Sorry Rachel,
Didn't mean to imply you were going off and leaving your Cocker running up and down with a lead on - but there are people who think that is perfectly acceptable ....
At the Blue Cross we get lots of people who are 'just like you and I' until you interview them as to why they need to re-home their dogs, and it is because they just don't fit their lifestyle ....
'As puppies they were lovely, and everyone thought they were great, but now they mess in the house because we are out 10 hours a day and then go clubbing ....'
If you want a dog, you need to be able to commit to its needs and if you have to start going on about behavioural problems caused by leaving it on its own for hours, then I think you need to ask yourself Why did I get a dog in the first place??