Hi, I am completely new to this, however have been reading various comments and books, etc.  I am quite amazed at some people's views on dogs being alone at home.  Yes in an ideal world we would all be lottery winners and not have to work ..... however my 2 cavi's are on their own from 8.15am to 3.15pm.  They have the warmth and comfort of my home and lead a very comfy life.  Loads and loads of people I meet and know have dogs and they all work full time.  Surely a dog(s) would rather be in a home and have company some of the time, than be stuck in a kennel all the time. 

i work full time too,although there are people in & out of the house sometimes, & if possible i will go home at lunch times.
although flynn comes to work,the girls are at home,-alone for some of the day,usually about 4 hours,but could be as much as 7.

however i think the problem is when people dont spend "quality" time with their dogs,& arent exercised enough (for the breed) before & after been left,& some dogs are left in their indoor crate for hours on end-which i dont think is really fair.

if i get a new puppy i always take two weeks holiday at that time,so the puppy settles in

I think what most people take issue with is getting a new puppy and immediately leaving it on its own for most of the day.  Dogs will get used to a routine which includes being left, but that is the whole point - it has to be a routine.  I work all day, and my dogs are used to it and know the routine - nothing wrong with that - they are quite happy.  I'm sure they would prefer it if I was at home and walking them and playing with them all day - I would like to win the lottery and live with Hugh Grant, but we can't have everything we want. 

We do the best we can for our dogs, and responsible breeders will not sell puppies to people who are out all day, so the pup leaves its siblings and is left on its own all day.  As time goes on, situations change, the dog matures and gets used to periods of solitude.  They don't have much comprehension of time anyway.  If I go out for half an hour I get the same welcome home from the dogs as if I have been out for 8 hours. 

Guest, by having two dogs they have company and this makes separation so much easier, but I don't expect you brought two puppies home, put them in the kitchen and next day went out to work for 8 hours.  These are the points we have all been trying to make.

I dont think anyone would suggest that that the answer to leaving the dog home alone is to leave it in a kennel alone. Dogs are mainly indifferent to surroundings as long as they have food, water, warmth and somewhere comfy to sleep. It is the lack of human companionship that is the problem in some cases.

Just out of interest Michelle, you say that you take two weeks off when you have a new puppy, do the breeders mind that you work? In a few years time i hope to get a new BC pup, but becuase i work 5 hours a day at a vets i wasn't sure if they would even consider me. I am very into training (agility and obedience for fun) and am going to start a part time behavioural course next year. Dogs would be left with my parents when i am not there. Do you think a BC breeder would consider someone like me?

well i would!!!
its what you do when you you are at home isnt it? if the dog is MENTALLY stimulated & exercised before & after,then they will settle down nicely when you are at work. i truely believe that with collies the mental bit is more important than the physical bit.
i wouldnt see any problem with you having one!!!
at my vets all the nurses take their dogs to work anyway!!!

Ah but your dogs are not alone they have each others company.  A problem can of course occur when even with each others company dogs amuse themsleves, usually causing damage or nuisance.  A dog completely alone is leading a most unatural existence, as it is a pack animal, and naturally geared towards having company, unlike Cats that are by choice more solitary.

It is also neither possible to house train or socialise a puppy when there is no one around. I personally feel that 7 hours alone is too long.

Regards, John

If I had left my current pup on its own for 7 hours at a time I would not have a house left!  She can open doors, take camera's apart, remove the lenses from glasses, use the computer, eat washing (after opening the door) , scatch holes in doors and wreck my conservatory plants.

Takes after her g.g.g. grandmother who was similar but we were building the house when we got her so it was not as bad!

theres a lady near us who runs staffy rescue but when my friend tried to re home a dog she was refused because she worked iregular hrs but only 25 in total over the 7 days , i know for a fact she would be a brilliant pet owner. i know people who run rescues are wonderful to give up there time to these dogs but sometimes they  are on a power trip and go over board there are 23 staffys at this rescue all wanting a good home and one of them has just missed out on one. it seems you have to be on the social to get a dog these days, and then you would be told how can you afford to mantain it!