Just out of interest why havent you or didnt you arrange a break for your dog . Was it that you never thought it necessary or wasnt able to arrange it .
I'm curious because I think it will become a generation thing , (assuming you are young !)

Dibbythedog, I guess you're right, but here in the UK the problem exists too. There are good and bad shelters. Some shelters have so many dogs coming in they need to find homes fast and hence dogs unfortunately going to unsuitable homes.

A personal thing based on my dog, I had no family that could do it and my dog doesn't trust strangers and would attack a dog walker if they let themselves in,
I have no problem with walkers and if people can afford it I think they are a good resource, in fact it's my dream job

I am not attacking anyone so stop being so melodramatic. You have your opinions and I have mine.

If a dog being crated for 8.5 hours a day is the worst abuse you've ever heard of, you are very lucky. There are so many dogs physically abused kicked across lawns, neglected to the point of starvation, homeless dogs, dumped dogs, dogs beaten to death, dogs forced to become fighting dogs, etc, which I find to be much worse than being crated. Like I said, it's not the most ideal, but not the end of the world either.

I worked full time with 6 dogs, plus fostering. My lab mix was 8 weeks old when I got him and I used a crate to keep him safe while I was away. Once he could be trusted to not need it anymore I put it away. I can tell you now, that he is a very happy dog and gets plenty of exercise and time with me when i'm home.

I don't have a chip about working dog owners, I have a chip for non-working dog owners that think what their way is the only way. Not everyone lives "the life" and for others it will be a long time before retirement.

My post was also to bring to light other perspectives and what outcomes there could be, as we don't know now do we? Nor do we now this person enough to say "they won't change" or "maybe they could change". Unless someone here is a clairvoyant, lets not get ahead of ourselves.

Another reason why I posted what I did is because I have seen these things. I have known a person that didn't do their research and had a real wake up call, and they ended up changing their lifestyle to accommodate for their dog instead of giving it up. I am currently trying to help a dog of a person who stays home and decides to not let dog outside to relieve itself and to not to feed her dog to the point of bones jutting out. So in all fairness, no I don't think crating is abuse unless it's for 24-7.

You say that labs are known to have the intelligence of a 3 year old. Then why are they predominantly used as service dogs, search and rescue dogs, etc? You would think they would use a more "intelligent" dog for such work.

Oh I see. yes, that would be difficult .

Dog walking is big business in some areas , London especially, Some also do pet transport and holiday care . Who knows , maybe your dream will come true.

Maby one day, it's the gap between leaving work and having a good customer base that would be the issue for me, if I could work for som1 it would be perfect

And on the flip side of that, maybe if people did have the time to spend with their dogs, there would not be as many in rescue in the first place..........

not ideal, I think its far worse than that, leavign a dog in a crate for 8.5 hrs a day may not be the worse thing in some peoples books, but its up there for me,

If you have to crate a dog for that length of time a day, you should not be having one, and it seems the poster has ignored all the advice given, not sure why people bother to ask when they just go ahead and do what they want.

Fast forward 12mths, this dog will be either in a new home or back in rescue .

Dogs end up in rescue because people can't look afterthem or get bord, some people arnt suddenly going to be able to look after a dog because they are home more and they wouldn't be able to sfford it, I am only a teenager but I don't see why dogs have suddenly become animals that can't be left it think people do fuss to much personally

My dog was in a cage for 9 or 10 hours until he was 5and a half years old, why will this dog end up back in rescue, I don't think I'll bother posting on here when i get a puppy because sadly I'm forced to live in the real world I don't get to live the perfect life