What dogs can be left alone?

Question

My parents work we'd be out on most days for 8 hours with my mum coming home for 45 mins at lunch.

Answer 1

All you people who think it's "cruel" or "wrong" to leave a dog for 8 hours, the standard work day, need to get over yourselves!  No one can properly care for a dog if they lack the financial resources that only come with a JOB and very few people are fortunate enough to be able to work from home or have a partner who is well enough off that only one person in the family has to work.  Are you saying that 80% of dog owners are bad owners because they go to work in order to pay for the house, vet bills, toys, training classes, and quality food that they provide for their dogs?  That's just plain stupid!

As for what dogs can be left alone, this is not breed specific.  Most dogs do well for that period of time if they are properly exercised and trained.  I have two german shepherds who stay alone in the house during the day while my husband and I are at work (I do come home for lunch for 30-60 minutes depending on how busy a morning we have at work).  I get up an hour earlier than I have to so that I have plenty of time to walk the dogs before work.  On days when I get a longer lunch I often take them out again for another short walk during lunch.  In the evenings they usually get another walk or some training or play.  They are both happy, well-adjusted dogs and are not normally destructive (if they are, it's usually because I've been lazy and backed off on their exercise).  

As others have mentioned, puppies really take a lot of time to train.  Unless you can pay someone to come by several times during the day or take the puppy to doggy day care, you would be better off adopting an older puppy (over 6 months old) or an adult dog as puppies can not be expected to hold it for that long.

Answer 2

all dogs can mate they wont like it for the first week but as long as u have lots of stuff for they to play with they will be fine i have had dogs all my life and trust me there fine

Answer 3

Puppies need 3 feed daily and need consistent supervision.

Adult dogs around the age of 1yr old can be left along as long as they can get at least a daily walk!

Answer 4

all dogs can be left alone as long as they are about 1 yr old + . they have a good bladder control at that age.

you should get a dog from a rescue centre, as you do not have time to train him/her.

im not saying you shouldnt get a dog, but if you do pls do get a 1 yr + toilet trained dog from a rescue centre, otherwise get a cat.  

Answer 5

NO! they may die of lonelienes

Answer 6

Any dog that has been well trained can handle being home alone during the day.

Puppies are another matter. They need more time and attention. Potty training and house breaking takes time. If no one is there during the day to train the pup, you are more likely to have behavioral problems later on.

Perhaps you could check out local rescues and find a good dog that's already been trained and needs a good home.

Good luck.

Answer 7

Frankly I think 'neglectful cruelty' is a little harsh. I have a german shepherd, she is 18 months. She gets walked every morning and every evening but gets left when we go to work. I have a dog flap and she has access to the garden as well as the house and she is a happy, loved, well rounded dog who seems to spend most of her time sleeping on the sofa. As long as you are prepared to walk your dog in the am and pm and lots at weekends and give them plenty of affection, i can't see the problem, as long as it's not a puppy, you can't leave puppies.

Answer 8

I would say definately not spaniels.

But any dog could be okay if you give it enough toys to make it happy, not bored. If it gets bored it will destroy your house!

But having someone come home at lunch is good, as it would break the day up.

What I would say is that if it gets free run of the house, then that's okay. if it's just sat in a tiny crate with no space then that's cruel and you shouldn't have a dog.

Answer 9

all dogs are difffrent, but i have 3 chocolate labs. and theyre fine being left alone.

Answer 10

NO do not get a dog it is unfair for him he'll be alone all day with no company and will just be sad and loney think will he be happy with you? plus he needs to be walked for at least an hour or so to get some exercise or otherwise he wont live long. If i were you i wouldnt get one full stop get a cat instead they can be left for that long. Oh and also if your getting a puppy they have to be trained and fed 3 times a day so its up to you.

Thats my opinion!

Answer 11

most dog s are fine on there own

Answer 12

My advice is don't have a dog - if you are going to leave it for 8 hours a day (45 mins in the middle isn't much good), then what is the point of existence for the dog - they are pack animals, not solitary animals.  I will no doubt receive plenty of thumbs down for this, but those who do have no idea about dogs.  

Answer 13

None. Anyone who gets a dog and leaves it alone for that long is guilty of neglectful cruelty and should be reported.  

Answer 14

dint get a dog. no do likes being left on their own and to be honest it quite selfish sorry

Answer 15

Basically it is not done to have dog and leave it alone, if you are not able to be at home you shouldn't have one. Dogs left alone can have behaviour problems as happened to my Aunt, her dog used to sit under the table growling, they eventually had to find it another home which was difficult due to his behaviour. Please don't have one until you are in a better position, better still have a cat and a cat flap to come in and out of.

Answer 16

Dogs can be left alone that long, but puppies are another story.  It is usually 1 hour for each month of age, plus 1 hour, so a two-month-old puppy can only hold its potty for 3 hours at the most.  So I would recommend a dog unless you have some help.

Answer 17

When I last checked, the RSPCA guidelines were that an adult dog should not be left alone in a property for more than four hours, so if you are going to work at, say, 8 o'clock, returning for lunch at midday for 45 minutes, then returning home again at 5pm it should be okay. You have to remember that dogs love human companionship, so it's simply cruel to leave them alone for too long. If you think you'll be leaving the animal for 8 hours or so every weekday then you really shouldn't get a dog.

You also need to be sure that the dog can't access anything which might hurt it, and if you have good neighbours it's a good idea to check with them if they have heard the dog barking or whining for most of the day (which means the dog is unhappy - I doubt if any neighbours would be too chuffed either!).