how long can you leave a young(ish) dog?

[bumpybecky]

We've had old dogs for so long, it's hard to remember that far back so thought I'd ask here. I know this is a how long is a piece of string type question but how long can you leave a young dog?

We're talking about getting another dog in 18 months or so. Not sure on breed, rescue rather than pedigree and probably a dog around a year or so old. I'm working now, so out for up to 4 hours a day, but term time only. I'd walk the dog before school run, then leave it for the morning and come home at lunchtime.

DH thinks four hours would be fine and rescues would be happy with this. I'm not so sure! would it be potentially ok with a crate trained dog?

I have an 11 month old, and would not crate him for more than an hour or two at most - and thats when he's had a good run first. We once got stuck in horrible traffic, and he lasted just over 2 hours but was really manic/stressed for a little while afterwards.

If not in a crate, and leaveable (ours is still at the chewing everything stage!) in the house with free run of the place, I would think 3-4 hours max would be possible, but not ideal on a daily basis for a youngster.

I can leave Jasper for 4 hours at a push, but that's after a run and with lots of kongs etc to keep him busy. I prefer to leave him for a maximum of 3 hours, because on the two occassions I have left him for 4 he has been hopping with his legs crossed for the loo. I don't crate him, though, he has the run of the kitchen diner and spends a lot of time looking out the window 'guarding' the chickens.

I can easily leave my 9 month old springer for 4 hours+. I'm sure it very much depends on the particular dog though - next door's cocker howls all day long, starting as soon as they go out the door. It would be hard to know how your dog would be beforehand.

work is near enough that I can come home to let a dog out for a wee if 4 hours is too long, but I'd need to back again to finish the 4 hours IYSWIM

Belindarose - that's the trouble we'd not know until we tried it and if it doesn't work it'll be a disaster! big risk to take

the dog could be gated onto the ground floor, so more room to move about but lots of chewable things too

good to know that some dogs would be ok with this though :)

thanks for all the replies :)

How long is too long depends very much on the dog. You need to have a sensible chat with the rescue as a youngster that has been through a traumatic time and is feeling frightened and insecure is going to need to be settled into a new home with much love, time and commitment. I wouldn't leave a rescue dog home alone for any time at all until I was 100% sure he was comfortable in his new environment.