basic staffy advice needed!

I've been looking around in all my local shelters for a staffy, and ive found the perfect one i think, hes been in a shelter for a year and hes the longest stay in the shelter, he's 4 years old and very well behaved.
I live with friends and I work 8-4 mon-fri, my two other friends work shifts but not as many hours as me so he wouldn't be alone for more then say 5 hours a day, is this too much for a staff? I know it depends on the dog itself but as a breed are they usually okay with this? Also would any of you recommend crate training him? Im not sure if this is a good idea or not, I want him to feel comfortable and feel like the whole house is his not just a cage since hes spent the last year of his life in one but i also want to introduce boundaries and make sure i train him properly so he can be happy.
This will be my first staffy, my last dog was Lab X collie so theres a bit of a difference, i really want to adopt a staffy though since shelters are so full of them.
Any extra advice you have would be most appreciated!

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Staffys are very people-oriented and you need to build up the amount of time he would be along gradually. They're usually ok if they've had a good walk before you go out and are left with plenty to chew on and keep them busy like a stuffed kong and chew toys. A crate is a great idea and they work really well.

Also, if you can get friends or a walker in while you're out to let him out to toilet and walk him that's always great. They need at least 2 good walks a day.

When you get a moment, come and introduce yourself

https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/f7-new-member-introductions

I work 4 days a week and so does my partner, we can usually figure it out that she's left for no more than 2 days a week, but she can be alone for anywhere between 2 and 9 hours a day (though a dog walker comes in to let her out/play with her/give her a kong on the 9 hour days half way through and she copes well. She gets 90 minutes of off lead exercise a day on my working days, and up to 4 hours of walking/hiking/swimming/climbing on my days off, sometimes I think she's glad of the peace and quiet lol! I've done this with her since rescuing her almost 3 years ago, providing he doesn't have any seperation anxiety or training problems I'm sure he would cope with this no problem.

Just a tip, I worked in rescue centres for a long time and they usually won't rehome if the dog is left for more than 4 hours, so may be worth telling a little white lie and changing the 5 to a 4!

Oh, and I did crate train my girl as she's nervous of new people, but as she's not destructive I've never had to put her in there whilst out of the house.

I give miafree run of my house i rescued her after 15 pups kept in a kitchen in a cage constantly she now hates being locked in a room i keep all doors open for her and the radio at a good talking station. If the crate works for you why not.

I did not use a crate with Snoop and lost a number of items over the years   everything from mobile phones to books that he decided to have a chew on. When Snoop passed away and we decided to get another dog. we decided to crate train. It was more down to having a puppy and being scared she would chew or swallow something harmful. Its the best thing we did Lula loves her crate and it saved us from having to replace things.
A good walk before you leave and your furbaby should be fine being left

We also crate trained Gordon for the reasons mentioned by Simi, just make sure you keep the crate as a positive place to be, lots of toys, water, blankets ect and never use it as time out or for a place of punishment, it's our Gordens safe place, his little den   

Awwww good luck and thank you for rescuing. 5 hrs is fine but it might be worth taking a week off when you first get him so you can see what his behavior is like - Moo was 10mnths and came to work with me - I changed jobs and subsequently got walkers in place as it was 9.30 - 5.30 5 days a week - but on certain days if they can't have her I pop back on lunch breaks. And I haven't used a crate but some people swear by it

I've never used the crate as well and peppa never destroyed anything when I was out (when I was about she did! But was a puppy). It's a good idea to take a week of to build your connection. Good luck!

tessa spent 8 months with the rspca before i met her and it's made her claustrophobic. i work from home so i am with her all the time but a couple of weeks after i took her home i had to go and visit one of my tennants and i knew i was going to be about 4 hours and couldn't take her with me as i was still getting her used to the car. i made the mistake of shutting her in the kitchen and when i got home she had ripped the surround off the door frame.
since that day she has had the run of the house when i go out and can't take her with me and 2 years later no problems at all.

Daisy was a rescue and I never used a crate, she has always been shut in the kitchen when I'm not here but now she sometimes gets the whole house!

It would be best if you could get some time off to let him get used to the new living conditions. Five hours should be fine as long as he is exercised and has toys to distract him

After a year in kennels it could go either way, he may hate a crate and being shut in or (as its his norm now) he may find it a comfort.
Well done on rescuing, how exciting. What have the kennel been able to tell you about him? Do they have any history on him? Was he found or handed in by previous owners? Why do they think he hasn't found a home before? Do they know his likes and dislikes?

I took two weeks off when we got Flo. Shortly after it was the school holidays so she had plenty of time to settle in. 5 hours is fine as long as you build up to it and walk before going out so he's tired. My Flo just sleeps when we are out.

Well done on a fine rescue, I'm sure everything will work out just great.