Which dog breed should I get?

Question

We're planning of getting a dog in the Summer holidays. However, when term starts again in September the dog will be left alone from 7.30 to 4.30 and its not possible to get 2 dogs.

we'd really like a puppy because dogs from shelters dont have a reliable temperament.

will 8 weeks be long enough to train a puppy to be comfortable alone? if so, are there any recommened breeds?

someone would come at lunch to let the dog out.

Answer 1

Labrador retrievers are one of the best dogs you can get I have done research on this before they are independent, trainable, good with kids and people loyal etc....

Answer 2

Any dog can get used to being left alone during the day as long as it is correctly trained. Ideally, dogs wouldn't be left alone but most people have to work these days. Get your puppy used to being left right from the start. At first, just a minute or so in another room, then gradually extend the time. Most problems with anxiety seperation occur because people won't leave their puppies who then get used to always having someone around. It's what you do when you're not working that's important. If you are prepared to spend plenty of time exercising and training your dog outside working hours it will be fine.
You need to do your own research into what breed is suitable for you. Large or small, long coated, short coated etc. Use the kennel Club site as a starting point & make sure you research the breed well & buy from a reputable breeder
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk

Answer 3

I have a shih tzu, he is a great dog. We also bought him in the summer and he was pretty much house trained by the end of it. He learnt this best by being rewarded when he went outside, and when he went in the house we would take him up to the mess and say "NO" firmly (but not rubbing his nose into it) he soon caught on.

He is now almost a year old and is left alone from 9am-3pm, he has never chewed or destroyed anything so i think we are quite lucky. Throughout the summer holidays we left him alone for 1 hour one day then 2 hours the week after, 3 hours the week after that and so on, so by the time we had to go back to work he was used to being left on his home. When I do stay with him during the day he spends most of it sleeping anyways!!

Answer 4

Have you had a dog before?
How old are your children?
How big is your house/garden?
How much time would you have to train and exercise the dog on a daily basis throughout its life?
Do you mind about slobber and hair all over the house?
What other activities would you want to do with your dog (e.g. jogging, cycling?)

All these questions need to be considered before you decide what type of dog to get.
Finally, 7.30 to 4.30 is a long time to leave a puppy on its own, even with someone coming in to let it out at lunch time. You should consider getting a dog walker in most days to take it out so that it does not develop behaviour problems related to being alone.

Answer 5

Purina has a breed selector on their web site. Lean toward less-intelligent breeds because smarter dogs will get bored more easily. A bored dog is a destructive dog.

You don't want a puppy. You think you do but really you don't. Puppies need to go out several times a day. It is unreasonable to expect a young puppy to wait 7 hours to eliminate. Also a puppy is going to have much more energy and get bored.

Instead of a puppy consider an older dog. Just because a dog comes from a shelter does not mean that you won't know his history and temperment. There are also alternatives to shelters, such as retired service dogs. In that case you are getting an older, well-trained, and well-adjusted dog.

Answer 6

It is difficult to leave a puppy alone for long stretches. A young puppy often cannot hold its bladder for even 4 hours, even with crate training.

Frankly an older dog is best for your situation. I work with a shelter and there are many dogs with reliable temperments. Any responsible shelter temperment tests their dogs and screens owners carefully to get a good match. You might look for an older dog that is used to being an only dog and that previously has an owner that worked and was successful in that home.

I think it is difficult for some dogs to stay home for long stretches. Mine sometimes have to, but I have two dogs to keep each other company. You need to commit to exercising the dog and paying lots of attention to it every single day, rain or shine. If you get a puppy, you need to commit to obedience training from an early age during your non-working hours. And whatever you do, please don't get a dog and just put it in the backyard and not bring it in when you are home. More dogs end up in shelters for that reason than any other. They are social animals.

Answer 7

Which dog breed to choose or recomend is a difficult one and dependant on a number of factors like, how big is your garden, Do you want it to Guard your home, how many hours per day you can devote to exersize , grooming and what age are your children etc. To leave any dog for the amount of time you mention could lead to destructive tendancies of any dog due to boredom. 8 weeks will not be long enough to train most puppies.
List the things you can give a dog ie A big Garden, regular walks etc and then the things you want from your dog, Pet only, House Guard, childrens friend. Then armed with this list check out one of many websites with breed profiles . My favourite is Petplanet.co.uk. or try thebreedsofdogs.com One thing this research will tell you is that the breed of dog you think you want is not necessarily the right dog for your circumstances.
Good luck

Answer 8

My question is this and i mean this respectfully. Is it fair to have a dog and then leave it for 9 hours a day alone???? I don't think that is fair at all. Even if someone does let the dog out it is still a long old day for that dog on its own.
Like others have said it could get up to mischief chewing furnishing, shoes etc. It may be afraid being on its won.
I would suggest getting a cat as they are far more independant and can be left for a few hours.

Answer 9

You should really consider getting a dog from a reputable rescue that has been in a foster home. The dog is likely to be older and the foster family will have spent extensive time with the dog and will know exactly what s/he is like. An older dog is great because they will already have common house manners and you can spend the 8 week playing with the dog and getting him used to the rules of your house. No puppy should be left alone for 8 hours it's possible that it would cause behavioral problems.

Answer 10

It is not advisable to have a dog at all if you are out at work all day having someone pop in at lunchtime is not enough stimulation for a puppy. Getting two dogs to be company is not the answer, if you leave dogs alone for too long the become distructive and will chew and get bored . Best to wait till a time when you are not out at work all day .

Answer 11

Everyone thinks they have the best dog out, but I would definitely say the Golden Retriever. My husband bought me one for a surprise for my birthday. He was so easy to toilet train, the day after we got him he barked at the back door to go out and do his business. We have photos of him around 10 weeks giving a paw, sitting when asked, etc. It was worrying, as we only had him for 4 weeks, when I found out I was expecting our first child, but we where worrying needlessly. He adapted wonderfully, and they now have alot of fun together, as they've grown up together. He is also very, very good with other children, outside the family as well. I really have no worries with him around other children or adults or even other dogs, as he really is a sociable chap. Although I am making him sound like a total dream, which he is, I love him so much, he is very excitable, especially when visitors drop by, but that's probably more my fault than his, as I never corrected him, when he was this adorable little pup, so now you have this gentle giant bounding towards you with a toy to greet you at the gate. Not through personal experience as I haven't had a small dog before, just alot of what I hear, sometimes small dogs sound like they're more hard work as they seem to be more like pampered pooches, getting carried around everywhere, there's no way on earth I could carry my Golden around anywhere. I really wouldn't swap my dog for the world, he's part of the family, and I would definatley reccomend getting one. Good luck on your dog choice, I hope it's the best one for you and your family.