How Long is it Fair to Leave a Dog Alone?

[BaconAndAvocado]

Considering getting a dog but unsure of above question.

Does it depend on the breed/temperament?

I think it's more about the individual dog's personality rather than breeds. I had a border collie growing up who was quite happy to be left to sleep while we went out for a few hours, although typically they are high energy/destructive dogs.

Can you get a dog walker/take the dog to daycare initially until you've built up leaving time and worked out how well the dog can cope being left?

It's not true that people who work full time shouldn't get a dog, just that you have to work out how you can change your routine so the dog is cared for.

My boyfriend and I got a puppy in July; we both work full time but are able to work from home 2-3 days a week between us, and our puppy goes to a local daycare the other 2-3 days. We also took two weeks off when we first brought him home to help him settle in, and then did extra working from home in the following two weeks so would get used to just one of us being around for the day.

You need to be responsible but it's perfectly acceptable to work full time and get a dog.

I work 2 full days a week too (well, I work 3, but one day is at home). My 4-month old spaniel goes to doggy day care on those days. There's usually a period (up to an hour) when he's at home alone at both ends of the day, but he's usually in his crate fast asleep anyway. He's left at home for the odd hour or so every day (DD's swimming/ballet lessons; supermarket etc), so I can't see that this is any different. Wouldn't leave him alone for any longer than that - he'd probably just sleep, but I don't think it's fair.

Me and DH would only leave our dog alone for 4 to 5 hours max. I don't work so mainly during the week I am home. If I go out it is not usually for more than 2 or 3 hours.

If we want to go out in the evening or at the weekend and it's somewhere we can't take the dog he either goes to doggy daycare or a friend comes and sits with him.

A puppy should not be left for very long but as they get older the time can be gradually increased.

Some breeds are less active than others. I have quite a few friends who have ex racing greyhounds and the majority of them seem to spend literally all day asleep and are not keen to have that much exercise. They are all different ages from 2 to about 13. Of course there are exceptions - a couple of them never seem to tire out even after hours of walking and I know of at least 2 that have terrible separation anxiety and literally cannot be left at all

I had a 8 month old poodle cross. I live alone, and work full time.
She gets left approximately 9 hours a day, 5 days a week. When I first got her I was popping home from work for a hour at lunch time to let her out/clean up after her etc.
I do feel guilty about leaving her for so long, but i do try my best to provide her with a good life otherwise.
I wake up at 5.30 in the morning give her a 30 minute walk and then spend an hour with her before I go to work. She gets walked as soon as I get back from work. And will have a third walk between 7-8 o'clock. I have very little social life so outside of leaving her during work she spends the rest of the time with me. The few times in the evening / weekends when I do have plans I leave her at my parents.
Theres no way I can tell how she feels about being left for so long but I dont seem to have any problems. I am most likely very lucky that shes such a well behaved puppy.
As I say I feel guilty about leaving her and I would love to spend my whole day with her but I cant. I appreciate that I was perhaps being selfish when I got her, but I think there are far worse dog owners out there than people who work full time.

What people mostly mean is that a full time 5 x 8-10 hours out the house job is a no go for having a dog unless you are happy to pay for dog walkers and doggy day care.

I work full time from home - the point is my dog isn't on his own 50 hours a week.

spider you SHOULD feel guilty and you WERE being selfish to get a puppy with that set up.
Yes other dogs have much worse lives but to leave a puppy alone that long really is cruel
I know that circumstances change and sometimes it IS necessary to leave a dog for longer than the optimum time of 4 hours but to get an active intelligent puppy knowing that they will be alone for so long most days is pretty irresponsible

I've got a cocker spaniel and he's an anxious dog that is so attached to me, he gets incredibly distressed being left. So I only leave him if I absolutely have to, and that's with leaving the radio on, my clothes in his bed and his toys everywhere and never more than 2 hours. Dogs don't like being alone, and it's incredibly cruel to have one if you're working a lot. I'm working with DH at the moment as his secretary is off on long term sick leave and doggie comes with me, has a bed under my desk and sits happily for a few hours with me there. He literally is my shadow, I can't even shut the bathroom door as he howls the other side .

