To search for a small dog that can be left alone during the day?

[PleasedToBeAFlower]

I will accept it if I get flamed by dog lovers for this.
But is there such a thing as a small dog that can be left alone for 5 or 6 hours 3 days a week?
Or is it just completely unacceptable to plan to do this?
My DD aged 9 has a significant educational learning delay. This is affecting her self esteem and self confidence. She is otherwise highly intelligent.
So I need to chanel in to things she loves, so that she can feel good about things she loves and is good at, to compensate for spending all day at school feeling rubbish about herself for not being able to learn.
And boy oh boy does she LOVE dogs. She literally adores them. She cannot pass one without making friends with it. Dogs seem attracted to her. And she's amaaaaazing with them. All breeds, all ages, doesn't matter, she adores them and they do seem to adore her.
She has begged for a dog for 6 years so far. I've always said no.
But I actually think it would be incredible for her to have one.
I have no doubt she would be 100% committed to it, and it would be a lucky dog as she would love it and care for it so much.
BUT it would be alone in the house 3 days a week for about 6 hours a day.
No way round this.
Kids at school.
DH and I go to work, and we dont have jobs that we can take dogs to.
Is this ever, ever, ever do-able???
Or is there never a way to have a dog if it's left on its own?
I realise it has to be fair on the dog, not just what we want.

It's perfectly normal everywhere, it's really only MN dog nutters that go so insane at the thought of treating a dog like a dog! You're supposed to treat it like a baby apparently

i think a small dog would also have a smaller bladder

YABU, sorry OP. It’s not fair to leave them alone for that long, especially not every day.

You’d need to see if your budget could stretch to ‘daycare’.

It's not everyday. It's twice a week.

Yes of course you should get a dog in these circumstances! It would be amazing for your daughter and the dog will be a much loved member of the family.

Just arrange for a dog walker for those two days or some arrangement like this.

I am sure I can hold my bladder for a longer period than I actually wait to use the bathroom- doesn't mean it is comfortable or OK to force an animal to have to do this.

When I'm home with him he can go out whenever he pleases - he chooses to wait long periods of time - nobody is forcing him 🙈

Also leaving a dog for an hour with a Kong etc is very different to leaving it all day every day.

I agree, but OP isn't planning to leave it all day, everyday so I'm not sure why that's relevant?

I don't believe televisions provide the same stimulation to a dog as they do to humans so for mw that is a moot point

I never said it provided the same stimulation dogs don't need constant company and stimulation - they're perfectly capable of being alone for a few hours without the world caving in.

I'm not someone who agrees with dogs being left all week while the owners work, but two short working days with company the rest of the time sounds like a pretty great set-up to me,

You could adopt a retired racing greyhound.
Opposite to their racing life, they sleep for 16-20 hours per day and don't require much in regards to daily walking.
And due to their background, they would be used to being left alone, and being kept in smaller spaces (cages) by themselves.

My dogs left on her own twice a week for the same amount of time. I send her to doggy day care which she absolutely loves and get updated regularly! It’s deffo possible if you do something like this or even just a dog walker. We used to have a dog walker pop in and take her for a walk but I find her much better going doggy day care with other dogs

I find people so strange when it comes to dogs, they often don’t care a great deal for other animals, but when it comes to dogs they are ridiculous.

A dog will be fine being left that long, so long as you pick the right dog. I would recommend a Chinese Crested, powderpuff. Amazing dogs, loving but quite independent, they were left to their own devices on ships to catch rats. They still have that trait of independence.

They don’t shed hair, or really smell, they are a little trickier to train, but they get there. It’s due to that independence, which is what you need. They also are less likely to yap, which is a godsend…

They are small dogs, but healthy and in proportion. How they look depends on how you groom them but with a short coat they look great.

Don’t get a poodle/poodle cross, or any high energy breed.

She said 'yes to doggy door' but didn't answer the question about dog walker, so I read between the lines

To be honest, most dogs I know would be fine for 5/6 hours a couple of times a week anyway - so while a dog walker would be ideal it's probably not necessary.

It won't be fine while the dog is a puppy but after that it will be fine so long as you don't choose something notoriously clingy like a spaniel. I work from home but don't come downstairs for 5-6 hours at a stretch. The dog just sleeps! I have to get her up to come out for a little walk with me.

Not a small dog, I leave my golden that long.

"And she's amaaaaazing with them."

She's not. Because she's 9 and never had a dog. Ffs

No. Don't do it @PleasedToBeAFlower . Don't get a dog and then leave him/her alone all day. It's cruel. They are social animals and they love company. It's even cruel to do it to a cat. I have known a few people do this to a cat, go off to work every day 8 til 6 and leave him/her. The cat finds a new home, where there are people there most of the day, and abandons the old owner.

