Scheduling a dogs day.

@Dani62

I recently found a dog that I took in. I already have two cats. A 6 pound female tabby and an 18 pound tuxedo. The dog I found weighs 35 pounds and is very timid and shy. I took her to the vet and got a rabies shot and some Comfortis. I also purchased a crate/kennel. I work nights and go to school on Tues/Thurs. I am concerned about those two days because I would be leaving around 4:45 pm and wouldn't get back until a little after 6:00 am the next morning. I live in a two bedroom apartment on the second floor. There is a landing that goes straight across both apartments (two on the top, two on the bottom), with the stairs going down the middle. Right now she is sleeping on the landing but is tied to the railing.

I had her in the crate in the living room (which I turned into the dining room) last night until about 4am. She was scratching and making noise. I put her and the crate in the room with me and put the cats in the dining area. She didn't sleep much and neither did I. However, I did let her out of the crate/kennel and closed the door and went to feed the cats. When I came back in the room, she was on the couch (I like to sleep there).

My question is about a schedule. I don't want to leave her in the crate/kennel from 4:45 to 6:00 am the next morning. I do however work close enough to home that I can come home and let her out for about 20 minutes, but it would be around 1:30 or 2:00 in the morning. Is that ok? Should I wake her and let her out then re-crate/kennel her? I plan to walk her first thing when I get home before going to sleep. The other days I wouldn't leave until about 9:45pm. Which, I could let her out again around 1:30 or 2:00 am.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I've never had a dog before (I'm a cat person) and I want to treat her right/well.

Thank you for ANY advice!

Hi

It's great that you took this pup in. I would run home if you could just to give her a break, that is along time to be left in kennel. What kind of dog is it?  It may take sometime but once they get on a routine things will get better. Consistency and exercise are the key. Keep me posted.

@Michele68

@Dani62

I recently found a dog that I took in. I already have two cats. A 6 pound female tabby and an 18 pound tuxedo. The dog I found weighs 35 pounds and is very timid and shy. I took her to the vet and got a rabies shot and some Comfortis. I also purchased a crate/kennel. I work nights and go to school on Tues/Thurs. I am concerned about those two days because I would be leaving around 4:45 pm and wouldn't get back until a little after 6:00 am the next morning. I live in a two bedroom apartment on the second floor. There is a landing that goes straight across both apartments (two on the top, two on the bottom), with the stairs going down the middle. Right now she is sleeping on the landing but is tied to the railing.

I had her in the crate in the living room (which I turned into the dining room) last night until about 4am. She was scratching and making noise. I put her and the crate in the room with me and put the cats in the dining area. She didn't sleep much and neither did I. However, I did let her out of the crate/kennel and closed the door and went to feed the cats. When I came back in the room, she was on the couch (I like to sleep there).

My question is about a schedule. I don't want to leave her in the crate/kennel from 4:45 to 6:00 am the next morning. I do however work close enough to home that I can come home and let her out for about 20 minutes, but it would be around 1:30 or 2:00 in the morning. Is that ok? Should I wake her and let her out then re-crate/kennel her? I plan to walk her first thing when I get home before going to sleep. The other days I wouldn't leave until about 9:45pm. Which, I could let her out again around 1:30 or 2:00 am.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I've never had a dog before (I'm a cat person) and I want to treat her right/well.

Thank you for ANY advice!

Hi

It's great that you took this pup in. I would run home if you could just to give her a break, that is along time to be left in kennel. What kind of dog is it? It may take sometime but once they get on a routine things will get better. Consistency and exercise are the key. Keep me posted.

I'm having apartment difficulties.  I try to keep her on the landing sometimes tied to the railing during the day, but the manager says I can't leave her out there.  The days have really been nice, and I don't want to kennel her all day and night.  Again, I can bring her in the apartment, but then I'd have to close the cats up in another room.  Sasha is so sweet, but she does (by nature) growl at the cats.  I don't want to give her away.