I really do think it depends on the breed.
When we first got our dogs there was someone home almost all of the time for the first couple of years. Then our jobs and shifts changed. We have two extremely lazy dogs - on the days we are both working all day they will get a walk first thing, and then are left on their own from 7.30-5.30. Yes this is a long time, but we used to go home to break the day up and they would sleep the entire time! Now we occasionally get a dog walker in (maybe once a week) just for something fun for them.
It isn't every day they are left for this long, and when we are with them it's quality time/cuddles.
They are well-loved, loving, seemingly happy dogs.
However if I had a spaniel I wouldn't even entertain the idea!

Me and dh didnt have a dog for ysars because we both worked full time.

We got our ddog last year as dh now works from home and I can work from home.

I would not leave her for more than 3 hours.

I waited for 20 years for my dream dog. I lived in a really urban area and sometimes worked long hours. So I didn't get a dog.
Now I am home and we live rurally.
She was worth the wait.
I know someone who has dogs and works full time. They pay for full time care!
Leaving a dog alone for 9 hours a day is unkind. Maybe 18 out of 24 hours alone? No fun at all. And how on earth can a dog hold urine for 9 hours. Ridiculous.

If you have a really busy schedule, companies like borrowmydoggy are what I'd do - plenty of lovely active dogs to be borrowed if you can't commit the time.

spider I'm sorry but I think that's awful. 9hrs one day a week would be bad but 5 days??
I get up at 5.30 to walk mine and I leave the house at 8.30 ish so they get 3 hrs with me before I leave and on my longest 2 days at work I'm home by 2pm at the latest and I think even that's too long for them.
I leave them the radio on and frozen Kongs and I still rush back to get home to them.
I'd get a dog walker in if I worked any longer hours.

I went to a dog rescue centre yesterday & it broke my heart. I wanted to bring ALL 9 dogs home with me, because whatever I can offer, it's a better life than THAT!
Spider's arrangements might not be "perfect" or ideal to many, but the dog is loved, exercised, comfortable, safe, warm & gets attention. It's better off there than what I saw yesterday!! Unfortunately 50,000 dogs a year in the UK alone are given up/in rescue centres. What might not be 'perfect' or 'ideal' is a damn sight better than the alternative.

Unfortunately the country is somewhat short of 'perfect' situations. Sometimes it just 'is what it is'.
I am considering a dog and putting a LOT of careful, heavy & realistic consideration into it (more than I ever did into my kids, I'm embarrassed to say) & I've successfully raised 3 of those!

Some of these comments are very helpful. I'm am still not 100% sure. I'm not sure how people can commit to never being out of their house for more than 2-3 hrs at any point, for the rest of the dogs life! Yet, I have my own reasonably sized house, secure garden, work from home, am responsible & commuted and financially secure & I love walking daily....and I LOVE dogs! Feels so wrong to NOT share this with a dog in need....just because I might need to be out of the house for several hours now & then!?!

But that's it - 'now and then' you just said you might be out for a long time.
Not five days a week for 9hrs.

We have a springer spaniel and she is left for most of the day, we both work full time, my work is only about a mile away though so I pop back at lunchtime. She does cope OK but I think she gets a bit lonely so I'm on the lookout for a new friend for her. She lived with another dog before coming to us (she's a rescue) so she's probably used to the company.

sky several hours every now and then is ok for most dogs. However frequently leaving them alone (particularly if it 5days a week) for long hours, even if they appear, on the surface, to cope, is distressing, lonely and, particularly for younger dogs, psychologically damaging.

One of the biggest reasons dogs end up in rescue in the first place is people working long hours and finding out that it leads to serious behavioural problems. That's why everything says don't get a dog if you are intending to frequently leave for long hours.

I think probably 5 hours max, or less time if only one dog

Mine gets left for about half an hour a day and about 3-3.5 hours once a week. I will take him for a long week and wait for him to fall asleep before I leave. I've very precious though.

The TV gets left on too

Walk not week

Ok people, I admit I F'ed. I know its no excuse but I came from a family that has always had dogs and always worked. So never really gave any thought to the ethics of leaving a dog on its own for long hours.
I've spoken to a neighbour I trust who has already got a set of keys for the house and his agreed to go in for a hour a day, to let her out and keep her company etc..

I don't leave mine for any more than 4 hours max. DH and I both work full time but our shift patterns mean that there's generally one of us around.

SpiderCid sounds like you have a nice neighbour. Whilst that sounds great to have someone to go in they may get fed up of the commitment so if I was you I would also see if there are any dog walkers near you. Often group walks aren't that expensive and not only does it provide company but it gets them out of the house and exercised so this might be something to consider a few times a week even with your neighbour popping in.