something up then you come back and tell your pup off he will not understand what his done as he may of done the damage a while ago. Leaving a puppy that long alone may be a bit of a squeeze I would personally recommendd asking someone to look after your beagle while you go to work. If you can't it would be ok if you could pop in for a hour or so to give your pup a walk. I think you should let your neighbours know or they'll be in for a shock if they see the cutest beagle pup ever running round your garden. Hmmm I think you should have off as much time as you want, if you want a week off have a week off or a weekend, just go back to work when you feel confident in your puppy, but you must just keep popping out every so and so so your beagle gets used to been alone. I think you should definitely get a puppy you sound so devoted and kind. I have every faith that your pup will be the best pup on your block. Best Wishes!!!

I am 24 too and about to get my first puppy in Jan - after waiting 4 long years because i lived in an apartment.

I can understand how badly you want a puppy, honestly i can relate, but getting a puppy isn't a case of what you "really really want" it is a case of taking a step back and putting what is best for the puppy first.

You really need to open your eyes and realise that your impatience and selfishness could ruin something that could be so much better, if only you wait a few years.

You shouldn't leave a puppy alone for more than a couple of hours for the first month.

You shouldn't leave a dog alone for more than 4 hours at all.

Any responsible breeder won't even sell you a puppy unless one person is only on part-time hours...

Everything that you are scared of happening will happen taking into consideration your lifestyle.

Tell yourself you cannot give a puppy what it needs, go have a cry and get it out of your system.

Ok.First of all...i assume it's going to be a puppy. Am I correct?

Okay. I think it will be okay if it's left a few hours alone but make sure to spend time with it after work. I would say to keep the dog in the yard. (If it's be big) If not then use a baby gate. And what u said about you taking a week off and your bf is good. But don't give it attention all the time because when you will be both missing it will whine alot so spend time with it but Not all the time.

Hope I helped ;D

Leaving your pup alone for this period of time is fine as long as its not still bottle feeding and on solubles. The pen idea sounds fantastic for whilst you're out and restricting its movement around the house so it can't damage things is another good idea. When leaving it alone for that amount of time make sure he/she has plenty of toys (make sure he/she has a toy that keeps him entertained for a while e.g. a ball where you put treats in and they have to work out how to get them) and chew toys for teething, he\she will also need plenty of water! Also make sure there are biscuits for him/her to eat, meat could get to warm and go bad during the day so I personally would leave that to being an evening food. Plenty of attention is a must for when you get back.

So long as you are consistent on working with the puppy is best. Two weeks is plenty of time for the puppy to learn the routine and you will have possibly a mistake or two that he/she does, but that is okay! You work with the dog anyway! Keep a calm assertive attitude when working with the dog. Show you are the alpha and it is to listen to you. If you show any sign of weakness in your leadership you will fail on getting the dog to behaveit will become dominant and eventually grow a dominate attitude to you and other people he/she may come across. It is okay to block off certain rooms and it is okay, if you are going to be away for a long time, to put it in a crate, but not too long! Make sure that you let the dog go to the bathroom before you leave so that way when you get home, you will not have a mess to clean up! If you must, empty the garbage out, even though its a puppy, to keep it from getting in the garbage. Start training the dog that the garbage is a bad thing. Make it sort of afraid of it, but not too much so it does not go near it while you are away. Put the dog in a crate sometime and move away from the room to see if the dog has a separation anxiety issue. If the dog starts to make a noise or scratch at its cage, make a loud noise and be quiet when he stops. Eventually as you do this, your dog will begin to understand when it goes into the crate, it means you are away and will be back soon.

When working with your puppy on the crate, do not force him in! It will cause a bad experience for the dog and he will never want to go in! Instead, allow him to go in himself to check it out and give him praise! Put a treat in there before he goes in to show that it is okay to go in there and have you shut the door and when he is inside and the door is shut, give him more praise and another treat! This will make him think 'hey! This is my space and its pretty cool!' If he begins to become defensive over it discipline him immediately. You do not want him to begin biting at anyone that comes near it.

As it grows older you will need to watch its behavior as it will be testing you on your leadership. Do not give up! You must continue to work with the dog and do not let yer emotions show or be part of the message or energy you are sending to the dog. He will mimic it and eventually try and take your leadership from you! If he for the first time pees on the carpet then show the dog that this is bad and take him outside to where he needs to go to the bathroom. If you have to make a pen outside so he can't escape and allow him to go in and outside as much as possible. When he goes to the bathroom outside, then give him lots of praise. Continue to do this until he has the idea that going outside to go to the bathroom is good and inside is bad.

With it being a beagle, a dog used for hunting, it will eventually pick up a scent if you go to a park and begin to howl. It is natural for the dog and is okay for the dog to be doing such. Inside the house is not okay especially if you have neighbors, same goes with barking if some one comes to the door. So with that you will need to do the same with the going pee inside concept with the barking inside is bad. So with this, I suggest two fingers held together into the shoulder only firmly no harder. Each time he tries to or is barking at the door or just in the house this will train him to think okay so barking is bad inside, but outside is bad. Do not train your dog to bark obsessively outside. Praising him while barking outside is okay, but it will eventually train the dog that barking all the time outside is okay and that might annoy some people. So it is okay for him to bark, just don't do anything and let him do it.

Also being a beagle, it won't be able to jump too high, but putting a wire mesh roof isn't too bad, it should be a gate that he can't jump over would be more realistic. Also if he wishes to remain outside make sure that he has a shelter to go into and water so he has something to drink but if he wishes to remain inside his water and food bowl will be okay too.

That is a lot of information but you can find a lot of this too if you look up Ceaser Milan and read his info and watch his shows "The Dog Whisperer"! Good luck!

well i would allow your dog to do some roaming arround. dont leave ur dog in the crate all the time!!!!! i would suggest allowing ur dog to stay on a leash right next to u and watch it at AAALLLLLL times!!!!!!put ur dog in its crate only when ur not home.the best way to keep ur dog from destroying is to keep a watch on it at allll times!!!

get one!!!!!!!! dogs r ace!! the only thing bad is that they pee and poo in the house. Do not keep them in a cage all the time.

hug it love never let it go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!