Is it fair to leave a dog alone

Question
Hi, my daughter has been asking for a dog for years (she is 10 now).  My main hesitation has been the idea of leaving a dog alone during the day as my husband and I both work (it would be approx. 8 hrs, 5 days a week).  I know many people at work who own dogs and have no hesitation about leaving them.  I could try to come home at lunch time some days during the week but could not do it consistently 5 days a week.  I want to satisfy my daughter's strong need for a dog but feel it is unfair to leave a dog alone all day (and I have read some dogs will act up since they become so bored).  I would appreciate your thoughts on this subject.

Answer
This is a difficult question to answer for someone else.  The amount of time your dog would be left alone is probably the norm.  In this day and age, most people have to work.  And you are correct in that many times a dog can become destructive if it is bored.

I would suggest you consider getting a dog that's mature, not a puppy.  A dog that is older will not be as active and might not mind laying around the major part of the day.  A breed that is low-energy, such as bassett hounds, would be a better choice than a high-energy sporting dog like a labrador retriever.

I would also suggest crate training for the dog, and investing in some of the Kong toys that you can leave in the crate if the dog gets bored.  Keeping the dog crated will prevent him from getting into trouble in the house.

http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/crate-train.pdf
http://www.hsmo.org/m_obedience/behavior/dogcrate.html

https://www.premier.com/store/Products.aspx?cid=3
http://www.marinhumanesociety.org/Behavior/Handouts/KongsHomeAlone.pdf

Check online to see if there are any rescue groups in your area.  They often have older dogs and also often have a good idea of what the temperament is to know whether the dog can be happy being alone that long.