Help, please! What breed of dog could we get?

[mediumdeadwood]

Our landlord has just acquiesced and allowed us to acquire a dog as long as it's not something like a pitbull or crazily big like a wolfhound.

Our situation is that any potential dog would be left alone from 8am until 12pm, at which time, one of us would be back for 25 mins before leaving again. From 3pm onwards, I would be present at the house.

Is there any breed of dog that would be okay with being left for this amount of time? I absolutely love boxers but I don't think a boxer would tolerate that amount a time alone. Are there any breeds which have a similar temperament to a boxer that would be okay alone?

There are no children in the household and we'd be okay providing as much exercise as required. We'd prefer a low maintenance breed grooming-wise, though.

Anyone have any ideas?

Sorry but I don't think you should get a dog , too much time away while at work imo

I have had 2 boxers and they would have been OK with this length of time alone but it really depends on the dog not the breed
Have you considered rescuing a slightly older dog
Boxers are full of fun but will need a good long walk before being left for this amount of time

Are you looking at getting a rescue dog?
A puppy won't work, as you couldn't possibly leave one for that long.

A Greyhound may work if you can find one with the right temperament that can be left. The retired greyhound trust branch near us allowed rehoming to people who work. Our grey has a couple of days a week alone. She sleeps the whole way through (greyhounds sleep a lot!). Very low maintenance grooming wise too, and don't smell as much as other dogs. Lovely temperament, very gentle and affectionate. There are so many that need a home, and a few hours alone in an otherwise loving home is almost certainly preferable to a life in kennels.

Lovely article from the other day here

I was going to suggest a retired greyhound as well.

You can't leave a puppy home alone for that time and time alone has little to with breed rather than the doc itself. You should go the rescue route, walk the dog in the morning before work. That time alone is doable for an adult dog ok woth being left from the very well know dog rescue I worked for. Having said that, a dog may take a while to settle into a new environment or be anxious about things that your home presents that is a new situation from noises they hear to smells and street activity.

If you got a puppy you would want to get day care or a puppy sitter for that time.

Yes. We were thinking of picking a breed and then approaching one of the rescues specific to that breed in order to bypass the puppy stage.

I really wish we could get a boxer but I know how loopy they can get (!) and wouldn't want to risk getting one that wasn't okay alone.

Thanks for the info about greyhounds, hadn't considered those.

Ours are left alone from 8am until 3.30pm 2 days a week and they are fine. My husband works from home wed- Friday. They just sleep all day. One is a Doberman and the other a malamute but they do have each other for company. They know the drill when I start putting daughters shoes on they take themselves off to the garage ready (there is a window in there and a huge sofa bed to snuggle in. I think it really depends on how you manage them and each dog's individual personality. We had a spaniel who would have hated being alone for more than 5 min!

Another one for a greyhound vote.
They are the laziest dogs I've come across. So long as they have a decent walk before you leave them they love to snooze (on the sofa) all day :)

We have a retired greyhound and she is left for similar periods of time with no problem. As others have said greyhounds sleep a lot and their favourite place is usually the sofa!

Our greyhound is super loving and affectionate. She needs a brush twice per week but sheds very little and is very clean. She will go out of her way to avoid mud!

Another vote for a greyhound. When you aren't there they will just sleep (and most of the time you are there as well!) They are beautiful animals: gentle, graceful, affectionate and funny. I miss our lovely girl

Can we just turn this into a greyhound appreciation thread?! They are such special creatures, you should definitely consider one OP. If you have an RGT near you, you could always drop in to have a look and take a hound for a walk....that's how I ended up with my girl three years ago. We were just looking and then fell head over heels in love!

It's not the right time for you to get a dog at the moment.