I am thinking of getting an American Eskimo dog (most likely toy size). I live in an apartment (in Stuyvesant Town, New York City, New York, U.S.A.).
In the usual weekday, all 4 people in the family go to work or to school. The earliest leaves at 6:45 a.m. (or, will, next school year), and the latest leaves at 7:50 a.m. The earliest comes back around 3:00 to 3:40, with the latest coming back later than 7:30 p.m.
This means that the dog would most likely be alone for 7 hours a day, and would only be walked twice a day [at 6:30 am and 6:30 p.m.] for half an hour at a time (the hour a day part seems ok for this breed by what I've read). Is this ok for an American Eskimo? If not, why not, and if not, is there any easy way for me to make this better without letting an outside person become attached to the dog?
I read somewhere that if a dog (no matter what breed) is used to a schedule like this from puppyhood, then it will do fine. Is this true?
Edit: If I leave my dog in dog daycare or training for 8 hours, how attached will the dog become to the people there?