Hi! I would like to get a dog. I've always had a dog and have been the primary caretaker, but not in my current home. The dog would be alone during the day while I teach. Other than that, I live nearby, although I honestly don't go home very often during the day. I have another month off, so I would like to get one soon, if possible. I would rather get a puppy. I will probably go to the local shelter. Has anyone been in a similar situation and do you have any tips? I realize that a "stay at home mom" situation is probably ideal for a pup, but it seems that lots of people work and have well-adjusted pooches.

Before Dad retired, our dog would spend a good bit of his time by himself, as the rest of us were at work. Nowadays there's usually someone here....which he likes a lot better.

Thanks for responding, JohnBoy. Did your dog stay alone as a puppy? If so, how did that go?

We didn't have him as a puppy, so I couldn't say.....Dogs are pack animals and do like being in a group, as a rule. Although, I have known some who didn't. If you are going to be around a lot, he'd probably be alright. On the other hand, if you have very long days or you go out of town a lot, you might be overreaching yourself.

If you did get a puppy, you might consider getting a crate to keep the puppy in while you are gone. While home, you would need to bestow a lot of attention, walking, and playing with the puppy. Consider dog obedience in correct training of the dog. Good luck!

Thanks, JohnBoy and Bananas! I appreciate the responses. I have normal school hours-gone 7:30 to 3:30. I could come home during the day, but usually don't. The thing about them being pack animals is true. Anyway, thanks for the input.

I had some of the same concerns when I got my current dog. She was an accidental pup gifted to me by a friend who used to breed dogs.

First, I had her keep the pup until school let out, so I could bring her home when I was going to be around to "bond" with her. So she was 12 weeks old when I brought her home.

I crated her at night, by the foot of my bed, until she was house broken. She house broke pretty easily, and within a couple of weeks I just had to make sure I took her out and kept her out until she did her business before bedtime.

When I went back to work, I fenced off the side yard to make a small grassy area with a tree for shade and a doghouse/water. She stayed there while I was at work, and got the run of the yard and house when I was home. Meanwhile, we attended obedience school and spent time out in the community to socialize her. By the time she was 6 mo old, she had the run of the yard all day, with a few hens and 2 cats to keep her company, and she was fine. She still is. She is generally waiting by the gate to greet me when I get home, escorts me to the gate and looks sad when I leave, and stays in whatever room or area I'm in when I'm home.

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It's true that they are pack animals. My dog, an australian shepherd, is also a herding dog. She has a different view of the world than the various dogs I'd had before.

The crate at night is because they won't mess their "den," and they won't get into things while you are asleep. I kept the crate at the foot of the bed, and my dog still sleeps at the foot of the bed today. It's a housebreaking tool, not for permanent use.

My dog, Rain, considers me the head of her pack. She is closely bonded enough to me that she will not approach other people, not even family, if they are too far away from me. She will, however, herd them to what she considers an appropriate distance if she thinks they are getting too close to me. She does this by wriggling and leaning into them. If they keep coming, she jumps on them and gets in trouble. I have to actually hold her to allow someone within 3 feet of me. She will not growl, bite, etc., but she will bark, push, and try to drive them back. While she is very obedient in every other way, I have not been able to break her of this. Apparently, the territorial urge is stronger than reasonable training methods in her case.

As I'm typing this, she's lying behind my chair, between me and the door. Should a family member approach the open door, she'll get up, wiggle, and block the doorway. If they keep coming, she'll bark and try to push them back. I'll call her off, and she'll immediately sit quietly at my feet. In front of me, between me and the person.

Rain also considers the cat, the chickens, and the horses part of "the pack." She will not chase them or "play" with them. She does bathe the cat as a greeting, and as a pup often bathed the hens. She ran loose with a few old hens as a pup.

She will "herd" the sheep. Not very well, since I've never had a herding dog and didn't know how to teach her to do so. We didn't get any sheep until last year, and she is incredibly intense about wanting to help move them. She has been a help when she can figure out what I'm trying to do, but it's hit and miss. She does a good job of "guarding" me from the ram when I'm in his pasture working. He wants to sneak up behind me and charge. She guards well, barking to warn, and, if he doesn't back down or goes after her, nipping him on the nose.

She likes to check on her pack; every morning she greets the cat and then impatiently waits by the door for me to go out to feed. Outside, she greets the horses, sheep, and hens, and gleefully chases the rabbits off the place. She will chase any wild thing away, including rabbits, quail, coons, etc., but won't touch the chicks in the hen house.

When I'm gone, she is "on duty." I could leave every gate on the place open, and she wouldn't leave. She sticks close to the pack/herd and considers herself "in charge" until my return. She does not dig, chew, or engage in other destructive behaviors, but she does have incredible boundless energy that requires daily exercise. She has the run of most of the 6 acres here, which helps. She also goes with me anytime I take a horse out. She's done 15 miles or so without a problem, as long as I take water with us. Out on the trail, she stays within site and ranges in a circle around us, "checking" the area in case she needs to chase something off.

She likes other dogs, and enjoys playing, but getting another dog is problematic. Before I moved north, I had a foster dog. She adored him, and was disappointed that he was too old and arthritic to play, but also made sure that he "knew his place." In other words, he was not to approach me. He was a sweet old thing, and I made sure he got plenty of love, but it took some special maneuvering.

Family and friends often bring their dogs when they come to visit. She won't allow the other dogs in the house or near me, and gets agitated and aggressive with them if they approach cats, chickens, etc.. If they will play with her and stay away from "her" pack, she's fine. I originally planned to get another dog as a companion for her when I moved north, but she's been on her own long enough that I don't think she would easily accept the competition. That's the way she'd see another dog. Competition for me, rather than as a companion.

A friend once brought a puppy over. Our dog immediately marked his territory on my leg.......

Hubby's best man's dog did that to his father. This was the night of hubby's bachelor's party at the best man's house. When you have a kegger party, you want to be careful how much you give the dog.

Young Spooky did this while quite sober- no one was drinking anything. He also seemed rather pleased with himself at the time. I was a bit less pleased. No puppies have been brought over since.

Here, I must say home puppies are lazier than those serving as shepherds.