So, you live to work but you wouldn’t mind a little (furry) companion to come home to? We get it. Dogs are the best roommates in the world, especially if your life outside the home is stressful. Having a dog can reduce anxiety, help you disconnect from the office, and even improve your social life! Workaholics and dogs were made for each other. If you really, truly work all the time, you’ll want to do some real soul-searching about whether or not you’re ready for a dog before you pull the trigger. While some dog breeds are uniquely well-suited for workaholics, it’s not fair for any dog to be home alone for 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. If there’s no wiggle room on your work schedule, you’ll want to be sure you’ve got the budget for daily dog-walker or even for doggy day care. At the end of the day, you’ve got to consider what’s best for a dog as well as what you want. When you’re responsible enough to do that, you might just be ready for a dog! Here are the breeds to consider.

Chow Chow

Chow Chows are the cats of the dog world. They’re incredibly independent dogs and they don’t mind being alone. They’re often described as “aloof” which basically means they’re introverts. They’re not great dogs for families with kids because they don’t much like to be bothered, but if you give them their space while you’re at work all day they’ll be affectionate and happy when you get home! Oh, and they’re absolutely gorgeous so, you know, instant dog park street cred.

Shiba Inu

Shiba Inus are the original Doge Dogs and they’re actually quite intelligent. They keep to themselves for the most part and are fiercely independent. They’re confident and alert which means they actually make great guard dogs while you’re away from home, but they’re also relatively athletic. What that means is that you’ll definitely want to have a dog walker come by at least once a day while you’re at the office and/or see if there’s a doggy day care nearby that offers dogs both private and combined play areas.

Greyhound

Wait, what? Don’t Greyhounds need to run like 16 miles a day? You’d be surprised. These skinny-minnies are actually couch potatoes and they’re surprisingly timid. They’re very quiet animals and they love nothing more than to snuggle up next to you in bed or on the couch. Since Greyhounds are super intelligent, they might benefit from some scheduled play dates a few times a week or the installation of a PetCube, which you can use to dispense treats remotely while you’re burning the midnight oil.

Shih Tzu

Shih Tzu’s are excellent apartment dogs thanks to their tiny size. They’re also super affectionate and prone to licking until they drive you crazy, but that just makes them all the more lovable. This breed doesn’t need a ton of exercise so one long or two small walks a day is just about all they need to stay happy. Just be sure to give them some dedicated playtime when you get home and a place of honor in your bed at night! (Okay, you don’t have to but really, why not?)

Basset Hound

Bassets have a reputation for being kind of lazy, but we think they’ve got everyone fooled with all that droopy skin. They actually need more exercise than you might think, but a good schedule of walks is enough to do the trick. Basset Hounds are ideal for leaving at home for big chunks of time because they love nothing more than a good nap. Just be sure your Basset has a nice spot near a window and that your neighbors won’t mind the occasional howl. 

There’s a dog breed for everyone! If you’d rather adopt that choose a specific breed, consider adopting an older dog. There are hundreds of rescues dedicated specifically to senior dogs who otherwise might not get adopted. You’ll more easily be able to tell these dogs’ temperament and they’ll likely have less energy they need you around to burn off. It’s a win-win!