So i am toying with the idea of getting a pup. Either a lab or a weimriner (sp?). My big concern is, I live by myself. I can take him to work with me, as we have two labs at work already. But, what do i do with him on the weekend when I do long rides? Almost every weekend I get at least one 4-5 or longer ride. I don’t want to leave him home alone for that long. So, any suggestions? Whats everyone out there do with their pups when they go for long rides?
My suggestion for a single guy living alone is do not get one.
If you must get one, rescue an adult dog that is already trained and wont freak out if it is left alone. I had a chessie that after some initial pain was ok to be left in a kennel for stretches. In the end, he was better with the family on a farm with a lake that owns him now.
Locally we have a doggy day-care where you can drop your pet off to play with other pets for “x” amount of hours. You might check into something like that. The year we purchased our Yellow Lab we took the summer off from major training for this very reason. We didn’t have the doggy day-care then but had we, I would have been all over it. You could also have a neighborhood kid doggy sit for you (assuming there are kids close by)…our neighborhood kids came over all the time to play with our puppy when we first got her. Good luck.
Is that you Les?
PS I found your black shorts…
Get a cat or a rescue mutt. Labs are called that because they’re energy labs. Leave one home alone all day and he’ll shred your yard and annoy your neighbors. In short order he or she will have behavioral problems that will make you crazy.
Get a roommate or GF who loves dogs. Weimaraners are a little more mellow than Labs, but as puppies they too can be quite destructive.
If the dog is going to be alone very much, that’s cruel. Why not get two dogs so they can at least keep each other company.
Go to a dog show and interview some breeds to find out about their dispositions. Try to find a dog that’s somewhat mellow (not a lab).
I live alone with my dog Riley. He does about 80% of my trail runs with me. On days I know I’ll be gone a few hours, I make sure he gets out first. Maybe a short 2-3 mile run or a 1/2 hour at the dog park with lots of ball chasing. This usually tires him out and he’s zonked until I get home. When I get home, a trip to the beach.
When I got Riley, I knew what kind of lifestyle I lead and knew that getting a dog had a lot of responsiblity. It definitely is not right to get a dog if you cannot give it the proper attention.
He doesn’t go to work with me, but I come home at lunch every day, do a short run or play ball with him.
Right now, he’s crashed out on the couch after a good 1 hour run along the ocean trails.
Chris
If you are even questioning yourself now, don’t do it. Wait until you can make a 6 month commitment to training a new puppy. A puppy can go 3 to 4 hours in a crate. But, a pup will also need a large amount of your time and attention while it grows into a young dog. The companionship is worth the early effort, but make no mistake there is an early effort.
Single person with a puppy…you won’t be single long. 
A general rule of thumb is that a dog can hold its bladder 1 hour for each month old so given 4-5 hour rides look for a slightly older puppy who is already housetrained.
Rescue if possible, but if not find a reputable breeder and check out the puppy and its parents, aunts/uncles, etc.
We have Aussies that need a job so we work our dogs with agility, but labs need more physical stimulation such as a being a running partner.
Doggie day care can be a good or bad thing. A pack mentality can develop in dog care, which could make your dog human or dog aggressive. Be careful.
It is awesome that you can take your dog to work. I would love that, but it would stress out my dogs as they are constantly active(not hyper or needy, but not sleeping) when we are around. When we are at work they get their additional 8 hours of sleep(14 hours per day total). When we go back to work on Monday they are usually zonked as they have been sleep deprived.
Go for a weimaraner/viszla over a lab, but personally I like the herding breeds over the sporting breeds.
If it’s an older puppy (4 months or so), leaving him alone for a few hours is fine for him. Give him a kong in his crate and a nice place to sleep, and he’ll zone out. Just be sur eto exercise him well before and after and make sure he gets out to potty and whatnot.
Of course I ALWAYS advocate getting an adult dog from a rescue group–that way, you have a MUCH better sense of what you’re getting, what kind of energy level, temperment, etc etc. Especially if you’re schedule is somewhat unusual (although, frankly, from what you said it sounds like you’d be with your dog more than most dog owners. heck, we’re gone from 7 Am until at least 5 PM every day…).
Regardless of which way you go, make sure you consider the breed/breeds you are getting and how their actiity level and temperment may match with your lifestyle. Labs and Weims are busy, active dogs. Know what you’re getting into, and be ready to take them to obedience and then give them a job–agility, running partner, hunting, something like that.
