How long could/should a dog be left on their own for?

[sergeantmajor]

We're thinking of getting a puppy. At present I work at home, but this may change in the future. In which case any pet would be left at home during the hours of roughly 9am-3pm. Would it be cruel to leave a dog for this long? We have a back garden and could put in a dog flap. Would having two dogs be less lonely, as company for each other? Is there a particular breed that would be most suited to such a scenario, if any? Thanks.

We have never left our dog for more than four hours. She would have a very hard time being left for longer periods of time. Could you get a dog walker?

As a one off every now and then I think this is ok. I don't think it's ok as a permanent arrangement. Most dogs desire company, and without it they get bored and lonely.

Depends on the dog. Certainly couldn't leave a puppy that long.

My dog was fine to be left 830-5 but he was a very lazy dog and happily slept the clock round after a good morning walk and a walk a soon as we got home. I usually had someone cone round at lunch time to let him out for a wee.

He was a very strange dog though. If I was off work he would look at me as if to say "go on go out. I want to lie on the sofa and watch the world go by"

But it depends on the dog. My dads dog can't be left for longer than a hour or two without getting upset

It would be unfair to get a dog be at home with it all the time and then suddenly go out to work as dogs can suffer from seperation anxiety.

Could be ok for an adult greyhound. Saying that greyhounds can get separation anxiety.

Okay as a one-off, but definitely not every day IMO.

Dog walker a possibility? Or doggy day care?

I wouldn't get a puppy under those circumstances.
Maybe an adult rescue greyhound as mentioned above.

My dog's occasional separation anxiety breaks my heart and she is a FAB dog for being okay and being left in her crate mostly.

But she can come with me to work luckily, and thankfully.

I think a lot does depend on the dog and the frequency. For example, we have a 1-year old rescue dog. I work from home, so he is only routinely left for 30 mins for the school run. But once every couple of months we have left him for up to 5 hours (when we go out to friends for lunch or similar). He's fast asleep in his bed when we get home (and I know he hasn't stirred as he's still under the blanket my DS tucked him up in!). So as a one-off, he is fine for that time, but I don't think it would be fair to do it frequently, and I bet he would start to develop anxiety or destructive behaviors if we did so.

Having said that, in the past when i worked in an office, we've always adopted oldie dogs (>7 years) and they have been routinely left 8.30-5.30 with me popping back for a fuss/walk/wee at lunchtime - first dog had a dog-flap, and the second dogs were rehomed as a pair, so they had each other for company. All seemed to cope fine with the situation and the rescues involved were happy to rehome to us on this basis.

In addition to the other advice, a dog-flap could just result in the dog being outside barking and annoying the neighbours.

I think in your position I'd go to a good rescue, explain the situation and see if they thought they had a laid-back dog who'd be happy with that.

No , I'd get a nice dog walker. like me

6 hours is fine

Many charities set this as a re home limit

Our dog is left for 6 hours Monday to Thursday

But you can't do it with a puppy - ours only started being left when he was 18 months, before that he'd come to work with me.