No decent breeder would sell a pup to someone who has every intention of working full time and that is because they care about the welfare of the pups they sell .

Don't be so dramatic.

We are not talking about mature dogs here - we are talking about a young puppy.

Oooh Lilyput - it must be nice not to worry about what to do with your dog!! Stop being mean You prob think i'm bad for what i do then. My older dogs are kennelled. My young pup who is 10 weeks old comes to work and is in a custom built kennel in the car - this means he can be let out as and when and also - it is teaching him to be relaxed in a vehicle as when he is older he will be in a vehicle for approx 12hrs (broken up time obvioisly) which is usually normal for a security shift.

No offence meant here - but people at home all day sometimes have a habit of being used to their dog being around and forgetting it still needs stimulation - mental as well as physical! Mine get both as well as loads of fuss, loving and cuddles. Many people on here have to work to own a dog - i'm one of them!!

PIDGE - i hope your first day at work goes well and you come home to biggest welcome

I don't think anyone expressing concern for a pup is being mean .
Why do you think no decent rescue will rehome to people who work full time ?
Why do you think no decent breeder will sell a pup to someone who works full time ?
Maybe because they are concerned for the welfare of the pup ?

The concern for the pup is not mean - but thats a heck of a guilt trip to give someone who is trying to decide the best thing to do with their pup when they are at work.

Me personally - i would be more concerned if no thought was put into it and a person thought they could just leave a pup with full run of the house where injuries could occur very easily or even worse - left to be a latchkey dog - i have a couple of those where i live and it's horrible to see.

- about where to put him, not what you think about me having him in the first place. We have him now, are you suggesting I get rid of him rather than leave him on his own for four hours, twice a day?

- this just makes me want to laugh to be honest. Are you able to predict the future or something? Effectively what you are saying is that everyone's (on this board and irl) who has a puppy and works full time (even if they come home at lunch play/walk the dog for 40 mins or so) dogs are going to "suffer"? Be realistic and stop being so silly.

As the owner of a young border collie who is sometimes left during the day, I'd like to point out that during the day he sleeps, whether someone is there or not. He doesn't care! And this isn't an old dog I'm talking about, or a less-energetic breed. He's a 2 year old border collie who is extremely active and on the go. He has daily off-lead walks in various places such as the beach, forests and a lake, goes to training classes 2/3 times a week and does the odd agility competition at weekends.

A woman down the road owns a border collie of the same age. She gets walked each day, once around the block. Her owner is at home all day. Her owner is having problems with her because she is bored out of her MIND.

Are you suggesting that this dog has a better life than ours does, simply because there is someone in the house all the time? Personally, I think it's quite a simplistic view on things to assume that all young dogs left in the day are unhappy. I'm sure there are many members on this forum with very happy dogs.

I also think that any breeder or rescue centre who does not look at each individual case separately is missing out on some amazing potential owners. Perhaps Fernsmum, you would like to get in touch with the RSPCA, and Alfie's breeder who both homed dogs with us knowing that there would not be someone around all day, every day?

-enter the ESS owner-
When Ralph was very small we were at home a bit, but for two weeks! With living every day life he was on his own for about four hours a day? Sometimes more if I ever had hospital appointments which at that time was quite often. He didn't miss out on anything, and I don't think dogs do just cause the owners aren't there.
Nowdays I leave the house at half eight most days and get home between five and seven, and at the weekends it varies. I don't think the dogs suffer and at the end of the day we still all have to lead a life, dogs are a part of it. I manage juggling doing my a-levels, work, going out partying, friends, the gf, family and everything else and my dogs do nae suffer. Infact I find them in the same place I left them in the morning most days

Ben is 6 months old, and is also left at home, while I work full time. Ben has been left outside for the last month or so, since he's now big enough and can't get through the garage gate. He's always in his crate in the garage, when I return home from work. He has access to the whole yard.

Sorry not stirring things, but I am abit concerned about the need to ''watch'' that a person isn't made to feel so guilty about having to go to work, that they may end up doing something that they regret ie re-homing a puppy, who for all good intentions may end up being worse off in another home.

I understand that there is strong feeling about puppies being left etc.,, but here we have three Border Collies, a strong energetic breed, that need both exercise and mental stimulation, with a great disire to be doing things. I've been very ill over the last week or so and bearing in mind that Bruce is only just a year old, and Skye is only 2 yrs old they have been brilliant settling for short walks round the block and me playing with them for a hour in the house. Infact that hour has tired Bruce and Skye out more than a hours walk would.

I don't see a puppy owner coming on here saying...well we have a puppy, but I'm going back to work, so what the hell..... she actually asked for ''help and ideas'' and has said, I am only 10 mins away so I can go home and spend my lunch hour with him. She also has said I don't really what to have him in a crate...I personally am very opposed to crates.....but I don't come on here shouting at people who used them..... I think we need to just think for a while, nice and calmly and try to help.

I know someone who was made to feel guilty by friends and relatives because she had to go back to work, and she rehomed her Border Collie to a couple who are home all day, they live in Spalding Lincolnshire....and he has been condemned to spending his first 2 years of his life stuck in thier garden with no attention what so ever....Now people are getting the RSPCA involved to rescue him...but that still doesn't undo the fact that this poor dog is long haired, matted and going crazy, because people that are home all day couldn't be bothered to walk him after taking him on.

I admire those that have strong views, I am passionate about animals myself, god knows I do enough rescuing, but lets try and help not put someone on a guilt trip, because they are in a postion that they have to pay bills, ok maybe in a ideal world, everyone who worked would go out and get a older dog not a puppy....but we're not in a ideal world.

Thats my opinion anyway....hope you find a good solution Pidge, that will be beneficial to all.