[stini]

I know it's not good to leave a maltese home alone for too long. But for me, staying at home all the time just isn't an option, either (I couldn't afford pretty things for her!).

The reason I ask is, I'm super close to being hired at a new job where I'd work just on the weekends, at a desk position in a Dallas hospital.

So, I'm curious:

1.) How long do you work / are gone during the day?
6 hours? 8 hours? 12 hours?

2.) What does your baby do all day?
Sleep?
Play with another malt or pet?
Do you come home on lunch break to play with your baby?
Do you have a friend/hubby/significant other to let them out?
Keep them in a puppy proofed area?

Feedback greatly appreciated. This question's been nagging at me for awhile now.

 

[JCButterfly]

Well, I only have about 3 weeks worth of experience to share but I've done a combination of several of those things.

Hubby works non-flexible 7:30-4:30 but we only live about 5 minutes away from where each of us work.

I work semi-flexible, incredibly variable schedule.

Some days we both go to work at the same time, one comes home on lunch break, then one or both home in the evening. Tristan is left home for about a 4 hour stretch but 8ish hours total. He is left crated by himself and I believe after his initial whining/barking, settles in to sleep.

These are the days I am wracked with guilt and worry over leaving him so many total hours by himself.

Some days I go into work about 10:00, Hubby comes home at noon, I go home at 2 for a late lunch, hubby gets home at 4:30, I return home at 6ish.

These days Tristan is still crated but it's in much smaller blocks of time. Not sure if that makes his schedule extra crazy but at least I know his needs are closer to being met.

Some days I go into work about 10:00, go home around 2:00 and bring Tristan back to the office with me from 3:00-8:00ish. That means it's a 6 hour block of being crated initially and then a combination at the office of crate time, lap time, interact with co-workers, etc time. These are the days that Tristan is the most tired at night, like he finally was able to use some of that energy!

And the last option that we try on weekends is that my dad is retired and has "stolen" my first maltese, Jericho so I bring Tristan over to my parent's home to get some dog play in and it allows me to run some errands or do housework without feeling too guilty for leaving Tristan behind (of course, it's more likely that he's coming with me in his carrier: Menards, Target, grocery stores, restaurants, movie theaters,pretty much isn't anywhere I haven't taken him!)

 

[milo]

Milo is never home for more than a few hours at a time. I work 9-5, but my husband is self employed so is in and out all day. If he is going to be gone for more than a few hours I will go home at lunch and spend time with him (Milo).

While we're out Milo pretty much roams free... so far so good. He's 16 weeks old and just plays and sleeps when we're not around. At least as far as I can tell. When we come home I can usually tell if he's been sleeping or playing by how fast he's at the door.

 

[Brinkley & Neyland's Mom]

Brinkley is home on the weekdays about 8-9 hours alone. He seems very adjusted to it. Most of the time I think he sleeps the whole time we are gone. He is almost always at his "post" on the back of the big chair when I open the door.

He usually goes and potties immediately on his pad...that is the first one in the box and he has a clean pad every morning when we leave...so that is why I assume that he mostly sleeps when we are gone.

 

[dhodina]

Tunder is also home for the 8-9 hours on average... Sometimes my husband gets home earlier sometimes I leave later. He does fine with it... I swear he sleeps all day. His toys are never moved til we come home then he runs for them.

Forgot to note... He travels w/ me when I travel for work and other than work I take him pretty much everywhere.

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

1.) How long do you work / are gone during the day?
6 hours? 8 hours? 12 hours?
I work from 8AM -5PM (very rarely I have to work late, sometimes until 9/10PM). I am lucky enough to only like about 90 seconds away from where I work. I go home at lunch for an hour. I try not to go out at night during the week. On the weekends I try to take Lexi with me when I can. If not she is fine staying home.

2.) What does your baby do all day?
Sleep?
Play with another malt or pet?
Do you come home on lunch break to play with your baby?
Do you have a friend/hubby/significant other to let them out?
Keep them in a puppy proofed area?
When I first got Lexi she was locked in her crate with some toys when I was gone. We did this for 8 months. She was fine with it. I think she slept the entire time. In Dec I got an exercise pen. Her crate is now in the pen. When I'm gone now she is locked in the pen with the crate door open. She loves it. In fact I had to move her crate into my bedroom today because maintence was coming to work on something in the living room (where her pen is). When I tried to put her in the crate she ran back into the living room and went into her pen and looked at me. It was almost like she was trying to tell me "No mom! This is where I'm supposed to go when you leave." It was so cute. This is a picture of the pen I have. I don't have any pics of her crate in it.

