I used to work at a summer camp for the super rich. The kids started at age 7 or 8 and went every summer for 9 weeks until they were 15. A 7 year old away with strangers for over 2 months was baffling to me. Especially the kids who would leave camp, be home for a week, then go to boarding school for the year. Families and employees said it was just the culture of the class they were in and the parents and grandparents had all been raised that way. To summarize, I guess you can love something even though you have no intention of spending any time with it. It isn't ideal for the dog, but its still better than a shelter.