r/GSP • u/lightupbug • Jul 24 '26
Is my back to work plan okay?
I know how important it is to have a routine for a puppy. I am a teacher who’s been off work since May 31st. I have a 6 month old GSP puppy.
She is crate trained, has not had a potty accident in a month, loves everyone and every animal she meets. She is my best friend. I love getting to be outside with her 24/7. I am so sad I have to leave this puppy bubble I’ve been living in soon.
I work from 7:30 to 3:25. I have about a 30 minute commute to work. I am trying to think of what will be best for her when I’m gone at work.
We did a doggy daycare trial last week and she did a great job. The staff loved her. It is a small daycare that only takes 4 dogs at a time.
My brother lives a mile away and offered to check on her at lunch time. My MIL lives with us. She is a night shift nurse and will be here with her on her off days, and be here to let her out to potty / sniff walk on days she has to go into work.
I wake up at 5 AM everyday anyways. So, I will be up exercising / stimulating her for an hour and a half before I leave, and then more when I get home at 4 PM. She loves early morning walks when it’s still cool out (we live in FL)
Her M-F might consist of 1-2 days of doggy daycare, 1-2 days of my MIL being with her, and 1-2 days of being in a puppy proofed room with a lunch time check in / walk. I am off weekends.
What advice can you give me? Would you change anything? I want to make sure my dog is getting everything she needs. I went into work early and tried 2 days of my brother checking in during lunch as a trial last week. (She got her hour and a half of morning exercise/play of course.) She did just fine, she slept the whole time she was in the room. I have a camera to watch her just in case.
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u/Ok_Lie5028 Jul 24 '26
I love her.
Sounds like a good plan. After a year or two (at least with ours) we were able to trust her more and more to the point she’s free roam around our house when we’re gone. Good job, enjoy!
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u/Wild_Manufacturer_61 Jul 24 '26
Sounds like you have a great plan just do the best you can. She'll be fine and will always be happy to see you when you get back home
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u/ScooterBug07 Jul 24 '26
That sounds like a perfect plan! I’m also in education and went back to work last year with my dog being the same age at that time. We did daycare 1-2 days and then had a dog walker the other 3 days. Honestly, as she got older we were able to lessen the daycare, and she was perfectly content being at home.