I tried leaving her in the bathroom but she dug a hole in the wall and ruined the wood work. Since I live in an apartment I couldn't let her continue doing that.

The exercise pen has worked out great.

 

[karenbabi]

.

 

[NC's Mom]

I'm at work a little over eight and a half hours, BUT....I work for four hours, have a two hour break, and then finish the day. I live one minute's walking distance from my work, so every moment possible of those two hours is spent at home with my babies.

What do they do? I always imagined/hoped that they played together, gazed out the window and people watched, etc. But, they sleep. I'm pretty sure. When I was home sick for three days in a row, that's all they did. They would both wake up at the time when I normally came home for the break and be awake and active for two hours, and then want to go to sleep again around the time when I usually went back. Then they'd wake up at be active again when it was time for me to come home.

However, there is hope.....a couple of times, I came home to find Sir N on top of the dresser, so there is a possibility that he was looking out the window.....or sleeping up there.

 

[miko's mommy]

1.) How long do you work / are gone during the day?

This year I only leave Miko at home alone for 6-8 hrs. However, last year (ever since he was 12 weeks old), I have left him alone for at least 8 hrs, and sometimes 10 or 12 hrs. I also had some overnight call days and I got a petsitter to stop by and walk him at least 3 times per day on those days only. Miko is perfectly paper trained (and has been since 12 weeks old-I know amazing). He does not have separation anxiety, and has never destroyed anything

2.) What does your baby do all day?
Sleep?
Miko sleeps all day long. In fact, when we are home on the weekends he seems sleep deprived. He has had the run of the apartmen (which I puppy proofed) since 12 weeks old.

He is now 2 yrs old.

I think getting 2nd maltese is a great idea. But we couldn't afford it. What if both needed the luxating patella surgeries??? Plus the grooming...

 

[lani]

1.) How long do you work / are gone during the day?
Only a few hours a day when I go to the gym or shopping.

2.) What does your baby do all day?
When I'm gone, she usually watches TV or sleeps. If I don't put her in her crate, she can play with Fendi(Weimaraner)Otherwise she's by my side all the time!

 

[Brinkley & Neyland's Mom]

Originally posted by okw@Apr 18 2005, 10:05 PM
2.) What does your baby do all day?
Sleep? 
Miko sleeps all day long.  In fact, when we are home on the weekends he seems sleep deprived.
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[/QUOTE]

Brinkley is sleep deprived on the weekends too! He can't nap for following me around everywhere/playing with the kids etc.

 

[kodie]

I have a 8am-4:30pm job... I live about 10mins away from my work so i go home for lunch MOST days for an hour to check up on kodie! Sometimes I dont or cant... and hes fine! I sleeps mostly while i'm gone.

Like Lexi'smom I also have a pen for kodie. I have his crate in it as well and his bed.. food...water... puppy pad... and some toys that i know he cant get hurt on.... He lives his pen as well! It's a great idea...that way your baby cant get into anything and you know they are safe while your not at home.

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

Originally posted by Kodie@Apr 19 2005, 07:28 AM
It's a great idea...that way your baby cant get into anything and you know they are safe while your not at home.
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[/QUOTE]
That is what I love about it. I don't have to worry about her getting into something that I missed (its amazing what they can find that you swore you put up). Lexi is 15 months old and I'm just now going to start leaving her out for short periods of time when I'm gone. I don't know if I will ever get up to leaving her out all day, maybe half day.

 

[paris]

I usually leave for work around 8:30. I come home for lunch around 12 and leave a little before 1:00. I get off work usually before 5:00. The kids get home around 4:00 so Paris is never put up for longer than four hours at a time. She is six months old. Some mornings she goes into her crate without me putting her there and before I can walk out of the house she is already laying down. I feel like she sleeps most of the time. She is in the small plastic crate right now but I am going to get her one of the metal pens so she can have a little more room.

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

Originally posted by paris@Apr 19 2005, 10:00 AM
I usually leave for work around 8:30.  I come home for lunch around 12 and leave a little before 1:00.  I get off work usually before 5:00.  The kids get home around 4:00 so Paris is never put up for longer than  four hours at a time.  She is six months old.  Some mornings she goes into her crate without me putting her there and before I can walk out of the house she is already laying down.  I feel like she sleeps most of the time.  She is in the small plastic crate right now but I am going to get her one of the metal pens so she can have a little more room.
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[/QUOTE]
I would recommend getting either tile board (the boards that look like tile that you put up in bathrooms or below cabinets) or indoor/outdoor carpet. You put that under the pen so that your floor is protected from any accidents or digging.

