How long can 8-week Shih Tzu puppies be left alone for work?

Congratulations on our new puppy Twinkles! Twinkles is still a baby and she will not be able to hold it from 8-4. At her age, she can only hold it about 4 hours. If possible, have someone stay with her or some to check on her, let her out...etc during the day. It's important to try to establish good housebreaking routines early and stick to a schedule. You also want to be sure to have a secure location for Twinkles to stay when you are not home so that she does not get into trouble. Once puppies are 6 months old, most of them can hold their bladder for 8 hours. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello. That should be a good schedule. If you cannot take her to work with you, you might want to leave a little kibble for her to snack on during the day. I would definitely make sure she eats something around 6 pm, as I assume you probably get home around 3:30. The last meal is fine at 10, for now. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Most dog breeds will do just fine with this work schedule - most people do work 8 hour days, so this isn't uncommon at all :) A puggle would be a fine choice, as they are usually quite friendly and easy-going little dogs in my experience. The most difficult time will be when you first bring the puppy home, since most pups won't be able to "hold it" that long without a potty break or two. You may want to see if you could take some vacation time when you first bring your new puppy home to focus on bonding and potty training before you have to start leaving them alone. Another option would be to have a neighbor, relative, or dog-sitter stop by at least once during the day to take the puppy out. Most dogs can go 8 hours without a potty break by 6-8 months of age, so as long as you have a plan until then things should be just fine.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While not ideal, this can be done. The pups would have to be fed a milk replacement formula (which you can buy at your local pet store or online) until they are about 6 to 8 weeks at which time they can be introduced to kibble or canned food. Good luck and have a great day!

It really depends on the age of the dog. If it is an adult dog than he can probably be home 6-8 hours alone without needing someone to take him out. If it is a puppy, than he would probably need someone to let him out to go to the bathroom during the day. It also depends on the dog's temperment as some dogs need more attention and exercise than others.

Congrats on your new puppy. I would first reference your puppy food, since every food has a different kcal/kibble ratio that will change how much you should feed her. However, on average you will feed a puppy 3 times a day and for a small breed dog it will be around 1/8-1/4 cup each feeding. Adjust your amount based on her specific needs and also the guidelines on the bag. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=5985068 Once she is 6-8 months of age you can reduce her feedings to twice daily instead of 3 times daily due to reduced calorie requirements as she matures into an adolescent. Best wishes with your new puppy and don't forget to go ahead and get her started on her puppy vaccines as well. 8 weeks is when we start the series in all breeds. Take care!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. As long as you are providing the puppy with a place to sleep, plenty of water and toys you should be ok to leave him for 3-5 hours with no problem. You can even look into the PetCube to interact with him remotely when you are not physically there. I also recommend using a product called FreshPatch to help potty train and give him a place indoors to go to the bathroom. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.