True but I think Methical is looking for a dog that needs more walking than that. Maybe waiting a year might be a good idea and then you don't have to worry about leaving them all day and can get the breed you truely want!

Because from what i have read, Labs are slightly less demanding than Collies and dont tend to be as protective in an agressive nature as GSD, from the GSD i have seen they have been alot bigger than the labs i have seen also.

Its not a question of will i wont i can i. I already do. Obedience on Wednesdays and Saturdays and starting agility in sept unless i can find a frisbee class about the place and she gets a lil better at fetch(sounds silly when i type it...frisbee).

She has also come along leaps and bounds with the scent games we play and can now find a piece of Salami in a field within about 6mins. Which is ALOT better than the "look for 3mins and then paw me mindlessly" she was sporting begining of last week, its not a huge field mind. Since my home made 30m lead she is able to run about alot more. 1hr in the morning and 1-3in the evening. Except on days my girlfriend is here then we go for an even longer walk in the new forest.

I didnt, my girlfriend did and i am looking after it for 1 more month. I didnt expect anything but considering this is the first time i have ever owned a dog, she is really easy to train so i guess im quite luck in that respect. She probably is bored at home as i am bored at work, she has got plenty of toys to keep her entertained for a few hours and its not every day, girlfriend is a nurse so doesnt have same shifts every week, there are usuallt two days a week where she does not work. Next month a dog walker may be employed...so far Daisy just being at home is working out ok.

what about a small breed dog like a shitzu or maltese? i dont think its fair at all to leave a lab for so long during the day hun. i use to have a golden lab and she would go crazy if i was away from her for more than a couple of hours. she had 2 big walks a day and still got bored at home . i agree that they may not even do a home visit due to your working hours.

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I agree with scooby... labradors are working dogs... bred to be out with their owners on boats bringing in fish, or out helping farmers retrieve game... they are working dogs at heart and only a bored, unhappy, and unfit labrador would be happy at home alone for the best part of the day.

Forgive me if i am wrong, but you seem to up the stakes each time i jump through the hoops.

No argument though, you cant deny labs are working dogs, this is why i didnt buy one. I have considered smaller breeds but my god. Im sorry to anyone that love em to pieces as i am sure there are some, but i find it hard to coinjure any excitement about owning such an animal. Is why i say in all my posts topiced with purchasing breeds, its gotta be about 2ft off the ground or its just this tiny, yappy......thing, like a rabbit or a guinue pig that with shorter hair. *shudder* No, not for me im afraid. Plus the fact that no one seems to do anything with em, this frisbee freestyle stuff looks really good. A bit dominated by Collies but im sure its not exclusive. I want a dog thats going to be able to do something more than yap, chase brooms of hoovers and jump 100 times a day.

Sure you might be able to teach it to sit, laydown, stay maybe. Maybe a handstand but i rarely see the lil toy breed dogs down the park, playing fetch or jumping about doing stuff, probably cos they are tired by the time they reach the park from the walk

It depends on how much time you spend training your "lil toy breed dog". Also, you say you want a dog that does more than "chasing hoovers and jumping" but how are you going to cope with the high demands of this dog while you are still working? Personally, I advise you to wait.

If you go for a greyhound have a look on the greyhound data site look in the claasified ads there are often retired dogs offered free to goo home by their owners and trainers to retire them.

Don' be fooled though if you have one of these dogs they hav mostlikely never been in the house and so are not house trained. I used a crate for Butto and it didn't take that long to house train her. Also they are not as big as you would think. Button is 26" at her shoulder but she is a bigger bitch there is a lotof smaller greyhounds around. They are coach potatoes and don't need as much exercise as you would think

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Thats not why.. its because quite a few people get toy breeds and think that they will just run around and occupy themselves which isnt true (as the sophiex above said) i had a tiny toy poodle and she was very energetic.

Obviously if your willing to put in the walks then thats fine, but it is every day.. in all weathers remember

Sorry I have to defend Methical here, from his posts he seems far from some gimp that doesn't understand the concept of owning a dog. It sounds like he's done a great job with his girlfriends dog and I'm sure he'll do the same with his own.

That said though I think if you want a "real" dog then it would be best to wait until you are out less, especially if you go for a puppy. As great as Greyhounds are I don't think they would suit you. Lab or Collie sound like the right kind of dog for you but perhaps take some patience pills and wait till you are at home more.

mm well ive met many people who have rushed into owning a dog.. some are ok, but the majority are in way too deep and have their hands full. All im saying is a full time job will take up alot of time, will there be enough time for walks.