Could a border collie stay home for 8 hours while I am at school?

Hello I'm thinking about getting a border collie. I'm am very aware of the kind of breed this dog is and that it needs its exercise. I will be able to give him the exercise he needs BUT I will need somewhere to keep him for 8 hours at home. If this Isnt a problem, where should I keep him? Backyard, crate , etc. Also house training will not be a problem because summer is coming up, but I just want to have an idea what I will do with one once August rolls in and school starts. Will he tear down the house if I teach him right and wrong during the summer?

If hes well behaved you can leave him in your house while at school,I do for eight hours. Just make sure there isn't anything obvious he cant destroy!:)

How much time do you get off for the summer break?As a general rule, a puppy can only hold its bladder 1 hour for each month he is old. So if you get a 2 month old pup, and get 2 months off from school, 4 hours should be the maximum time the pup is left alone. In the short few months you have off from school, you will not be able to teach him the entirety of "right from wrong" nor will he be entirely housebroken.He should be crated as a pup when you are not home. Left loose to his own resources, and he will destroy your home and potentially harm himself. Left in the backyard and he will find a way to escape, or someone may steal him.A Border Collie NEEDS around 4 hours of exercise per day. This becomes more apparent as they reach adulthood. Their exercise isn't just some "walk around the block" they need to run, they need to herd and they need to *think.* They need a "job" to do such as herding or agility on a near daily basis. A bored Border Collie will become destructive, neurotic and/or aggressive.

A Border Collie will go crackers if its left at home for eight hours. He will be bored, miserable, lonely and anti social. Eventually he could become aggressive.If you think that you can house train him during the summer holidays, think again. When you go back to school he will not be able to hold on, he will pee and poo in the house forever.Get a dog which is older and less active. Then make sure that your parents can pay for a dog walker when you are at school.

If you don't have brothers/sisters or your parents do not wish to help in raising the pup and exercising with it whilst you are still at school, the border collie isn't the right dog for you.A border collie needs at least 2 hours of exercise per day + preferably a dogsport (flyball, agility, ...)Border collies can be trained in a short period of time with an experienced owner but no matter how well you train your dog or how smart he is: a puppy can't hold his bladder for 8 hours. Forget it, not going to happen. If you have a good fence (not some poles with wire but a real fence), a shelter (raised above ground, wood, roof, isolated against wind, fresh water, ...) you can keep a dog there (outside) but leaving a puppy there for 8 hours is NOT a good idea. Not for any breed to be honest. They'll find a way to entertain themselves (as they'll be bored and lonely) and believe me: you will not agree with what they come up with as fun.How long does your summer break last? In Belgium it's 2 months (almost 3 at university) and I think I can housebreak a dog in that time. However, I wouldn't be able to keep a BC without my 2 brothers, sister and parents working with him as well. How will you manage exams? I remember the first time I had exams and a border collie. He was perfectly trained, passed obedience with flying colours and never did something wrong. After me studying for a week and not doing anything with him he destroyed the following:- 3 pair of shoes- My cellphone- A wooden basket- The legs on our chairs- 5 plantsEver since we always make a schedule during exams to make sure he gets all the exercise he needs (and deserves) and ever since the only things he rips apart are the toys he and I play with. (Tugging games)Border collies may be the most intelligent breed on the planet but don't believe that also makes them easy to train. They can make great dogs but they make great monsters as well. Never forget that. Think twice before getting a border collie. If you are on your own, I doubt you'll be able to handle one.

Yes. Millions of pet owners world wide have full time jobs that require them to leave their pets at home. Make sure you get a breed appropriate for your lifestyle so both you and the dog will be happy.

There's a world of difference between can, and should!! Fact is he can be left alone for 8 hours, but whether he should, especially with a highly energetic animal like this, is another matter. And no puppy should be left alone. Puppies need to be taken out every hour to begin with, after every sleep, immediately, every feed and he will need lunch, and short periods of playtime. You should not crate a puppy for longer than 2 hours during the daytime (nighttime is different), and an adult for no longer than 4 hours without the ability to empty. People don't realise quite what are the needs of a puppy.Dogs left in backyards for hours on end can get into all kinds of trouble, from noise leading to complains from the neighbours, to digging/jumping out, to being stolen, especially purebred animals, once it becomes known that they are out there unsupervised for long periods of time. A lonely and bored dog will often become destructive and noisy.When we were ready to have a puppy, I stopped working. For 6 months. After that I thought he was house-trained. Wrong. I went back part time (3 hours during the middle of the day). He went back to peeing all over the house, basically to tell me what he thought about the new arrangements.