Full Time or Part Time Owners

My dogs are pretty special and very good ambassadors for all things canine ( as labradork will readily tell you).

I think one of the reasons for them attracting continual praise from the general populace is that we are with them pretty much 24/7 ( how sad is that ) and therefore establish a very strong bond.

How much time do you spend with your dogs and do you think there is a minimum that is acceptable.

What about working owners, is that ok ? When I was in the US I knew of dogs being crated all day while owners were working, it still sends shudders down my spine.

I spend 24/7 with my two because I dont work,
I leave them to go to the shop or into town or whatever and they are good for up to 6 hours anything more then that and they find things to chew on

Well i am lucky that i dont work and can spend a lot of time with my dogs. I have the much more of a bond with them than my OH does.
I certainly dont agree with leaving a dog crated all day (or left alone for long periods) but there are people who work or are away from their dogs and therefor put in extra effort when they are with their dogs.
They have just as much of a bond and well trained dogs too.

Basically as long as you put some effort in there is room for give and take on the amount of time you spend...ie quality not always quantity

Apart from Mon- Wed 9-1 and 2-5 I am with him all the time.

I chose to work part time so we could be with him more and we struggle abit financially (well, we sacrifice luxuries) but we think it's worth it!

At the weekends and on days off we're with him all the time, walking, playing, training etc, he even comes to our local village pub with us.

I'm not sure that I agree with people who work full time and have a heavy social life getting dogs. Same with having children. What is the point if you don't want to spend all your spare time with them? I can't tell you how happier we are since we got the Woodster, life is just bigger and better and more exciting!

My dogs get 24/7 from me too, I know how very lucky I am to be able to do that, and I agree, I'm sure there is a greater bond because of it. Having said that, however, my husband who works all day during the week, seems to get a lot more attention when he arrives home than I ever get, but then I'm never out for more than an hour or so at any one time, so they don't really get a chance to miss me like they do him. I never had dogs when I did work full-time, apart from when we were self-employed so they were with us anyways 24/7, I like it like that, I think I'd miss them too much and worry what they were up to when left home alone all day.

Currently I spend most of the day with my rabble as I choose not to work. I have had dogs in the past when I have worked all day and the bond has been just as great with those dogs as it is with the current mob. I don't think it comes down to time at all, I think it's quality not quantity.

With mine 24/7 apart from the odd few hours here and there to take the kids out, shopping, visiting, school runs and so on (though I usually take one or two of the dogs with me, wherever I go - except food shopping). I do realise I am very lucky that I don't have to go to work and leave my dogs. If I do work in the future, it will either be part-time or working mainly from home. Would never leave my dogs for longer than four hour periods without company, except in emergency situations of course, but that's the same for everybody

I am lucky with my work that my dogs are with me a lot (I work as a trainer).

We have a part time dog here though....she came from the rescue kennels. Her owners adore her, but the lady works as a nurse and her husband is at home, but goes out to do shopping and such. She has done 1000's of £'s of damage to thier home when she was left but they could not face sending her back to the rescue kennels. She now lives with us but goes back to them as often as they can have her. (Usually 3-4days at a time). It is not what I would ever recommend, but it works fantasticlly well.

I used to be at school and Mum was a teacher so our dogs were left quite a lot, but we were training (flyball/agility/obedience) every night and at shows every weekend. They dogs were very healthy, had walks and company every day and I think they were happy.

Well if wasn't, only a fraction of people could own dogs.

Although I work (also a full time student) I don't consider myself to be a "part time" dog owner. I may not spend 24/7 with him, but personally I don't think that is healthy away. Our bond has not been compromised in any way.

I'm very fortunate in that I work from home so I am with Missy a lot of the time. I suppose she's only left when I go shopping where dogs aren't allowed. We do have a great bond.
However, I also had a fantastic bond with my first dog, and I worked full time then. We rescued her from abusive neighbours, so she had a much better life with us. She had our full attention when we came in and all weekends, free run of the house whilst we were at work and access to a very secure garden too. She was one happy little girl.