Just so everyone knows (because I received quite a number of replies):
Our lab is doing really great with us leaving him home alone. He seems to be more calm, and although he still demands a belly rub whenever we return home, he is not quite so demanding the rest of the time. There have been a few minor incidents: a chewed slipper and a plastic hanger, but those were really my fault because I left both of those within his reach (accidently), and he has a penchant for these two things. We leave a giant stuffed animal with him that has been with him through puppyhood (and it very durable), and I think that he plays with that when he gets bored. The woman who takes him out during the week says that he acts quite batty with her (lots of jumping and barking), so we're working on that. It's hard because she takes around 6 dogs with her at a time, and although he LOVES playing with the other dogs, she can't keep her attention on him the whole time.
Anyway, thank you everyone for your concern and advice!!!

It seems to be working really well :)

Fiona
x x x

I have searched the web for days for a message board like this - FINALLY! I am absolutely desperate for a dog. We have a cat, live in a rural area with lots of dog owners, and have a big garden (which is not secure as it's difficult to make it so). I would love a border collie. At the moment I work only in the morning, but from September I will be doing a full time course for a year, and then looking for a full time job. My husband is a teacher, and around in the holidays, and I will be a teacher as well. One of my children leaves the house at 8.30 and returns at 4pm on school days.
I realise that a puppy would not be a reallistic option, but I had thought of getting an older, trained dog. Our next door neighbours have dogs, and look after our cat when we are away. If there was a problem they could let the dog out, or walk it.

I have a friend who has owned dogs all her life who says she has never had a problem with leaving her dog during the day so long as the dog is walked before and after return. Other people are quite catagoric that it is really cruel to leave a dog most of the day. It seems from this board that things aren't always so clear cut..

If the dog wasn't happy I would look into getting a dog walker. As it is, I will probably have to get a cleaner a couple of days a week, and she would be company as well as let the dog out, or give it a short walk during the week.

I would really appreciate your thoughts. The dog I have in mind is 5 years old.

To be fair I think it depends on the breed of dog and the dogs own temperament .
Some dogs require lots of stimulation and company , others are quite happy to sleep the day away . For energetic dogs who require some form of stimulus it can result in destruction of the home , purely because they are bored . Others will pine as they need company and there are others who are quite happy until the owner returns home .
Lel

Agree with you, Lel :) I have two young, energetic dogs (5 & 1). They are left for three mornings a week, but have my two children home from school/uni in the holidays. I couldn't imagine leaving them longer than this and I only work 5 minutes away from home, so that I can be 100% certain that I am not held up getting home to walk them at lunch times. They get 4 off lead walks a day which keeps them fit and go to training/agility two evenings a week as well. Some dogs may be quite happy with a quiet home during the day. It may be best to try to find a rescue dog that has been used to this.

Daisy

Hi,

Great that it's going well and I'm really glad that you're working so hard with him :D

Absolutely NOT having a pop at you so don't take this as a personal attack, just another thing to consider, but what do people think on a dog walker taking 6 dogs out at a time, presumably from several different households? Have to say, this is one of the reasons I've been very cautious of dog walkers, as I honestly don't believe that anyone can really control all those dogs .... a bit different if they all belong to you and you know their pack relationship, but I wouldn't be happy if 2 of them were mine.

M.

Definitely something to think about. Our walker actually loads all of the dogs into her truck and takes them to the dog park. We've personally never had anything but good experiences with her so far. She seems very responsible and dog walking for her is a full-time job, so I know she takes it very seriously. Our dog always returns home tired and happy, and I think that spending time with other dogs is good for him because it socializes him a lot. He's come home with a minor scrape or cut here and there, but I know that when he wants to play with a dog, he's slow to take a hint if a dog wants him to lay off. (Still a puppy in that way). While I'm not saying that I think it's okay for dog to attack other dogs, I do know my dog and how he can sometimes be a pest towards other ones, and that they're just telling him to shove off! Dogs will usually sort things about themselves if you let them be (providing that they're not prone to aggression). Of course, these are only tiny scrapes, nothing to blink at.

Hi,

Is the dog park totally fenced and secure? My worry wouldn't particularly be fights, as would expect these to be fairly minor - more of a dog ending up under a car. If one dog goes in one direction, one goes in another, and four are left in the middle, what would she be capable of doing? I guess as a professional dog walker she will have insurance if dogs got onto the road and caused accidents, but none of that will help if your dog ends up dead :(

As I say, not a point for argument, just for discussion.

M.

I agree with what you're saying. The park is not fenced in, but I have been there many times and because it is so large (several acres), there is really no danger of her losing any of the dogs. I've also been with her when she has several dogs with her, so I've gotten to see her in "action." All of the dogs seem to love her and listen to her (most of the time). She takes them far away from the parking lot, so that's not a worry, especially since cars rarely come there, and when they do, most people drive slow because they know dogs are running off leash (the only reason one would go is to bring a dog off leash). Plus, all the dogs seem to stay in a pack together because no dog wants to be left on his/her own. They'd rather be with the group!

My personal opinion, for what it's worth, is that (for once) various councils got it right when they limited professional dog walkers to 4 dogs at a time. Of course it depends on the breed/size of the dogs involved - 6 toy poodles would (I imagine) be easier to control than 4 labradors (breeds taken at random - no offence meant to anyone!) :)

I think it very much depends on the size of the dogs, and how the walks are structured.

I can happily walk four Elkhounds, and have occasionally walked five, but then the four are now all over 3 years old, and none prone to suddenly drag me off after a cat or something.

I walked my friends Dobermans sometimes, and would not feel happy walking more than one as a puppy/Junior, but have walked two well trained adults, and been able to control them when they have spotted a cat, when they were mature, but adults in their prime. I could manage two oldies with a baby puppy also.

So for me I feel happy that I can control on lead two adult dobes, or four adult Elkhounds/Springers, 3 Golden Retrievers, 2 Labradors, One Great Dane/Rottweiler.

It isn't just the weight, but the amount of street room the dogs take up.

I wouldn't feel happy letting more than one (possibly two really reliable) dog/s off lead that didn't belong to me, so that I can watch it carefully, and only if I know it so well, that it has the sort of respect for me that it will do as I say.