I think its all about the quality time you spent with your dogs rather than the amount of time they are left alone.

For a lot of dog owners who work outside, the time spent at home can be dedicated to interacting with the dogs and giving them mental and physical stimulation. Thats what matters more than whether someone is at home or not (some people can be at home and spend all day watching TV which is unlikely to help provide with the types of activity a dog thrives on).

My boy can stay on his own for up to 7 hours roughly but at the moment its only a couple of times a week and often less than that.
The day both my OH and I have to work full time we will probably arrange our hours so that Diego does not spend more than 7 hours on his own as well as arrange for a dog-walker at least 2-3 times a week.
I dont think I would be very happy knowing my boy spends 7-8 hours a day on his own 5 days a week so a dog-walker will be a good solution for us I think.

xxx