Oh I did not know what to vote lol I work 3 nights a week, 10 hour shifts but someone lets mine out approx 11pm and I am home at 7am

Over the years I've probably covered all the options, currently I don't work and have the time and money to be home with my dogs all the time which is why I now have so many and foster too. Previously I have worked full time and left the two dogs I had at the time home alone all day long without any issues. I've also had the good fortune to be self employed and taken my dogs into the office with me. I pesonally think if you care enough and are willing to put in the effort you can make anything work.

My husband and I both work full time but we have always managed to make it so we do shifts and the dogs are therefore never left for more than 3 or 4 hours maximum.
It means very early starts 4am and very late finishes 4am and less money than if we could do regular jobs but the dogs are worth it.

When I am in work, I work anywhere between 6 and 9 hours a day.
Have tried taking Teagan into work, and she hates it!
She can get outside to the toilet anytime she wants at home though.

Currently not working due to illness, but Teagan is sometimes left 10-12 hours whilst I am at hospital at an appointment.

I work part-time but my OH works from home.

I work full time, as does my mum. Three days a week our dog trainer comes in to walk Cain for a good hour including some training. I always give him an interactive stuffed toy when I leave in the morning and the dog walker gives him a second stuffed toy when he leaves.

Sadly I can't afford a dog walker 5 days a week (but if I get a better paid job getting him in for 5 days will be one of the first things I do). So two days a week Cain is left alone for the whole time. This does not sit comfortably with me but he seems to be fine and my dog walker says not to worry too much about it. On these days I leave a radio on, rotate to give him new toys, I'll give him things like a frozen Kong to keep him busy for ages and makes up for it with an extra long walk in the evenings. According to the neighbours he doesn't howl or bark. He isn't destructive (aside for the odd carrier bag or newspaper he locates from time to time ) so I guess he's coping with it ok.

I hate it though, I feel very guilty. Should I have a dog? I don't know. However Cain sort of fell into our lives and he's so settled with us now that to change (eg rehome to somewhere he'd get more company) I really don't think would be to his benefit. He needs the trust and security he's built up with us.

My previous dog Moon also fell into our lives, however he was a very different dog and having spend the first few years of his life chained up outside, never walked, life with us seemed much better for him. He has long since learned to sleep all day and we never got a dog walker in for him as he didn't need it. When I was off work, he'd still sleep all day long!!!

With Cain's it's different. He thrives on human company and while he "copes" ok alone, I do think he'd love to have us home more often. So alone 2 days a week, dog walker 3 days a week and massive make up walkies on the weekend.

On the plus side my mum works in a school so every 6 weeks he gets her home for a whole week, plus nice long easter/christmas and best of all summer holidays, so that breaks it up and eases my guilt a bit. When I move out my bf will try and work from home some days and I'll probably still drop Cain off at my mum's when she's on school holidays.

I go to uni, my mum works part from home but goes to different meetings, and my dad is always home at 3, so the longest he would ever get left is 8 hours if both me and mum had to be out early. That's quite rare though. I can't say I feel guilty about it, because whether we're there or not he sleeps all day anyway

Well I work full time but half of that is at home. So When I am not in, she spends time with the OH's father who is retired, he has a dog too and they spend their days on the beach, in the woods or on the moors. I think she prefers it when I am working!!

There are some times when she is left, not usually for any longer than 3 hours, and she is alright with this as she shares the house with 3 cats who love to play with her, so we are very fortunate to be able to keep her content while we have to work.

I don't have anything against people leaving their dogs at home while they work. As long as the dogs are happy and safe then I think it is fine. Who knows, our circumstances may change in the future and we may not have any choice but to leave Poppy all day. Although I would feel awfully guilty if it came to that.

My dogs travel all over the UK with me unless I am working from a site <30 miles from home. So they are in the car or at home for circa 8 hours a day.

Fortunately my hours are not 9 - 5, but vary, so I get up at 5 to exercise/work them for at least one hour if not more. During the day when they are with me, they go out for a stretch and often some work, and in the evening they get at least one hour.

They are happy, fulfilled dogs with no vices, very physically fit and mentally stimulated with the bonus that they literally are Martini dogs, I can take them any time, any place anywhere!

If we are both on late shift they are left 9 hrs if not they are left for 3 hrs. Never at weekends. I work most wkend and have two days off in the week.
ATD x