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

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?

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

    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?...
    General Dog Discussions : Is it cruel to get a dog which will be alone for several hours when I go to work?...

    • Rule of them: a dog should only be left alone for however many months old it is. For example: 1 month old, 1 hours; 3 months old, 3 hours; etc. 7 hrs. is normal since most people work 8 hr. days. Just make sure you adopt a dog that is at least 7 months old and already housebroken and/or crate-trained.

    • 7 hours is too long. You cannot leave a pup for 7 hours. If you get an older rescue it may cause behavioural problems.A dog cannot wait for 7 hours between bathroom breaks, you cannot house train it.If you can take 4 weeks off work to train an adult AND get a dog walker in halfway through the day, and are prepared to tolerate mess, you can do it.

    • It will be especially cruel on your neighbours when the dog howls and barks all day because it is bored and lonely. It will also be terrible for your furniture which it will chew because it is bored, better to not get a dog at all if you cannot be there for it. Get a cat, budgie, bowl of fish, hamster, gerbil, etc......

    • I think that as long as you don't put him/her in a kennel it would reduce the stress of being confined in a small dark place.Make sure your home is puppy/dog-proof (can't chew on anything, knock anything over spill things etc.)So when you come home it will be able to greet you at the door...also if you have a medium-large yard with a fence, you could put him/her outside but make sure he/she has a shelter it could go in to escape the summer heat!!!As for breeds that would be more suited, I would say any, but you would probably want a medium sized dog, because it's not small enough to trip over in the morning, but it's not big enough to walk into and fall over.

    • 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.

    • I have a dog myself, and I do work outside the home, and I am gone for about 9 hours a day. I have 2 cats as well, so all three of them have company all the time, as well as having fresh water and air conditioning for them during the hot parts of the day.Just never, ever, ever leave your dog outside in the heat, it will kill them or cause severe brain and organ damage. If it is to hot for you to be outside all day, it is to hot for your pet.

    • No, it is not cruel. You can't be with your dog 24/7. Plus, they are all the more happier to see you when you get home. Do you know a lot of people who have a dog and don't work?? Get your dog a buddy. My big pup has 2 cats to keep him company. he is fine in the house.

    • Well my master leaves me at home for seven or eight hours a day and i'm fine with my siblings, but it DOES limit the stress if you show the dog a dental or diet treat, put them in a room they can't get out of, hide the treat (but be sure to drag the scent on the ground) then let the dog find it, I love that gome, it's so fun!

    • 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!

    • 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).

    • Yes it is cruel, but only mildly, there are many levels of animal cruelty that exist as acceptable forms of animal treatment in our society. You will be responsible for his moods, behaviors, and subsequent problems later so remember not to punish him. But if you get another dog to be with him all day, he will be happier and have a fuller life. The breed of dog has nothing to do with behavior. Kennels, if properly used, reduce dog stress, and give them a safe snuggly place, it is instinctive to burrow. They are not "prisons" all dogs love kennels if they are used properly. Never lock a dog in there as punishment, let them out when they cry and that's about it. Dogs who get good long walks in the morning sleep almost all day.

    • Get a Pug or two! I'm an owner of a beautiful little pug! I had the same problem and spent ages reading and researching what breeds are best suited to my home/family/lifestyle. We found that Pug's as they get older (all puppies are active) are more dosile, happy to spend time indoors, less likely to be stressed when left alone and also less likely to bark and get distressed, thier activity level is very low. We've found this to be true, I grew up with a Beagle who we had to give loads and loads of excercise, and could be quite vocal as did another pup I had who was a staffordshire terrier cross, this was okay then as I lived in the country and was at home. But I'm now in London and working 9-5, I had to think really carefully about what breed to buy (and whther I should get one at all!), what we decided to do was get a pug... we're planning to get another one to keep him company as soon as my little one is settled properly.Good luck.... but please research, my other dogs could never have tollerated being alone indoors for so long, the breed makes such a difference, there are loads of good breed guides on the internet.

    • Opinions vary in people, some say it's cruel some say it isn't. But to me just thinking this is cruel to your dog, makes you a better person. I think it isn't cruel to leave your dog alone, you need to do things. I had doberman pinshier and he does just fine being alone in the house.

    • 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.

    • nomost dog owners work as well as to breeds choose one that you like I have 2 rescue dogs and occasionally I have to leave them for 12 hours at a time hence 2 they keep each other companyI can hear the keys clicking as people say it's cruel but they have access to a medium sized garden all the time if you can do this as well you will be surprised the welcome you get when you do get home but a walk then is loved and gets rid of your stress to enjoy your dog / dogs