Sorry if it sounds harsh, but I have to agree here. I know many have successfully raised and trained a pup whilst they're working full time, but it's not something I could do.

That puppy will be bored rigid if it's on it's own for 4 hours at a stretch - I assume we're talking 8 week old pup here - and yes, it's true, pups and adult dogs do spend a lot of their day sleeping, but I still couldn't do it.

When I got Lennon he was 6 months old. I have two weeks off work to settle him in and then went back to work. Fortunately I work 5 minutes away and spent the next 9 weeks coming home every 40 minutes. I worried myself sick about him, even though he was with my older bitch. It's not something I would ever put any pup/young dog or myself through again.

Have you got a family member that could possibly pop in once in the morning and again in the afternoon??

Also forgot to mention in my first thread that although I work full time. My OH works shifts 7am-7pm for 4 days and then 4 days off, so Roxy is only left for about 6 days a months. For those 6 days though recently she is dropped off at my sisters in the morning and I pick her up after work. So she still has someone with her all day.

The only time she is left in our room is if my sister needs to go out somewhere where Roxy cant go, on those days my sister comes round to our house from 12-3pm to look after Roxy. worked out nicely.

I have raised two pups whilst working full-time, but without the use of a crate.

I confined both my dogs as puppies in my kitchen, behind a babygate, so they could still see the other dogs, until they were around 4-5 months old. I left the radio on, and filled a kong and also left a couple of chews and treats around to keep pupster amused. Both pups were fairly clean in the house from day one, but were fully house-trained by the time they were 12 weeks. At the age of around 4-5months my older dog was happy to have the company of the youngster while I was out, so both dogs had the run of the house. I also work close to home and so go home every lunch hour, as well as having walking/playing/training time before and after work and more at weekends.

In an ideal world, no one would have to earn a living, but as I am a single, independant woman, I need to work to keep a roof over my head and feed myself. I choose to have dogs - my dogs are my life, and as my life outside of work revolves around the dogs, I really don't feel cruel in choosing to share my life with them.

What kind of dog are you thinking of getting and how much time outside of work will be dedicated to your pup?

Bo dog was a puppy once, and I worked/work full time!

She learnt at the same rate as any other puppy too.

I'm not saying it's a good thing, or a bad thing. I know I DID feel awfully guilty leaving her. But I think that I would feel that - puppy or adult.

I dont work full time, but have used a crate but Zuki broke out of it the first time and when we had it fixed she decided to bend it out of shape, snap welding and so on so it was not repairable! Some dogs do not take to the crate so make sure you research into the breed, ask others and good luck

I dont think crates are at all cruel but I dont think you can leave a puppy for that length of time.
Jack is 5 months now and has been crated since we brought him home. It's his safe place and the door is always left open for him to "escape" to it if he feels the need. We only use it when we go out and at night. He is fed in there and his water bowl stays in it. Its big enough that he has a bed area and a newspapered area with his bowls on, that said he is only a Patterdale so the crate isnt huge!!
I would not hesitate to crate any puppy we have and wish we had done with our weimi who trashed every room he was left in. Jack is a very well balanced puppy and I would say 99% toilet trained (2 accidents in the last 14 days). He is dry and clean every night.
What I would always recommed though is teaching your pup to wee on command. That way you can always guarantee that they have an empty bladder when you go out or to bed. Jack performs beautifully on command as does my other dog Jadie. It's simple to add in to your toilet training, you just give a simple command as soon as they start to wee and keep repeating while they are going and then give tons of over the top praise, you look like a plum but it works.
If I worked full time I dont think I would consider getting a pup.They need you too much when they are tiny.

I got Ben when he was 8 weeks and I had a week off work, he had a crate from day 1, its probably too big for him, but it has his bed his water bowl in it and he gets fed in it. I worked 1o minutes from home and came home at lunch time. I made sure he got out as soon as we got up, as soon as he had been fed and just before I was away to leave, and as soon as I came back, whilst also having paper in his crate.
It took about 4 months and he was clean, at weekends I kept times of getting outside exactly the same as during the eek, but he also got out when I was in living room. His crate is always open now and more often than not he choses my bed in preference to his own!! But if he has done something he shouldn't have or the door goes or he gets a new oy or achew he goes straight to his crate with it. This also means if visitors don't like dogs he is in his crate rather than leaping all over them for kisses and cuddles.
Make sure theer is plenty to stimulate pups, toys chews etc and kongs are great fun, and change toys regularly so there is always something new......that's just what I did and it worked for me and Ben....
Good luck if you do decide to get new addition

Have you considered a dog walker/puppy sitter. They can pop in to see the pup mid morning/afternoon so he gets more stimulation. Our new pup is very energetic and only sleeps for two hours at a time through the day, so I wouldn't want him left for 4 hours at a time as he would get bored.

My view may not be universally popular but I don't believe that little wire cages have any part to play in the life of a dog or any other highly intelligent animal, except perhaps in an emergency or for transit.
If you want to keep something in a cage, get a hamster.

i used paper-training for my 2 springers.....worked a treat for them! did not even consider using a crate. they had/have the run of the kitchen and my neighbour comes and lets them out in the garden, or if she is in all day she leaves our back door open. most of the time they are fast asleep in their beds!!!!! they do not suffer just because i work full-time....unfortunately i do not have the luxury whereby i can stay at home all day or just work part-time!