Wow....everybody, thank you for the advice!

It is definitely a possibility that I can have somebody check on the dog in the middle of the day, I live with two people, we all work different shifts, so it's entirely possible the dog won't be alone for a full 8 hours.

Doggy day care? Is that like a service where they come to your house and help play with the dog for a little bit? I bet that can get expensive, but worth it!

I've spent a lot of time checking on different breeds, I am not dead-set on the Shiba Inu, but feel I have the patience for that breed. Unfortunately, I live in Kansas, not exactly the Shiba capitol of the world, and I am having a very difficult time finding Shibas in my area. I made the mistake of buying my last dog from one of those "doggie farms" and it was truly a nightmare, I'd much prefer to rescue or get a Shiba from a reputable breeder.