@jordandwilly - Thanks for clearing that up.... 9-5 is just fine, IMO.... I work and have always had to leave mine when I was at work, never an issue. That said, we were able to set up the house that access to the backyard (with 10 to 12' privacy fences) with a doggy door and a dog room in the house for them, Locks on the gates so there is NO access for anyone. Dogs sleep 90% of the day so being at work doesn't bother them... never have mine even when I had a litter in the house (And have been in the breed as owner/breeder for 35+ years). You can hire a dog walker to take them out mid day..which is a good solution. and give them a mid day meal depending on their age. I do not and never have used free feeding, period. Especially if you have more that one... you never know what/who is eating what. And you can set up camera's on line to watch them from "afar".... LOL. Keep in mind people that many of us need to work and have day jobs. The most important thing is the time you need to spend with them when you are home. Example would be, if you have young children and you work... when you get home you are going to spend your time with your human children... NO dog would be happy if left out... they need their time also because they are a family member and need as much time as a human child. Again in my opinion
NYC/Urban Owners: Tips on getting a puppy used to loud street noise?
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Just wondering if anyone has advice or anecdotal experience on helping a puppy get used to being outside on busy/loud NYC streets.
Unfortunately, we live on a relatively loud street so our pup gets pretty scared the moment we're out the door. Even if we carry him to a quieter side street, he gets scared when cars go by. We've been trying to condition him by taking him out and feeding him food/treats to help get his mind off the noise.
Anything else you'd recommend?
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He might get used to it naturally over time; maybe it's obvious to you already, but don't give him a treat if he's showing fear. Best not to do anything really….what I do is stand still and relax if they try to run away [if possible]. Puppies will imitate your behavior, so if you start freaking out at something or get on edge they'll feed off of that. Redirection (with food) is helpful if they start fixating on something scary.
As long as you're rewarding him when he eventually switches from fear to curiosity, that's all there is to it really…at least when dealing with an already well socialized pup. Commands 'touch' 'look' and 'watch' are all very helpful later on for helping a dog confront something scary....my adult dog has had a couple of times where he saw something 'off' and started getting fearful and I'm glad I taught him touch....as it only took about 30 seconds for him to get over it. Fearful dogs who don't have the confidence to confront their fears are not fun to deal with.
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When you are dealing with something that an animal is afraid of, the best approach is to find his "comfort" distance from the thing that scares him. A busy street makes this a bit more difficult, as you have to find a way to give him that "distance". If you have a car, maybe transporting him to a less busy area might make a good start. Perhaps a side street, where he is comfortably away from busy traffic. You could then walk toward the busy street, pausing as soon as you see some sign of anxiety, and retracing your steps just little until he is in his "comfort zone" again. Gradually…...with the use of bribery and rewards......ask him to approach closer to the scary stuff. Liberally reward him for being there, then retreat. The idea is to not force, let him decide when he is ready. If he feels he can retreat at any time, he will have more confidence. This approach may take awhile, but is less likely to create a permanent aversion. (it works well with spooky horses).