working full time and having a dog?

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Rinkydink - doesn't your dog go 8 hours overnight

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i think that is slightly different, they are asleep, you wouldnt expect them to be asleep all day having been asleep all night too. unless they are pups mine seems to be asleep 90% of the time!!

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Yes my dogs do go 8 hours at night without wanting the loo, but like Vicki said, I think this is rather different as they are asleep....my boys definitely know the difference between daytime and bedtime

Most humans will sleep through the night without going to the loo, but would probably be a bit miffed to find they were expected to do, say, an eight hour day at work, without a toilet break. Like us, our dogs will eat and drink during the day, and so will presumably need the loo more.

Agree though, that it will depend a lot on the age, type, and activity levels of the dog as to how long would be fair to leave it

 

[FinkleyAlex]

my dad works full time and mum does shift work, however I am not at college very often and brother (when back from uni) is here, sisters are often here so our malamute is rarely alone apart from at night. She gets walked in the morning for 45 mins, sleeps whilst we are out, goes jogging with me at about 4pm, gets another walk with dad for about 1 hour at 8pm and officialy has her mad hour at 9.30pm where we are all forced to play with her as she wont leave us alone otherwise! She also tells us if she wants to go in the garden by standing by the garden door, we check every now and then to see if she wants to go outside. She manages fine when we're out - she used to chew wires and a bit of paint when she was younger but has grown out of it!

 

[ShadowFlame]

Most dogs are perfectly happy to sleep for a lot of the day as well as night, providing it is not a high energy breed. I myself have 2 dogs, a 3yo and a puppy. They are both left for around 6hrs a day, and they never have any problems. They have plenty of attention while we are home and on weekends, and they are happy, healthy dogs. Our walls are relatively thin, so neighbours can always hear when they bark - the only time being when the postman comes. If I have a day off during the week when I would normally be out, both dogs stick to their normal routines and sleep for 90% of those 6 hours during the day, only waking for food, water, and to bat a ball around for 5mins. What's better for the dog? To have an owner who loves them dearly and leaves them for 6 hours a day 5 days a week, or to have an owner who couldn't care less, leaves them in the garden all day and all night, and although they are in all day, gives the dog 5 mins of attention at feed time? Most dogs cope fine, and many dogs endure much worse.