Is it nasty to leave a dog home alone for 6 hours?

Question

we are thinking of getting a dog but we are not sure if we will be aloud because it seems nasty to leave it alone for six hours a day. Should we get a dog or is it a bad idea?

Answer 1

Ok first off leaving a dog home for 6 hours alone isn't wrong if your dog is not a young puppy needing to be housetrained unless you have someone to come in and let him out to potty. Heck I have 3 dogs and they are at home by themselves for at least 10 hours a day. No problems and happy to see me when i get home and get love and attention and play time when i get home. And before anyone jumps and says i should get rid of my dogs I'm going to tell you now h**l NO !!! I love my dogs, but also got to work and make monies to be able to put a roof over our head and feed them and pay medical cost when needed. If people with jobs shouldn't own dogs then there be alot more dogs out there needing homes than there is now.

Edit: Heck took my newest dog Missy to the vet this morn for a full check-up cuz she was just adopted by me last friday from doggie jail and my border collie  Cisco from Wymoing doggie jail and my 9-11 dog Molly also from a doggie jail in Idaho the day the towers fell. And my vet praises me each time on there health,there coats (how shiny and soft they are) and their weight. Perfect weight for Molly @ 25 lbs (small) and Cisco@64 lbs and little Missy @ 18.4 lbs,shes a pom/border collie mix. Needs just a little more weight. Vet has me feeding her Puppy Chow for high protein.

Edit: Why are the people that say they have to work getting thumbs down for leaving their dogs home alone while they are trying to make money to take care of their family and their pets ?? And bet anything the one who went and gave everyone that works a thumbs down probably is either on welfare or does the same thing or doesn't own a dog. I work,my husband works and we both have 2 days off a week and our dogs are very happy and well adjusted.

Answer 2

idk its kinda sad to leave a lil dog alone for six hours....but when u get home if u have time to play with it then suree get a dog....just make sure u leave water and food for it...and if u get  puppy and leave it alone for 6 hrs. then be prepared to have dog pee n p**p all over....well good luck n hope i help =D

Answer 3

Many people have to leave home for at least 8 hours a day for work, school, life, etc ! But keep in mind that puppies will need to be potty trained and cannot physically hold their bladder for long periods of time so you can expect to have accidents. Why don't you consider adopting an older dog that is already potty trained. Most dogs also do not take well to being banished to the backyard all day. So, as long as when you are home, you provide training, boundaries, affection, and of course Plenty of exercise, the dog can become adjusted to your family and routine.  

Answer 4

We leave my dog at home for 6 hours or more, since everyone in my family works or is a full-time student.  He seems fine, and is excited to see us when we return, but not overly obsessive excited.  

You'd have to get your dog used to seeing you leave before you leave the house for long periods of time.  If you leave him alone for that long right off the bat, then he could develop separation anxiety and wreak havoc on your house when you are away.  A dog needs a lot of time to adjust to the people and environment of its new home, so he needs a lot of security during this adjusting phase, so someone needs to be home.

Answer 5

Depends if it's a puppy I would love to see your home after 6 hours.

My dog is fine left alone for that period of time but I always make sure he has water and dry food available.  

Answer 6

a puppy cant, but you can adopt a dog from a shelter and if you leave him everything he needs he will be ok, but the time you have with him you have to guve him alot of attention

Answer 7

i think it depends on the dog my dog is quite old now and really just sleeps all day so its o.k to leave her when i'm at work but i don't like leaving her so i'll leave the t.v on so she can hear somthing going on but if it was a puppy it wouldnt be ideal plus it would rip your house apart from boredom!!!

Answer 8

lots of people work full time at least 8 hrs a day - not including travel time, 5-6 days a week and have dogs- successfully!!!

the biggest thing you have to worry about is whether or not the dog is housebroken.. a young puppy will have trouble with this, as their bladder is not well developed..a grown dog that is not  housebroken will also have trouble...

if your dog has access to the outside at all times (i.e. dog door), then this shouldnt be a problem (assuming outside fencing is safe and secure)

i have 3 dogs, and i work 12 hr shifts, not including travel time - which is generally not much, but frequently have to work unscheduled overtime...sometimes when i get home i'm too tired to do much more than feed them, the horses and change clothes before i go straight to bed.. they have 24 hr access to the outside (with secure fencing)... they are well adjusted dogs, who are not at all destructive... they are very well behaved (CGC, TDI)...

if your situation and abilities allow it, try getting 2 dogs.. that way even when you are gone the dog will never be alone.. personally i like 3, as i can take one with me and the 2 at home arent lonely...

Answer 9

I have to leave my dogs for six hours (for school) they are fine, you just have to give them LOTS of love and attention when your home, and give they dog toys to play with when your out

Answer 10

will it have toys? another companion such as another dog or cat?

it's not mean as long as it has some entertainment while you are gone

Answer 11

Many people have dogs and go out to work.  Of course in an ideal world, we would like to be with our pets all day, but if we were at home all day, we would not be able to afford our pets!!

If you have a puppy, see if a neighbour can look in on your puppy until he is sufficiently house trained, that is what we did with our dog.  We were really lucky in the respect that our neighbours fell so in love with our dog that they take him out daily for walks!  So you never know, that may happen for you too!

I applaud anyone who takes animals on.  If they are going to a loving home, it is better for them to be alone for part of the day than it is to not have you at all.  

Enjoy your dog :)

Answer 12

I wouldnt say it was nasty, i mean if you have to do it then you have to do it.

my mum leaves her dogs for around 6 hours a day and they aint doing bad, its not ideal but i dont see a problem unless your getting a puppy.

