You'll need a pet sitter. Most kennels won't take puppies until 3 months old.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great post. I'm also a soon-to-be first time dog owner who also loves to travel. Our puppy will be 8 weeks old when we bring her home this summer, and I've blocked my travel calendar for the first 4 months that she's here. At that point, she'll be 6 months old when we take our first trip, and our plan is to send her to a 3 week board and train program while we're away. We won't get a summer vacation (unless we decide to do a beach trip where we can include her). Good luck OP!

Do you know what training methods they plan on using? You do realize this is a lot of money and you miss the bonding with your dog while you train, right?

Yes - I know what training methods they plan on using. And yes - I know how much this costs. And yes, I miss bonding but this is just 3 weeks
- not her lifetime. She’ll have weekly training sessions at home. Thanks for all of your concern.

What methods?

Since you didn't answer I assume the methods are "balanced" training. Meaning e-or prong collars and the do it my way philosophy or you will suffer.

Your poor dog!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a story that might get people to do research on board and train

https://rescuedbytraining.com/2019/11/25/noelles-story-a-doggie-boot-camp-victim/

Oh stop. I was a +R dog trainer and loved board & train. It's a million times easier, faster, and more effective to just train the dog myself than try to coach owners through it. I spent years learning theory and technique, an owner can't learn all that in a 6 week class.

Board and train may or may not be appropriate for OP's situation, but I'm so sick of the people who think board and train = bad training and bad owners. It's really the best way to train for most problems.

Well I am sick of people who think it is good for every animal!

I didn't travel for nearly a year after I got my puppy. I do now, and when I do, she goes to a dog "resort" which she loves in part because she's confident, happy, and well socialized. A dog is always a lot of work, but the beginning is a LOT of work. But it's good to put in that time/effort upfront. It'll make things easier for both of you later on.
Wait for another litter, unless you can pick them up late. (I doubt the breeder will go for this though). A puppy is a helpless and frightened baby who has been taken from their family. The human who takes them home becomes their family. Getting even the best dog sitter is not going to cut it. YOU need to be there because you are this dog's family.

Anonymous wrote:Here is a story that might get people to do research on board and train

https://rescuedbytraining.com/2019/11/25/noelles-story-a-doggie-boot-camp-victim/

Oh stop. I was a +R dog trainer and loved board & train. It's a million times easier, faster, and more effective to just train the dog myself than try to coach owners through it. I spent years learning theory and technique, an owner can't learn all that in a 6 week class.

Board and train may or may not be appropriate for OP's situation, but I'm so sick of the people who think board and train = bad training and bad owners. It's really the best way to train for most problems.

Anonymous wrote:You should just wait a few more months for the next litter. It's really not good to leave your puppy after such a short time with you.

This is what I would do.

If it's an 8 week puppy, you have until they are 16 weeks to complete socialization. After that, the window is closed and it's limited what you can do. The breeder might be able to do some socialization, but likely not much, as it involves taking your puppy to MANY different places, around lots of people, other dogs, etc.

A dog sitter will cost you a fortune since puppies that small really need to be let out every hour. So you'd have to pay someone to stay literally 24 hours a day, which will probably run you $300+ a day (if you can even find anyone). If you skimp and use someone who comes every few hours, your puppy will have accidents in their crate which will completely f**k up potty training (BTDT).

Wait until the next litter. A few months of waiting will save you years of hardship.

Pick one or the other OP.

Here is a story that might get people to do research on board and train

https://rescuedbytraining.com/2019/11/25/noelles-story-a-doggie-boot-camp-victim/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great post. I'm also a soon-to-be first time dog owner who also loves to travel. Our puppy will be 8 weeks old when we bring her home this summer, and I've blocked my travel calendar for the first 4 months that she's here. At that point, she'll be 6 months old when we take our first trip, and our plan is to send her to a 3 week board and train program while we're away. We won't get a summer vacation (unless we decide to do a beach trip where we can include her). Good luck OP!

Do you know what training methods they plan on using? You do realize this is a lot of money and you miss the bonding with your dog while you train, right?

Yes - I know what training methods they plan on using. And yes - I know how much this costs. And yes, I miss bonding but this is just 3 weeks
- not her lifetime. She’ll have weekly training sessions at home. Thanks for all of your concern.

What methods?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great post. I'm also a soon-to-be first time dog owner who also loves to travel. Our puppy will be 8 weeks old when we bring her home this summer, and I've blocked my travel calendar for the first 4 months that she's here. At that point, she'll be 6 months old when we take our first trip, and our plan is to send her to a 3 week board and train program while we're away. We won't get a summer vacation (unless we decide to do a beach trip where we can include her). Good luck OP!

Do you know what training methods they plan on using? You do realize this is a lot of money and you miss the bonding with your dog while you train, right?

Yes - I know what training methods they plan on using. And yes - I know how much this costs. And yes, I miss bonding but this is just 3 weeks
- not her lifetime. She’ll have weekly training sessions at home. Thanks for all of your concern.

Anonymous wrote:Great post. I'm also a soon-to-be first time dog owner who also loves to travel. Our puppy will be 8 weeks old when we bring her home this summer, and I've blocked my travel calendar for the first 4 months that she's here. At that point, she'll be 6 months old when we take our first trip, and our plan is to send her to a 3 week board and train program while we're away. We won't get a summer vacation (unless we decide to do a beach trip where we can include her). Good luck OP!

Do you know what training methods they plan on using? You do realize this is a lot of money and you miss the bonding with your dog while you train, right?

Anonymous wrote:Great post. I'm also a soon-to-be first time dog owner who also loves to travel. Our puppy will be 8 weeks old when we bring her home this summer, and I've blocked my travel calendar for the first 4 months that she's here. At that point, she'll be 6 months old when we take our first trip, and our plan is to send her to a 3 week board and train program while we're away. We won't get a summer vacation (unless we decide to do a beach trip where we can include her). Good luck OP!

Thanks- yes this could work if we get a dog in August. What breed are you getting? Just curious - I realize it doesn't matter!

Great post. I'm also a soon-to-be first time dog owner who also loves to travel. Our puppy will be 8 weeks old when we bring her home this summer, and I've blocked my travel calendar for the first 4 months that she's here. At that point, she'll be 6 months old when we take our first trip, and our plan is to send her to a 3 week board and train program while we're away. We won't get a summer vacation (unless we decide to do a beach trip where we can include her). Good luck OP!

Didn’t get a chance to read all the replies but if puppy cannot come with, I’d either (1) not pick up puppy in the first place, until after your trip- can that be arranged? (2) in home pet sitter who stays at the house 24hrs/day and knows puppy’s routines or (3) board with the breeder but this would only work with SOME smaller breeders and is not ideal IMHO. Seems to me that is too early for board & train programs but not 100% sure

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This could work out really well for you if your breeder offers training programs. You leave him/her there until you get back and they can train it for you. but please dont bring home a puppy and then leave.

dp You do realize that training takes years? Right? Let's not set op thinking the dog will come back perfect in every way without them learning how to work with their dog.

Yes, obviously. But many breeders have programs where you don’t bring them home until they’re three or four months old and they’re already potty trained, and have a basic commands like sit, stay, come, etc.

I'm the pp. My puppy walked beautifully at four months and then regressed when he turned into a teenager. That's what I am talking about.