Thanks for the advice. I have been leaning toward going to the resecure shealter over getting a puppy. I was thinking of looking for one at or a litlte younger then a 1 year old. I take the two labs we have at work running almost everday with me at lunch. So, I was thinking a lab because of the running, I want a running partner.
I got a lab/beagle mix from a shelter in Chicago. Best dog I have ever had. He had some trust issues for a few weeks with me, and still does when my buddies come over. But, he’s happy to do up to about 7 miles right now with me on trails, he learns faster than most of my friends (he can let himself in and out of rooms by opening doors!) and learns commands in minutes.
Plus, think about all of the dogs in shelters that were left by their families. Giving one of them a home is like giving them the lease on life they deserved from the start. I think Coach knows this and shows me his appreciation all the time, I couldn’t be happier.
Weimaraners are a little more mellow than Labs,
I most definatley disagree with this. I have owned Weims and are very familiar with Labs. Weims are especially prone to separation anxiety if left alone and are very high energy dogs. They are a handful is they don’t get enough exercise.
The problem with getting a Lab is there is so much variation in the breed due to it’s popularity and high numbers. It is so bad two AKC registered dogs may have no resemblance to each other. “True” Lab type is for a stocky, heavy boned, cold water retriever. These are the great, easy going family dogs, but do NOT make good runners. “Field” type dogs may be lighter boned, taller and better endurance dogs, but may be very hyper.
Picking a dog by breed is not the way to go. Because pure breds, especially popular ones, have a large variation. Just like humans, there is a certain body type that makes a good runner. If you look for the body type, adults and mixes can make great companions. Adults are much easier than starting a puppy with limited time.
An athletic dog is deep chested and “square” from a side view, if not even a slightly longer in the leg. From the front and rear a dog’s legs should appear roughly straight and parallel, toes only slightly turned out. Mid size bone - bigger is NOT BETTER!!! A dog 30 - 60 pounds is ideal. A mid size to longer muzzle, no short noses!
You want to look for a dog that trots efficiently. endurance in dogs is all trot work. Running (galloping) dogs are sprinters. Greyhounds are an example.
Second you have to look at climate tolerance. It’s not hair length, a dog that carries a heavy *undercoat *will not be able to run in even moderate temperatures. Sled dogs are great runners, but have no endurance in temps much over 60 degrees.
Everyone will have their “favorite” breed to recommend. Like I said, no one is best. Try your local rescue or shelter first. Look for a young adult and you will be ready to get the dog into training right away.
I have two dogs, both are rescues; one I had since she was a puppy, she did great right from the start, a breeze to train and is very good to this day, she is a boxer mix, probably some terrier in her, stocky, overheats easily, used to run with me but the heat (I live in South Florida) is very easily getting too much for her, even after dark.
My second dog is a dalmatian I rescued when he was about a year old. Total disaster to train, drove me entirely insane, to this day - he is now 4yo (both dogs are 4) -
he has the occasional accident and doesn’t listen very well, period. He has more endurance, very strong runner, doesn’t mind the heat that much.
With my experience, I am not so sure about getting an adult dog, it was so much easier to train the puppy. Then again, dals are notoriously hard to train they say and I guess it is true. Other than that, my dal is a wonderfully sweet and fun dog and a great athlete.
Also, I used to be able to leave my boxermix puppy alone for a couple of hours right from the start, though I tried not to. I never crated her. The dal I eventually had to crate, he was impossible to train, not crating anymore now.
Good luck, dogs are the best.
I just got a German Shorthair Pointer and he, KONA is doing great!!
Pick up a copy of The Loved Dog by Tamar Geller. Some great training tips for the hard to train dog. You do it by getting inside their heads and understanding them. It’s the ONLY way you can train an older dog.
I adopted a 4-year-old Irish Wolfhound some years ago and that’s a breed that has to be obedient or has to be put down. When I got her, she was a train wreck - terrified of anything and everything and refused to come when called (you can’t chase one of those, trust me). I trained her without ever once spanking her or scolding her. People used to ask why I walked her without a leash. Anyone that would ask that question has no idea how easily an IW can pull you across town, leash or no leash. It’s like water skiing…
Anyway, train your dog, you’ll both be happier.
I take mine to the park and play fetch with them until they’re dragging. Then I take them home and they sleep while I go for my long ride. A tired dog is a good dog.
scott
I was living alone, thinking of getting a dog. I ended up getting a girlfriend instead of a dog.