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My wife and I are looking for a dog, preferably a larger breed of dog such as a Siberian Husky or German Shepherd. The problem that I am having with the situation is that my wife and I both live an hour away from work. That means we are both away from home 10 hours a day and work the same schedule.

Is there a breed of dog that would be okay with this type of separation? My wife is not convinced that it would be a bad idea for a dog; however, I am thinking that a dog just would not fit our work schedule.

I am hoping my question is not too opinion-based or too broad, so my question breaks down to whether factual information exists regarding which dog breeds better handle being alone for long periods of time. Also, is separation anxiety gender-related?

Spidercat
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Ryan
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    10 hours alone seems unfair to the dog. Dogs are pack animals and prefer to be with their pack (you + other animals) as much as possible. Perhaps another type of pet would be better suited to your lifestyle. If your heart is absolutely set on getting a dog, it would be healthiest for them if they had some type of companion to keep them company while you're away from home (eg. another dog, or possibly a cat). – cimmanon Nov 15 '13 at 15:41
  • The plus side would be we have three cats two of which have had dogs in their lives in the past. – Ryan Nov 15 '13 at 15:45
  • @cimmanon That might not be always true, My dog can be alone for a whole day without complaining. –  Nov 15 '13 at 16:06
  • I agree with cimmanon. I'm in a similar situation where my girlfriend and I are out of the house for 10+ hours a day, but we'd love a dog. Any dog. But neither of us would ever be able to spend enough time with them. We'd both feel guilty. That's why we got ferrets and a cat. That said, I know Shiba Inus are a fairly independent breed. They're tough to train though and I'm not sure how well they'd get along with other animals. – Cuthbert Nov 15 '13 at 17:57
  • I would have to disagree about Shibas. Independent is not really an accurate breed trait in my experience. Shibas definitely have a "what's in it for me?" attitude when you ask things of them (you want me to come? you better have something I want or I'm just going to continue doing what I want). They are exceptionally loyal and love being near their people, even though they may not want to be handled. Also, they get bored very easily and require a lot of exercise. – cimmanon Nov 15 '13 at 19:07
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    Separation anxiety is probably not what's going to be the issue, as it refers to the dog getting anxious whenever you leave the house. Dogs don't have a good sense of time, so even a dog with separation anxiety won't know how long you've been away. But a dog that needs a lot of stimulation (think any of the classic working breeds) will tear your house apart out of boredom while you're gone, no matter whether they mind you leaving or not. – ThomasH Nov 24 '13 at 19:49
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    I don't think you can pin it down to breed, or even independence. Our current canine family member was neglected before we adopted him and had serious issues for... well a week or two. He's calmed down quite a bit, both with age, and with knowing that we'll be back. I also know of a few folk who leave the TV on for the dog. Get them used to it, have a way to get rid of their excess energy, and you'll be fine. – Journeyman Geek Dec 09 '13 at 15:09
  • I think this is looking too broad and/or opinion. The question has been around for several months and the only attempt at an answer was a link to another site and that's not an answer. – Joanne C Apr 25 '14 at 13:00

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