Those who leave their dogs when they go to work

My old terrier used to stay at home all day from 8am til 4.30pm, just slept on the sofa all day, the times I did pop home for whatever reason he was like"what the hell are you doing here at this time" and wasn't impressed at being disturbed! Years back when my parents worked all day we had a dog at home to guard the house - people would be horrified these days!! My Spaniel comes to work with me, but if I changed jobs I'm sure he would adapt - most dogs are pretty good at that.
 
I’m lucky in that although I’m out at work 7.30-6.45-7.30 depending on shift it’s rare mine is left longer than a few hours as he’s with my parents. On days we’re all out they’re let into the garden at 11am and 3pm for a leg stretch and to toilet, very rarely will they then go the 3pm stretch until late if we’re at an all family evening thing, maybe twice a year. There’s a couple of girls I use for walking him but he’s such a puller without ‘work’ (on the lead) out and about it’s a bit of a liability and I quite like to keep his (continual...) training to myself for consistency, but he does have a few stand in Cani-cross partners that sometimes take him. I don’t walk mine most mornings and as it’s not his routine he just accepts that. Sometimes I do take him and he enjoys that but he wakes up crazy for breakfast (the fussy eater when I got him!), has that, toilets, then takes himself back to bed! I sometimes wonder if the pressure of routine actually doesn’t do the sharp ones many favours! In the evenings they’re usually shut in 1/2 the house (the non cat half) but if it’s just me home I’ll allow him into the living room. He’s happy there until about 9pm when he wants to go back through to his bed...! He’s relaxed in the house, doesn’t chew anything up or bark, gets on with his little terrier mate. I’m pretty sure even if he was alone about 8 hours a day he’d just adapt his routine. Dogs that are well stimulated and content do sleep an awful lot! A good trainer once asked me what did I think he was getting out of a march around the block other than increased stress and a bit of an achey neck which for mine is a pretty good point! Any heel work or loose lead waking he finds it incredibly hard work to suppress his hunting desires so why not just work with him doing what he’s programmed to do for short enough everyone comes away a winner and save long heel work stints to when he’s really nailed the attention span (if we persevere) and dogs that have far less drive and can enjoy a sniff and a potter at human walking speed.
 
For a Whippet I think the two walks a day you are doing and a let out for a wee in the middle of the day is fine. Bet she gets lots of fuss and love when you get home from work and the weekends.
 
CMcC said:
For a Whippet I think the two walks a day you are doing and a let out for a wee in the middle of the day is fine. Bet she gets lots of fuss and love when you get home from work and the weekends.
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She sure does. Work aside she is with me all other times really! Sleeps in the bed with me!!!!! Comes to my BFs, or just chill out on the sofa - try to drag her out a wee run for my fitness but this isn't her favourite activity heehee
 
I have no doubt that my whippet and lurcher would be absolutely fine left all day providing they had a walk in the morning.

My collie x gsd however, would likely eat the house.
 
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