Answer 13

Please don't get a dog.  You need to know more than you do at the moment to maintain an animal properly.  Generally, a "housebroken" dog can be left alone for as much as six hours.  There are caveats.  "Housebroken" is a key one.  The animal must be taken outside religiously the first thing in the morning, immediately when you arrive at home and once again, at the dogs request, in the evening.  My miniature poodle Coconut, Coco, Nut, #@%$*, etc. will get me out of bed at seven AM to go out.  She will remind me at mid-morning and again at mid-afternoon.  She will suffer through six hours and raise h**l with me later.  She is eight years old, loves me even though I sometimes arrive late and only has an "accident" when I have stayed away beyond her control limit.

Answer 14

I never think it's a bad idea if someone who has common sense (and you sound like you do) to have a dog.

This what I do. I also work 6 hours a day Mon-Fri and on two of those days I take my dogs to doggie day care. Although the maximum time you are supposed to leave your dog alone is four hours, as long as you give your dog a good long walk and lots of attention before and after work I think that is fine. My dogs are well behaved, loving and sprightly.

If doggie day care is not an option then I would advise getting two dogs so they can be company to each other. I can personally recommend a couple of these little chaps. ;-) http://www.justdogbreeds.com/shih-tzu.ht...

Also, certain dog breeds are well known for their destructive behaviour when left alone so I would have a word with your local vet so they can advise you on which is the best breed for you. Be aware that all  puppies get lonely and are destructive up until 12 months though.

Answer 15

No dogs should be ok for six hours.... Just make sure you let it out a few times before you leave the house cuz u do not want it going to the  bathroom all over ur floors.

Answer 16

It doesn't seem too bad. Maybe you should get a dog in the holiday to give it a chance to settle in. We leave our dog for 8 hours a day on weekdays, and he has a run, a kennel, water and plenty of toys, i think as long as the dog has that it should be alright.  

Answer 17

An adult dog should have no problem being alone for six hours as long as it receives adequate attention, training and exercise once the owner does come home. Many dog owners work full time, eight hours and more and still manage to be responsible, loving pet owners.  

Answer 18

All dogs are different.  But there are some attributes that all dogs share.

All dogs are social creatures, they need alot of interaction with humans and other animals to keep them happy.

All dogs need exercise to wear off nervous energy.

So, the question you need to ask yourself is..."How much of my time when I am at home am I willing to invest in training, and playing with my dog so that the time spent alone won't be so hard on him?"

It is not un-healty for a dog to be home or even kenneled for 6 hours at a time, but when you get home you might find that your dog is a bundle of nervous energy that needs a few hours of attention to wear off.

Answer 19

it is not nasty to keep a dog alone once a week, but if it is every day than I would wait until you have a better schedule and it also depends on whether or not someone will be home when you are gone

so bottom line I would get a bird they are easy to take care of, and they are as loyal as a dog.

good luck : )

Answer 20

no it isn't we all have to work.   Most dogs are home 6-7 hours a day just make sure the time you are there you give them the attention and training and love they deserve

Those people who tell you that obviously don't work.   Because if it was bad that cuts out the majority of the population ever having a dog

Answer 21

Wow, EVERYDAY?

yeah thats kind of alot.

EDIT:

yes the person two below me is right,

a cat would be much better.

Answer 22

My dogs are left alone much longer than that every day.  Although, if its a puppy, they will not be able to "hold it" that long.

Answer 23

It's a very bad idea, the idea of getting a dog is for companionship and friendship and love (unconditional)..... It would be cruel to leave him/her alone for that length of time on his/her own If you want a pet that you can leave for that long...get a goldfish

Answer 24

If you can't be home to train and love a dog I don't believe it is fair to the dog. Don't you agree?

Answer 25

Yes it is nasty to leave a dog alone. It will cry, your neighbours will complain and you could be evicted. If you can take it for VERY LONG walks before you go to work and come home for lunch it could cope. Perhaps you can pay someone to take your dog out at lunchtime instead. A dog will be a problem if you want to go out at night and they are very expensive to maintain. Think hard before you commit.

Answer 26

you can give it to your neighbours to look after it?

and maybe you should get goldfish instead.

Answer 27

if the dog is well trained and potty trained theres no problem with it, if you get a pup when your not home keep the pup in a crate, that way it doesnt potty all over the place, and cant get into things and get hurt.

Answer 28

heck no. at least it ain't like 12 hours.  you go ahead and get that doggy who is lookin for a loving home!

Answer 29

It's okay to leave it alone, but if you get a big dog, unless the weather is bad, they like it better outside. (and it won't pee all over your floor) There are more things to see and do. So if you have the possibility to do that, you should. Not when they are puppies though. Around five or six months is a good time to start.

My dogs are outside unless it's really hot or cold and then we let them in when we get home. They HATE being inside for that long though. I only do that when it's for their own good.

Answer 30

it depends on the actual dog really, most dogs are fine for that wmount of time. but some (especially with some rescue dogs) might need the attention of someone being there.  and some will totally wreck your house in 6 hour...... no 5 minutes. lol  

Answer 31

It's really not nice to leave your dog all alone for that amount of time.  Dogs are naturally found in packs, and they are not very happy when they have to be alone.  If you want to get a puppy, it would be best to get two, that way they can play with each other while you are gone.  If you can't get two, make sure that they have something to do all day while you are gone.  For example, instead of leaving food for them in their food bowl, hide it all over the house in various places so that they can hunt for it.  It's called animal enrichment, and it leads to a healthier and happier dog.  Another thing would be to do what some other people on here have suggested and see if a neighbor can watch it while you're away.

Hope this was helpful! =)