Hi there,

I am a new member on this board and am after some advice.

I am an experienced dog owner and am looking to purchase a new puppy.

Can you please suggest breeds that are more suited to being left whilst I am out at work.  The dog would not be left every day but occasionally left for up 6 hours depending on my shifts and my partners work?

Am very interested in Weimaraners but am informed that this breed does not do well alone at all?

Many thanks.

John.

Hi John and welcome to the forum.

The trouble about discussing "home alone" is that it very much depends upon individual circumstances, not just the breed.  Also it depends on the age that this level of "isolation" is to be begun and the preparation required in order to ensure a competent and confident adult dog emerges that can tolerate extended periods of unaccompanied time and prevent problems from occurring.

It IS possible however you need to consider all the possible downsides realistically before embarking on the journey.

Small puppies really need a close level of supervision in order to facilitate toilet training which requires breaks every 2 hours or so.
The first 16 weeks is the window of opportunity where a great deal of exposure to anything and everything is required to produce a bombproof dog that you can take anywhere.
Like children their brains are at their most receptive and lots of tiny sessions of training are encouraged to optimise the dog's behaviour etc.
Large levels of destruction can occur from bored puppies/dogs.
The decibel level of a barking/howling dog can result in complaints from neighbours and environmental health sometimes resulting in the rehoming of recalcitrant cases.

If you do want to explore this route I would suggest that you find a puppy creche for the first 6 months of life in order to facilitate socialisation moving on to a dog sitter that can come in every lunchtime to let your dog out and play with it.  You then maximise the chances of being able to leave your dog for this amount of time at approx 12 months old with no problems.

A great many weimaraners end up in rescue due to separation anxiety generally because the owners have failed to "alone train" them from puppy hood with small incremental steps minutes stretching to hours etc over a period of time.  They can also be incredibly destructive and very noisy!

I would also say that they are one of the "high maintenance" breeds which require a great deal of input with regards to mental stimulation and, when mature, huge amounts of exercise; all of which must be considered carefully to avoid making a costly mistake to both you and the dog.

In short it is POSSIBLE, IF adequate thought and preparation is devoted to the enteprise.

HTH

Hi tohme,

Thank you for a fantastic and very compulsory reply.  It is most appreciated!

A couple of questions if I may?

You have said that the Breed is not the main factor and I appreciate this, however can you suggest a breed which does better alone or is it solely down to preparation and training?

Also would it be advantageous to have two dogs so that they are company for each other?  I know If I were locked in a room, kennel or yard I would rather be there with a pal.

I understand the training you have suggested and am an experienced dog owner.  You have given me plenty of food for thought.

I thank you again and look forward to your reply.

ALSO anyone else out there with suggestions please feel free to chip in, I am all ears!!

Many thanks

John.

tohme,

Obviously that should be comprehensive not compulsory!!!  I'm losing my marbles I think!!

J.

To be honest one of the reasons we get a dog is for companionship and they expect it in return and so our needs/wants/constraints can sometimes be at odds with what is in the best interests of the dog.

I do think that there is no substitute for preparation and training; there are generally no "magic wands" where raising animals or children are concerned. :)

Having two dogs may, at first, appear to be the ideal solution; unfortunately, generally speaking, this is not usually a very good idea, especially in your particular circumstances.

What tends to happen is that the dogs become more interested in each other than you, training of any sort (house/obedience etc)is at least doubled because each needs to be trained individually and, let's face it, are you going to have the time for that degree of input?

Two puppies together is a bit like having twins, a lovely but terribly time consuming and exhausting handful for at least a year if not longer!  It is generally wiser to wait until the first dog is at least 18 months old and reasonably trained before contemplating another, that way the older one shows the younger one the way.

Have you thought of taking on an older dog ~(maybe through breed rescue) that needs to be rehomed through no fault of its own?  That way, as long as the dog has no existing issues re separation anxiety etc, you could avoid leaving a small puppy to its own devices for a lengthy time and some of the groundwork will already have been done.

Just a thought.

Hi Tohme,

Thanks again for the reply.

I appreciate what you have said regarding the companionship "factor" if you like, and I have already considered this thoroughly.  I would not dream of having a dog to just leave behind for hours on end, seven days a week.  I have a retired relative, which is a dog owner, and more than willing to puppy-sit for me when my shifts do mean that the house is empty.

The reason for my enquiry with the BBS is that I wanted to gauge a general consensus on whether particular breeds are more suited to their own company and the best way of dealing with this.

Many thanks

J.

Different dogs in the same breed can act differently, so you would need to know the temperament of the dog in question. I've had dogs that couldn't care less how long you were gone, so long as they were fed and watered. Then again I've had dogs that are constantly looking for you from the minute you go out the door until the minute you return. This in the same litter! Some can take separation, some can't. Don't get your mind set on a particular breed, more the dog's attitude to life. Hope this doesn't sound patronising - it's not meant to be :)

have you considered taking on a rescued greyhound - many of them are already very used to kennel life and as a breed they are generally very laid back and snooze all day till you get home !. Many of the sight hound breeds can be quite lazy and will settle more easily to being on their own than other breeds. These include Borzois, Deerhounds,Saluki's etc however they do require a lot of input when young and are very inclined to 'do a runner' when off the lead.

Personally I would steer clear of breeds that are highly responsive such as most of those in the working or pastoral groups ( Collies,shepherds,etc) they are very attached to their owners and will suffer more than most breeds from anxiety separation aprticularly if only one is kept.

Many of the Spitz types will bark for hours if left (or even when you're there) :-) these include Husky's, Samoyeds, Keeshunds, large and small german spitz, buhunds etc.

Gundogs can be quieter and easier to leave once the mad youngster phase is done but again I would avoid the more 'active' types such as the setters, springers,Weimeraners and Visla's.

Large 'mastiff' breeds are often placid and quiet remaining happy to flop down and snooze for most of the day whilst you are at work - these include Newfoundlands, Saint Bernards, English Mastiffs, Leonbergers, Pyrenean mountain Dogs etc.

Toy breeds are very 'needy' of their owners attention and in my opinion should not be left all day.

Having said all this, all breeds will need lots of attention during the youngster stage and if your heart is set on a particular breed you can make it work - it just needs you to think about things from the dogs point of view and oads of patience ! ( I work all day and have 6 Belgian Shepherd Dogs !).

I am another that would suggest a retired greyhound, they truly are wonderful dogs, so in desperate need of a loving home and will pay you back in love 10 fold.

As Trevor said, they are invariably very laid back and their main aim in life is to snooze on the sofa the majority of the time! :-)  They do obviously love to go out for a blast everyday, but they do not necessarily require the same amount of exercise as say one of the Pastoral or Gundog breeds.

Why not talk to a Greyhound Rescue place, I'm sure they would be delighted to discuss your requirements and determine whether a greyhound would really be suitable for you (and you for it! :-))

Lindy, Trevor and Juliet,

Many thanks for your replies I am very grateful of you taking the time to assist me in making my decision.

John