 

[Angus]

Most days, I leave for work at about 8 a.m. and arrive home at about 5:30, so about 9.5 hours each day.

However, my husband has a home office, and he's in and out at client meetings through the day. Most days he is out around 10 and back around 2 or so. When he's home, Angus is out. On the days that he's out of town on business, I make a point of having a shorter day so that I'm home as soon as I can be. This is mainly the reason why I'd love to have another Malt for company for him.

When we're not home, Angus stays in our main floor laundry room/half bath. It's got heated ceramic tile, so it's easy to clean if he has an accident. We have a comforter that covers most of the floor, plus his crate if he wants to crawl in and have a nap. His toys are there, as is his food & water and litter box. We block it off with a baby gate, so it's kind of like a pen that others use. When we leave, we give him a treat in his kong, (most days Cheez Whiz or peanut butter), and he's totally focused on that.

I truly do think he sleeps all day, because he sleeps all day when we're home anyway!

 

[paris]

Originally posted by Lexi's Mom+Apr 19 2005, 10:06 AM-->

<!--QuoteBegin-paris

@Apr 19 2005, 10:00 AM
I usually leave for work around 8:30.  I come home for lunch around 12 and leave a little before 1:00.  I get off work usually before 5:00.  The kids get home around 4:00 so Paris is never put up for longer than  four hours at a time.  She is six months old.  Some mornings she goes into her crate without me putting her there and before I can walk out of the house she is already laying down.  I feel like she sleeps most of the time.  She is in the small plastic crate right now but I am going to get her one of the metal pens so she can have a little more room.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=54107

I would recommend getting either tile board (the boards that look like tile that you put up in bathrooms or below cabinets) or indoor/outdoor carpet. You put that under the pen so that your floor is protected from any accidents or digging.
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[/B][/QUOTE]
thanks...I tried letting her have free run of the kitchen a few weeks ago. I put down a blanket for her to lay/play on with her toys. Her crate was left open and she had a wee wee pad. She didn't tear anything up but she did use the bathroom on the blanket. She is trained (for the most part - another story) to go outside and I have been trying to train her on the wee wee pad also. She walks off of it as soon as I put her on it. I guees that will be a slow process there. I have also tried putting the paper towels soaked with her pee on the pad and putting her on that but still no luck. I hate having her locked up in her crate.

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

Originally posted by paris+Apr 19 2005, 12:01 PM-->

Originally posted by Lexi's [email protected] 19 2005, 10:06 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-paris

@Apr 19 2005, 10:00 AM
I usually leave for work around 8:30.  I come home for lunch around 12 and leave a little before 1:00.  I get off work usually before 5:00.  The kids get home around 4:00 so Paris is never put up for longer than  four hours at a time.  She is six months old.  Some mornings she goes into her crate without me putting her there and before I can walk out of the house she is already laying down.  I feel like she sleeps most of the time.  She is in the small plastic crate right now but I am going to get her one of the metal pens so she can have a little more room.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=54107

I would recommend getting either tile board (the boards that look like tile that you put up in bathrooms or below cabinets) or indoor/outdoor carpet. You put that under the pen so that your floor is protected from any accidents or digging.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=54109

[/QUOTE]
thanks...I tried letting her have free run of the kitchen a few weeks ago. I put down a blanket for her to lay/play on with her toys. Her crate was left open and she had a wee wee pad. She didn't tear anything up but she did use the bathroom on the blanket. She is trained (for the most part - another story) to go outside and I have been trying to train her on the wee wee pad also. She walks off of it as soon as I put her on it. I guees that will be a slow process there. I have also tried putting the paper towels soaked with her pee on the pad and putting her on that but still no luck. I hate having her locked up in her crate.
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[/B][/QUOTE]

There is some spray that you can spray on the pads to attract the to the pad. Not sure if it works. Simple Solution Puppy Training Aid

There are also pads that have already been treated to attract the puppy.

 

[Mystify79]

 

[nataliecmu]

Well I just recently moved so I am further away from work, but I'm lucky because Tini has Louie and my parents. My mom is a hairdresser and she works MWF but leaves after me. So at most they are home from 8:00-5.

They are in the Laundry room with their crate doors open. I think they just sleep all day. I'm not sure, I always wonder...