Will my current dog help a new dog be okay when left alone for hours?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. Leaving a dog alone for a period time is fine for most dogs. It is a normal fact of life that we cannot be with our dogs 24/7. This is only a problem when the dog has an underlying anxiety disorder. In this case, the dog will be frantic being alone and can become destructive and even harm itself. I hope this information helps!

This would likely be a great idea! Most puppies get along with other puppies. If you have friends with other friendly dogs, you may try to see how she does around them first. Once you find a dog you want to adopt, you may ask the rescue if you can do a meet and greet and see if they get along before adopting the new dog. Also, if you do adopt a new dog, I would not leave them alone without supervision for a little while until you are confident that they will get along. I would also not feed them together or give them bones as this can increase the competition feeling. I hope this helps!

It is not a question easy to answer to as it would depend on how big is your house and if they have access to a garden or not. Level of training should be considered as well. Two dogs minimum would be my answer anyway as at least they can have some interaction between each other. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

This is an individual, not breed-related trait. Border Collies are known for their energy, but there are many that are happy being alone in a house. Cocker Spaniels are pretty chill, but they can become anxious if they are left alone. If you really need a specific personality, I would recommend adopting an older dog so that you know what you are getting for sure.

It's hard to say. Some dogs with separation anxiety do better with another dog in the house, while this doesn't make any difference at all for others. So it's possible that getting the puppy was helpful, but it's also possible that this was coincidental and he may have improved anyway due to the other things you were doing. Regardless, I'm glad he's doing better :)

Most dog breeds will do just fine with this work schedule - most people do work 8 hour days, so this isn't uncommon at all :) A puggle would be a fine choice, as they are usually quite friendly and easy-going little dogs in my experience. The most difficult time will be when you first bring the puppy home, since most pups won't be able to "hold it" that long without a potty break or two. You may want to see if you could take some vacation time when you first bring your new puppy home to focus on bonding and potty training before you have to start leaving them alone. Another option would be to have a neighbor, relative, or dog-sitter stop by at least once during the day to take the puppy out. Most dogs can go 8 hours without a potty break by 6-8 months of age, so as long as you have a plan until then things should be just fine.

Adult dogs can generally be crated 8-10 hours so this schedule could be fine provided the dog does not having anxiety issues....etc. Dogs do require A LOT of time. It's almost like having a child. They require at least an hour of exercise every day (especially when they are young). They require training and affection. They need to be fed on a schedule, let out on a schedule and you will need to have them examined periodically by the veterinarian. Having a dog is very rewarding but it sounds like now is maybe not the right time to have a dog if you family is very busy. I recommend to wait until the time is right. There are pets who can be equally rewarding but require less care than a dogs. Cats make great pets and are far less dependent on humans. Though they still require attention...etc. Many people are grossed out about rats but pet rats actually make very good pets. They love their humans (if you get them as babies) and can even be trained to do tricks. You need at least 2 and they will still want your attention. I hope this provides some guidance and please feel free to post any additional questions.