Crate Time

Question
I have always been a dog person.  I am 23 and have been living in my apartment and working for about a year now.  I would like to get a dog but have a few questions that no literature seems to address.  I work long hours ranging from 8 to 14 hours a day, 11 hours on average.  Fortunately, I live only 10 minutes from where I work so could come home midday and let the dog out.  Unfortunately, I live alone and do not have anyone that would be able to let the dog out or play while I'm gone.  Are there specific breeds that would be okay with the long hours away?  Are these hours okay for a puppy in a crate or should I look more into a grown dog?  I would really appreciate any advice because I am ready to have a dog again but do not want to do injustice to my job or the dog with my long hours.

Answer
Margaret, I would recommend that you adopt an adult (no younger than 2 years), because with your work hours, you probably don't have the time to housebreak or deal with other puppy issues (like destruction of property **laugh**). An adult dog is also going to be a little more chilled out than a puppy, and may even come with some training already!

I would try to stay away from the more high energy working dogs, such as the herding breeds, most terriers, and certain hunting breeds. These dogs are very active and need lots of exercise, which I don't think you can provide at this stage of your life (I'm 25, so I have a pretty good idea! **wink**).