I have genuinely known this happen. They will look for love and company elsewhere. Cats aren't always super fussy or overly affectionate, but they do like company sometimes.

A dog is a dog - no matter the size or breed, you can not leave it alone for that long! You can pay for a dog walker to come in 3 times a week but that will probably be quite pricey. Remember a dog has many other expenses too.

@Imtiredthisyear

A dog will be fine being left that long, so long as you pick the right dog.

Load of rubbish. I hope you're not a dog owner.

I haven't read the whole thread, so apologies if this has already been suggested.

There may be a dog out there that would be OK with this (ex racing greyhound may be a possibility, as suggested above) but it will depend on that particular dog's temperament and needs. You could contact rescues who assess their dogs individually and see what they say (but don't expect it to be easy as they won't have many dogs like this).

Generally I agree with those saying this is far from ideal for a dog, so I'd be looking more creatively at how your daughter can get a dog 'fix' in her life. For example:

Guide dogs fostering https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/volunteering/volunteer-with-our-dogs/fosterer/?gclid=CjwKCAjwu4WoBhBkEiwAojNdXqDESdDvilgkwOKWinXf58QCR8DtA271b9NIwla-lxrvPnX1tL92dxoCAVcQAvDBwE where the dog is at puppy school all day but lives with you in the meantime. May not work with your location/commitments though.

Dog's Trust volunteering https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/support-us/volunteering/vacancies

Walking dogs for any local rescue or for someone temporarily or permanently incapacitated

Good luck and thanks for putting the dog's welfare first.

A dog is a huge tie.

What about days out to places where you can't take the dog? Museums for example.

Or holidays?

They do actually. I've been in touch with one locally and they explained that they judge it based on the child.
They said they used to have a blanket rule of no children, but with the rise of unwanted dogs since the pandemic and now doubly impacted by cost of living crisis, they are now open to taking each family an individual basis and assessing the child in the same way they have always assessed the adults in the home.

Please see my second message in this thread.
Thank you.

Most dogs I know would be too, but not from the start so I'd say factoring in the cost and commitment of a dog walker/daycare at least initially very much is necessary. I'm surprised that as a dog walker yourself you don't agree. It takes time and effort to get to the stage where a dog can happily be left alone. My main concern with OP is she doesn't seem to appreciate that, and if she got a rescue who may have a traumatic background and then started leaving them for 6 hours she could end up with them pooing/chewing/barking etc, and that's not an ideal situation for the humans or the hypothetical dog (who would probably be returned back to rescue sharpish, especially with a SEN child to prioritise).

A puppy, no way. That’s something to factor in - they need supervision while they are young. However, we took two weeks off with our boys when they arrived and then took it in turns to pop home a few times during the day on the days we were out at work (they are 15 years now).

It’s a lot of work. A 9 year old dog mad child is great - mind are the same - but they can’t be responsible. My DC were raised with dogs in the house but I still have to remind them not to go up and cuddle the dogs while they are in their beds. Or to help them read the dogs subtle languages and facial expressions. They are still children. A dog is a dog, not a toy. However, ours bring great joy and comfort to all of us. But you will need to be prepared to walk at least two hours a day. We combine the first walk with walking to school, I walk or train again at lunch time, and a third longer walk/run in the evening. Day to day it’s a lot. Our dogs have each other for company so we’ve never had any issues with separation.

We also have a dog walker on the days we can’t do a lunch walk or in the evenings when we have clubs on. A dog doesn’t get the exercise it needs from a garden, no matter what the size.

Cocker spaniel here, not the first year or so, but after that she'd happy to stay home while I work. No problem at all. We did also adopt a cat for company, after a couple of years. Lovely, cute, very nice.
Don't worry to much about the dog being home alone for 6 hours, 3 days a week.
Go for a walk in the morning, and she'll be fine when you come home.
I would advise not to expect too much from your daughter in the dog department. Yes she will play and cuddle etcetera, but you will be the one doing the walks, the baths, the vet visit, making sure there is clean water before you leave, that the dog is fed. It's because your daughter is 9 years old and she might look like she's specially skilled now, but lower your expectations and accept that you will be the one responsible.
Other than that yes go for it, the love a child receives from a pet can't be compaired.
Please Don't "try and see how it works out" though. If you get a dog, it will be with you lifelong. But I think you know this.
Find a certified breeder and put your questions on them. Spare no money there. A healthy dog will be costly.

Alternatively, redirect her attention to another animal. Hamster or cat maybe. Both again, need more attention than people realise but would less full on.