How to Balance a Puppy In An Already Busy Schedule
Ever since I was a little girl, I have been BEGGING my parents to get me my own puppy. I promised I would take care of it EVERY DAY and spend time teaching it so it would be the PERFECT DOG. However, they declined every time I asked, saying that they would end up having to take care of it. I was EXTREMELY upset by this, up until the day I actually got a puppy… and then my perspective completely changed.
One day, my husband surprised me with a PUPPY - a week after moving, and in the middle of balancing a full-time job and a side-business of wedding photography. Every day was full of either work or weddings or photography events - and I quickly realized that I needed help in order to make sure I gave enough time to raising our new puppy!
Getting a puppy is a hidden way of making a HUGE time commitment to something that is wonderful but crazy and unpredictable. I think one of the biggest mistakes of first-time dog owners is not realizing how much time and energy it takes to train and take care of the basic needs of a dog. It’s also one of the main reasons why dogs end up in shelters, as their owners realize too late that they really don’t have the time to take care of something else.
Because of this, I decided to share some helpful tips that you should look over before picking up that new puppy/dog you have had your eye on the past few days (note - these are all taken from our experience - some puppies are much easier/harder to manage):
Make a schedule. And stick to it. Your puppy needs a consistent schedule to get used to things, which makes potty-training and crate-training a million times easier. This means committing to waking up the same time every day, feeding the same time every day, exercising the same time every day… you get the point. This was actually SUPER helpful for us - since we were already busy, scheduling out the day made sure that we had time for everything (and also helped deprioritize those things that maybe weren’t super important)
Make a potty training plan. Yes, actually write it out and commit to it. Here’s why:
Your puppy cannot hold their bladder for very long. Take your dog’s monthly age, and that’s the range of hours they can make between potty breaks - yes, that means an 8 week old puppy can only make it about 2 hours. Now, sit back and think about it. EVERY two hours you have to be getting up and taking that puppy out. If you don’t have anyone at home during the day, consider using a service like Rover or a daycare center to let your puppy out!
Related to the first point, your puppy will also need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night… possibly multiple times. It’s pretty much like having a baby, people. Plan ahead with the idea that your sleep will probably be interrupted.
Your puppy will need constant supervision until they are past the potty training and teething stage of their life. Seriously, if we left the room for more than 30 seconds, our puppy would pee on the carpet in that amount of time… even if we went out an hour earlier. If you have the option, see if you can work from home the first couple weeks to help begin the potty training process.
Plan to spend time bonding with your pup! This includes exercising, training, and just plain hanging out with each other. You need to make sure to build the connection between you so that you can avoid unruly behavior that comes when a dog just doesn’t know what to do (and trust me, your pup WANTS to make you happy)
You need to think about the amount of time your puppy needs for exercise. Our dog is a high-energy pup, so we exercise her at least 1-2 hours a day. This DOES NOT mean leaving your dog out in the yard alone - this means actively walking them, playing frisbee/fetch, etc. If your dog has less energy, you probably don’t have to spend as much time - but you should dedicate at least 30-60 minutes to them each day. For us, that looks like taking them for a walk (or playing fetch inside if the weather is nasty) before and after work - that way, they are sleepy during the workday and get that instant connection once we are free to hangout with them!
FOR MY HIGH ENERGY PUPS: along with physical exercise, you also need to mix in mental exercises and training, which will add another 30 minutes to your already puppy-filled schedule. This will TIRE YOUR PUPPY OUT - which will end up giving you more time for your work/busy schedule.
You should be training your puppy new commands for at least 15-30 minutes every day in order to build up their connection and respect for you - and this tires them out too!
The good news for you all?? Puppies can sleep for 15-20 hours a DAY (depending on the age) - so you won’t have to be watching them every minute you are awake. As they start growing, their maintenance will lessen - so if you are in the middle of the craziness now, don’t give up!!!!
For my dog/puppy owners: What were some unexpected time commitments you experienced when you got a new puppy? How did you juggle your own life around accommodating for your new family member?
