Hi all.
       Me and my family would love a dog and we feel we could give it the loving home it deserves but this is our situation...
I work 8am-4pm and all my family are out aswell during that time. I would be able to come home mid-morning (10-10.15am) and lunchtime (1-1.30pm) but apart from that there would be no-one in the house. I would give the dog a long walk in the morning before i go to work.
We would love to gte a puppy next summer. We are off for 8 weeks in the school holidays so we could get it then so when i go back to work it would be around 3 months old. Would a 3 month old puppy be able to be left for this long during the day? I have a friend that done this routine with a English Springer Spaniel and it worked out really well for them.

Many Thanks

Sarah

We have an english springer and they require an awful lot of exercise,being realistic i think it is a long time to leave a young pup on it's own with no company.If you want a springer as a pet you must bear in mind that he/she will need as much exercise as either a show or working springer.The springer needs about an hour minimum free exercise a day (off their lead)will you feel like doing this when you come home from work and will you have the time.It is essential that the springer is exercised to keep the body fit but also for mental wellbeing,a bored dog will find something to do and it is usually distructive.The springer also needs alot of grooming,because the coat is soft and silky it can easily form tangles,and matts especially behind the ears.You are also going to have to make time to train it,an untrained dog may devlop unacceptable behaviour that could cause family friction.Please think carefully before you take on a young pup they have no choice in the matter.

Why not look into getting an adult rescue? But not a Springer! Or a Collie. Basically not a working type of dog but there are a few that would cope with that routine. The only problem you may have is convincing a rescue centre to let you have one. If you can offer a loving home it seems silly to leave a dog in a rescue centre when some dogs would happily sleep all day while you are at work. Good luck to you.

This could work.  However it's the getting a pup in time for summer hols that is the problem!  A pup that is well bred etc etc will hardly ever be avalible when you want (Murphey's Law!!!)

A 3 mth pup will be able to cope with only being left a couple of hours at a time. 

While I was still in compusory education my parents where out the house by 8am, Myself and brother were out of house by 8:30am.  I would get home at 1:20pm to let dogs out and go back at 1:50pm.  Myself and brother returning home at 3:45 with at least one of us staying in.  Parents home after work!

when we got a puppy parents annual leave would be for the puppy, approx 3-4 weeks between them to settle pup in.

This has worked for us with the last 2 dogs.  Non of them are unhappy, dissobedient (infact always getting compliments on how well behaved our dogs are) and never any serious problems.

HOWEVER it does take hard work and dedication.  You will loose out on social life in evening and weekends because you can't leave the dog when you don't have to.  Although it workd for your friend will it work for you?  Every dog is different!

I have a four year old staffy.  I am out of the house from 8.30 to 6pm - for four days.  He gets an hours walk in the morning and then my mum comes up around 1ish to take him out and sits in the house for an hour with him.  Then I get home and take him out straight away for another walk.  However I feel that because I am at work for 4 full days i have to give him loads of attention and dont go out during the week when I get home from work and the majority of the time I am with him from Fri to Sunday.  He is a happy well balanced dog and i sure I would know if he was unhappy.  It is hard work when you have to work as well but well worth it. 

Both of my dogs are left from 8am - 4.30pm and have been ever since they were 10 weeks old.  They have an hours walk in the morning and the same in the evening or more, always off the lead.

The others are right about going out, we don't go out in the evenings during the week, partly because there isn't any time, and partly because I won't leave the dogs again.  Should anyone suggest going out on a Friday night then I take the afternoon off to ensure I have spent time with them and given them a really long walk.

My dogs are well behaved and seem to be okay with being left all day.  They are outside and have a run with a kennel in with loads of blankets in it.

When I'm around at the weekend they do spend most of it a sleep, so I assume this is what they do during the week.