Leaving a staffy Alone.

Would leaving a staffy alone, from 8 - 3 be good? I want to adopt and Staffies are really common here in the uk. Good idea? Basically, my school hours.

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Hi & Welcome to the Forum from Flo and me

Yes Staffies can be left at home but...

You would need to give it a good walk before going to work
If you are adopting then the rescue centre will be able to advise if it's suitable for the dog
It would be best if you could get someone to pop in midday to let it out and for some social time

Hi and welcome from me and mine

I'd say it depends on the dog. Staffies are very human orientated and love company. So while some don't mind being left for long periods, quite a few do struggle with it. Those that don't cope can become destructive and noisy, which you obviously don't want!

The best thing would be to go to a reputable charity that does a proper assessment of each dog and its needs, and with a clear policy of taking a dog back that doesn't work out. Don't rehome privately, especially not through Preloved, Facebook, etc., as many people are all too ready to gloss over problems in order to get rid of a dog they don't want. It's very common for well meaning adopters to end up with a dog who doesn't suit their home but with no come back and no solution. For all a private ad may tug at your heartstrings, seriously don't go there.

I would also say you might be better going for a slightly older dog. Staffies can be high energy dogs but older dogs in general tend to be happier snoozing for longer periods of the day. That's not hard and fast, you can get some quieter younger dogs and some older ones who haven't quite realised they should be slowing down! Again, if you go to a reputable rescue centre, they should be able to advise you.

Go for the right dog that fits your home, ignore colour or other looks, and you should be fine.

Hello and welcome.
Hope you find your staffy to suit your lifestyle

It does depend on the dog - I have always left Buddy from 7.30 to about 11.00 since he was 10 weeks old so he is used to it - just recently I have not always been able to get home at 11 so it has stretched to 2-3 not ideal but Buddy is still snoring when I get in....but and I know its not to every ones taste I do crate Buddy -but with the door open now, as a Chewy pup it was closed !, so he can wander if he wants -he chooses not to - staffies do like human company and can be destructive if bored -as previous advice talk to the rescues they will be best to advise you on their dogs suitability-most say that 4 hours is the max but it does depend on the dog-Good Luck in finding a furry friend:)

BrianStaff wrote:Would leaving a staffy alone, from 8 - 3 be good? I want to adopt and Staffies are really common here in the uk. Good idea? Basically, my school hours.

Are you a student? If so, you won't be able to adopt from a reputable rescue. If you're a teacher, that's quite different.

A lot depends on the dog & the work you're prepared to put in when you're at home. Staffords love company, and although many older Staffs are happy to be left for long hours, some will pine & become destructive and/or naughty.

Hi, we built up the time we leave Gus alone. Whenever We come home it’s obvious he has been fast asleep. We get a dog walker in twice a week on the days I have to work a bit longer.

Please do come back and talk to us - we're happy to help wherever we can!

I remember when I was looking at homing a pooch and went to a dogs home and they asked how long I would be at work. I knew that 8 hours would be a no no from them.
I was then talking to a chap who was an ex dog warden of 20+ years and he said he would have rather someone adopt a dog and have to go to work then have a dog in a 6x6 foot kennel overnight and throughout the day.

Point being, yes you can leave a dog by themselves for a period of time however the most important part is that they have plenty of exercise before you go to work, so as to prevent them from being bored and potentially destroying the home.

Sure even with plenty of exercise beforehand they can be destructive as I have found out however building up the time spent away from home is a good thing to do too. A few minutes to start and build up from there.

I would also venture to ask where the dog will be whilst you’re out ?

There’s a huge difference between being left outside in the garden with a small kennel, being in an outdoor cage-type kennel, being left inside the house with free access to everything, being kept in a specific room reserved for dog with lots of toys, etc

Will you be able to pop home at lunchtimes at least for a toilet break and a cuddle ?