Is it cruel to get a dog which will be alone for several hours when I go to work?

Question

Is it cruel to get a dog if me and my housemate will be out (and the dog will be alone) for about 7 hours a day? Are there any breeds which are more suited than others to being alone? What can be done to limit the stress on a dog?

Answer 1

Seven hours isn't too bad. Will it be an adult dog or a puppy? It is much easier for an adult dog to hold his urine for many hours; it is almost impossible for a puppy to wait that long to pee. There are many ways to keep the dog stress-free, some people recommend leaving a radio on. Have plenty of safe toys and chewies to keep the dog occupied while you are gone. Make sure that whatever rooms the dog is in are 'dog-proofed', that is, make sure there are no electrical cords that he could chew on, no poisonous plants, things like that. You can keep the dog in a crate for that time, it will keep him (and your house) safe, just make sure to have safe toys and things for him to do. Either way, just be sure to let the dog out as soon as you get home, and be prepared to spend some time outside with the dog, letting him play fetch, go for a walk, or some other way to let him get some exercise and release all that pent-up energy.
I'm afraid I don't have any specific breed recommendations, except that a small dog will be able to get its exercise in a smaller space, and if you use a crate, you won't have to use a huge one like we did for our Shepherds!
Good luck.

Answer 2

It's not cruel as long as you give the dog lots of love and attention when you do get home from work. An older dog will deal with this better than a young pup. Some people on here preach about how mean it is, how awful you are as an owner, etc etc, but if the dog could choose between a shelter and his own home, I'm sure he'd prefer to have a home.

Some breeds should definitely be avoided. The working dogs, like cattle dogs, border collies, shepherds, are not good because they have too much energy for that. My mom and I were out at least 8 hours a day with a long-haired chihuahua, and she is the most happy, content dog (she is now 13).

Answer 3

I asked the same question. I felt bad since I live in an apartment with no yard and I am gone all day usually M-F. But my vet helped alleviate my concern by saying that dogs sleep a lot 10-14 hrs a day (from what I've heard) and it is common and okay to do this. But there are definite breeds that are better or worse for this type of situation. I would check with a pet store - I wouldn't get my dog from there but they are usually experts and ask which are more calm breeds. All though they are a pack animal some dogs will just do better than others. Like a JACK RUSSELL would be a bad idea since they require lots of attention. Also I wouldn't get a puppy. I got a 2 yr old Rat Terrier from the pound and it's gone well. But I still feel bad leaving for work sometimes. Just make sure the time you spend with your pouch is good active time. Good Luck!

AND PS He is house broken and doesn't go in the house usually. Dogs, not puppies so much, can hold it.

DO SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ANSWERING EVEN HAVE DOGS?? ARE THEY EVEN OLD ENOUGH TO BE HOME ALONE THEMSELFS??!! Talk to your vet and you will feel better about it. Please ignore some of these "answers". Gotta love that free speech.

Answer 4

that is not cruel..lots of dogs are left home while their owner works. Just make sure they are comfortable while you're away and they won't be over stressed. Make sure they have water, toys, possibly some food, and a place to lay and be comfortable. There are some breeds that are probably better left alone than others, but it also depends on the personality of the dog. My brother had a boston terrier that tore everything up in his apartment while at work (the dog now lives with my mom) and then he got another one who doesn't touch anything.

Answer 5

It is not an ideal situation but make sure the dog has a marrow bone which will keep him busy for hours licking out the marrow and also some hooves to chew. Can a neighbour or young person check on the dog once during the day? You could pay a responsible teenager to do in any play with the dog for half an hour or so?

Answer 6

Ok, if you will be gone for seven hours every days, then it would not be wise to get a puppy. An adult dog would be much better (if cats are out of the question as they are litter trained)
Puppies need a lot of training when they are little like socilization to different animals/people, crate training, potty training. If you are gone for a significant portion of the day, this would be difficult for you and not fair for the puppy.
Another option you can consider is getting an adult dog. There are many adult dogs that need homes, from humane societies, no kill rescues, to purebreed rescues. An adult would be more mature and be better able to withstand that long of an absence. (Dogs can take up to two years to mature)
Dogs are pack animals though and do get lonely and BORED when their owners aren't around to play with them. You can help alleviate this by perhaps adopting two animals that already get along well, exercising the dog routinely every day, and leaving plenty of toys at home. There is no one breed that is better suited to being alone than others.
Some people love to run/walk long distances with their dogs and this is great and even ideal. They need an outlet for energy. You can also leave toys around the house like toys filled with treats (Kong filled with peanut butter and then frozen to last longer). There are puzzle cubes and all kinds of things to chew on.
All in all, it would be difficult to train a puppy and if you are going to get any canine, I would try to take some vacation time off so you guys can bond first. Make sure that when you leave every day, he knows you will come back. The last thing you want is a dog with anxiety and perhaps hurting himself or your house.
Just some things to think about.
Hope this helps,
Kova

Answer 7

I don't think it's cruel at all. I am a dog owner, and I am at work about 10 hrs a day, sometimes less/more. Granted, I have a small dog, and he is house trained (uses training/wee wee pads) and also trained to go outdoors. Someone once told me that dogs can't tell time (obviously); but in all seriousness, they don't know the sense of how long you have been gone. Granted, this person could have been lying, but it makes me feel better so I thought I would share! What I do is make sure to spend time with my dog in the AM (so I try to wake up earlier, to make sure I'm not just getting up, rushing to get ready and running out the door) and I spend time with him (as much as possible) in the PM. But, net net, NO, it is definitely not cruel. Look at it this way, it's one less dog that society has to worry about being homeless or in a pound. You're saving a life. And honestly, if you get him as a puppy, he will be accustomed to whatever environment/lifestyle you raise him in.

Answer 8

I don't think it's cruel but you should do some research. There are certain types of dogs that will not do well all day alone in a house! Very hyperactive, etc. You also have to think about, where this dog is going to be. If they'll be inside or outside (if inside, there might be problems before the dog is housetrained, if outside you'll probably need a doghouse). Hopefully you will find the right dog for you - good luck!

Answer 9

Lot's of people do this without realising dogs are naturally pack animals and feel unsafe alone. This is really distressing for a dog. If you really feel the need to get a dog, you should put the tv or radio on when you are out so the dog can hear human voices, let the dog have access to it's bed, clean water, plenty of toys so it doesn't chew the place up, and make sure you take it out for a walk before and after you leave it alone. Of course the best thing to do is get two dogs. They keep eachother company.

Answer 10

Get two instead of one, that way they'll keep each other company (be sure to provide a place for them to use the bathroom insided) or else hire a dog walker for the middle of the day. Or else, get a job that allows you to come home in the afternoon to take him out. These things are what all my friends do with their dogs. They all feel that it's torturing an animal to leave it by itself for more than 4 or 5 hours at a time. After all, how would you feel if you were left alone by yourself for seven hours without being able to use the bathroom or go outside or watch tv. All you could do is sit there all alone in the quiet.