We are considering getting a Vizsla. DD is 5 and very calm and respectful with animals, although she can be a bit nervous of them as well. We would obviously not leave her and the dog alone together. At some point we would also like to get more cats.
What appeals to you about Vizslas? They are very high energy dogs who are bred to work - it's only very recently that they've started to become pets. Personally I really would not recommend one for a first time owner - they are known as velcro dogs for a reason and require a lot of persistence and consistency, as well as good amounts of exercise and mental stimulation.
DH is very sporty and does triathlon training so would generally take the dog out for a long run at some point each day.
Running a dog everyday isn't good for the joints, nor their overall wellbeing imo. Exercise for dogs is just as much about mental simulation (sniffing) as it is about actual moving about. Yes, you could eventually build up to running an adult dog a couple of times a week, but doing it daily should never be the goal. You'll do more damage long-term.
We also have a recommendation from a neighbour with a dog for a good dog walking service which we could use as a back up if we weren't able to provide the exercise on a given day.
Dog walkers get booked up well in advance - I am one. I'm currently not taking on any new clients and the same goes for everyone else in our area. I also don't like having too many ad-hoc clients as it means rejigging my entire schedule to fit them in. I do have a few shift workers on my books and they all book me in 3-4 weeks in advance (just to give you an idea of how full my books are).
There is generally someone at home. DH and I both wfh most of the time now, and this is unlikely to change. We could put the dog into day care on weekdays if we were both going to be out all day.
How will you care for a puppy while you're working full time? Daycare is great but like the dog walker, daycare days will need to be booked well in advance - you can't just ring up the night before. Daycares have strict staff/dog ratios to maintain for insurance purposes, and they also need to make sure all the dogs in their care will get on well.
1) can you ever leave a dog alone at home? For example, if we wanted to do a non dog friendly day out at the weekend (when the dog daycare is closed), could we leave the dog alone at home or is this a complete no-no?
You shouldn't leave a dog all day long, no. The recommended maximum amount of time to leave an adult dog is four hours per day in total. If you want a non-dog friendly day out you'll need to pay for care - kennels, daycare, a dog sitter, or asking friends or family to visit. Dogs are very, very tying pets.
2) we like to travel quite a lot (pandemics permitting!). Obviously, if we could take the dog, we would, but what do you do with the dog when you are away for long periods? Are boarding kennels ok? (Our cats have always gone to catteries.)
Kennels or home boarding, but you'll need to book them well in advance, just as you would catteries. Home boarders must have a license from the local council.