Home alone - how long is too long?

On the 3 days that I work I walk Tala for about 45 mins before and after work and I have a dog walker that comes in and gives her an hour's off lead run with other dogs in the middle of the day.

When I am not working I try to take her out at least every 4 hours and she gets 2-3 hours a day. The rest of the time I expect her to settle quietly even if I am in the house although we do play at times.

I applied for an adult rescue dog and was refused because she would be left (with my dog) for up to 4 hours 3 days a week.

On the other hand the person I train with thinks that I walk Tala too much and an hour's walk and 30 mins training is quite enough.

What do people think? How often do you walk your dogs and how long are you happy to leave them?

Although i don't work so my dog is hardly left i don't see any problem with leaving a dog for 4 hours and am surprised you were turned down.

As in the amount of walks if she's young that's a lot but older i don't see any problem at all although it's a lot more than my girl gets.

For the four days a week I work my neighbours take Holly out but not that far. They do however let her into the garden at regular intervals and during the summer months the back door is open all day giving her access outside.

On the other three days she gets walked for approximately:

3-4 hours up until about 2 years ago. (She is almost 13).

About 2 hours now.

I tend to walk her before I do anything else in the mornings - we get home about 11.00 and then she sleeps and I do my thing. Obviously she goes into the garden and short walks to the shops etc.

i dont think 4 hours is unreasonable.

even tho i'm home everyday mine sometimes get left 4-5 hours sometimes.

i'd try a different rescue. if they think 4 hours is too long then they dont want their dogs rehomed.
they should be looking at 'if' you can afford to keep the dog and all the other needs of the dog NOT a 4 hr issue.

this is fine for the right dog, and i have put dogs in homes with a similar set up

Try a different Rescue - they all have their own policies. After all, dogs in Rescue Kennels are on their own far more than 4 hours, 3 days a week as a rule.
And I`m sure you won`t be locking him in a crate with no water ......

GSD Rescue Scotland certainly wouldn't turn away a home that provides what you do for Tala. I think it sounds perfectly reasonable to leave a dog for four hours and the fact you also employ a dog walker to come in during the day shows what a dedicated and committed owner you are. What a shame you aren't up in Scotland!

When I worked full time, I took my dogs out for a run for 40mins-1hr before work. I then came home at lunch and gave them 30 mins run, toilet break and ball play etc, and then after work I would be out anywhere between 1hr-3hrs, depending on the weather and where I went etc.

Now I am fortunate in that I am not going out to work and so my dogs have my company all the time. I still walk them twice a day and they are left to mooch about the garden and farm yard much of the day too.

I didn't want to have a go at the rescue. But I was surprised and just wondered what other people do. From what people have said four hours seem to be reasonable.

You sound like a perfect home!!

I dont think anyone can say you exercise them too much (depending on age) if you and your dog is happy and calm on that
With my two I am a little random
We always walk 1st thing in the morning, 20 mins to 2 hours depending on work
Then if i am going out they get a 5-10 min training each
they are left from between 1 hour and about 6 depending on when I am working (not often 6)
then mid afternoon they get anothr walk, between 30 min and 1 hour. then we might snuggle or I might work again
then another walk - about 20min to an hour before tea, then chilling and bedtime
sometimes we can have special all day walks, sometimes we have lazy sofa sundays

They turned away what would have been a good home because the dog would have left alone 4 hours? They're nuts. In the real world, few are able to have their dog with them all the time. I am retired now and seldom go anywhere I can't take my puppy. The older you get, the more independent you can be. When I worked, I never worried about leaving the puppy, even at 7 weeks, half a day.