CharlieBrewer  Offline
The Mad Dog Woman
Joined: May 09, 2005
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Posts: 1475
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5221 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 2
Lab Names: Charlie & Poppy
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Gender: 
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 Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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Have to agree with the majority of posts on here.
I too work for Labrador rescue and we often have dogs who come into us who quite frankly are attention starved. Labradors love company - I would hate to be alone for 8 hours a day so I would never leave my dogs alone for that time either.
There are many options these days - pet sitters for example, or doggy day care, both of these could allow you to have a dog yet also allow the dog company as well.
I dont spend 24 hours a day with my dogs 7 days a week, but I am fortunate that I work part time, I work part time because of my dogs - they are never left for longer than 4 hours, if ever they need to be left for longer then we will arrange for someone to go in and let them out or arrange for people to look after them.
My dogs are a massive part of our lives, and to some extent we live around them - would I go for a walk everyday if it were not for the dogs? Probably not. What I am trying to say is, in my opinion its just not fair on the dog to be left alone for hours on end - unless you could find a reliable dog walker/sitter.
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Goldentouch Offline
lead trained
Joined: Jun 21, 2005
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Posts: 4683
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36500 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 2
Lab Names: Leo, Meg
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Location: Scotland
Gender:
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| Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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I also agree with most of whats been said.
I know many people work full time and leave dogs home alone all day, but personally, i wouldn't do it. Not with a young pup anyway.
A fully grown adult dog being left 3 or 4 hours a day is fine, in my opinion. As long as thats all its being left for and the rest of the time it has company etc.
I really dislike the idea of puppy being left alone in a crate all day, even if someone does come to let it out for half an hour or so to break the day up. Personally, i just don't think this is fair to a dog. Being left in a cage all day, apart from a mere 30 minutes at lunch time.
I am lucky in that i can give my dog the free-run of my house when i go out to uni. However, i do my very best never to be longer than 4 hours, and even then, during the 4 hours i have a family member pop round and take Leo out for a 30mins - 1 hour walk in between the 4 hour period i'm away.
Like has already been said, and as you said yourself, I think you already know the answer to your question. However, at the end of the day it is your decision to make. I know some dogs live perfectly happy while their owners work full-time, but personally, i wouldn't feel to happy doing it with my pup. My OH's family work full-time and own a collie X Lab and they make it work. However, when they first got their dog as a young pup, a few of the family members did take a good few weeks off work to get the pup settled and toilet trained etc etc. Also, they let their dog have full run of the house too, so its not cooked up in a crate if they are out for say 4 hours one day.
Look at all the angles and do what you feel is best. Goodluck x
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Jill, Meg & Leo xx
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