How long can I leave my dog home alone?

Leaving your dog alone at home is the primary concern of parents with busy routines. We all know that dogs get separation anxiety and behavioral issues when they are alone for longer times.

We don't want to leave our fur baby alone at home, but still, there comes a time when we have to!

As proud dog parents, we know how annoying it is to be misinformed. Proud Dog Parents provides you with good information to improve the health of your dog! 

Once in their pup's life, each dog parent asks how long it is too long to leave the dog alone at home? Or, how long can I leave my dog home alone?

Having a dog is going to affect each of your decision, whether it’s about going on to trip or planning a vacation. Each time, the first thought to pop up in mind is obviously about our darling furball. Tough time, right?

But, don't panic. Know about the specific times for leaving your dog alone and plan your outing according to that. However, in case of long vacations, take your dog with you.

Note that the time to leave your dog alone varies from pup to pup and even from breed to breed. A well-trained or ill-trained puppy will have different times to leave them alone.

Each point is discussed within this guide for the sake of your ease. Before getting into detail, let me mention that all of the information presented to you is from authentic sources, i.e.,our FREE EBOOK Relieve stress and anxiety in your dog. We care for the dog's health, and our love for the dog is actual. That is why we fetched the information from the correct source.

How long can I leave my dog home alone?

There is no straightforward answer to this question because leaving the dog alone at home depends on various factors.

Note that you may find some wrong information by companies or sites about specific times. Some companies may sell you bad products to keep your dog alone at home, ditch this idea. Unfortunately, they sell wrong information and products because their only concern is to earn money; dog love is not real for them.

Again, the time to leave the dog alone at home varies from pup to pup because of some factors. For some short period, it’s okay to leave your puppy alone at home. Primarily working parents leave their dogs for 10 to 12 hours alone. But, it’s not recommended to leave your dog for 12 hours without your attention.

By keeping the needs or habits of dogs in mind, we can leave them alone for 4 to 5 hours daily. Make sure that your pup is free to move out to relieve itself. Know that dogs can "hold it" for more than 5 hours. Therefore, 5 hours can be a recommended time to leave the dog alone at home.

Furthermore, consider the following factors while specifying the time to leave your dog alone at home. So, keep reading the guide and know about the elements.

Dog’s Training

The time of leaving your pup alone at home increases when your dog is trained to behave well. A well-trained puppy is quite comfortable staying at home without running up the house.

You’re Anxiety

Most dog parents don't feel comfortable leaving their dogs alone, so it’s their anxiety. While on the other hand, some are pretty comfortable leaving their fur balls alone at home. If you are feeling pressure when your dog is alone for a longer time, reduce that time.

Monitoring Systems

Monitoring systems are the only help for the parents when they are away from home. In case of having an efficient monitoring system that keeps telling you about your pup's safety, time can be increased. By using monitoring devices, you can keep an eye on each activity of your puppy. Note that even some moments are enough for a dog to put itself into trouble. Therefore, don't just rely on monitoring systems and try to come back home quickly.

Dog’s Past Experience

There can be a possibility that your dog suffered from a bad experience and now it can’t stay alone for a long time. Dogs with bad past experiences are more likely to get panic and get behavioral issues when left alone. Therefore, while adopting a pup, you must know about the history.

Dog’s Breed

As mentioned above, leaving a pup alone varies from breed to breed because of different behaviors. Some dog breeds are naturally aggressive in nature and love to chew up everything, don't leave them alone for a long time. While on the other hand, some dog breeds are friendly and don't like to ruin things. Some breeds want to leave alone because it’s in their nature so that you can leave them for longer times than other breeds.

Dog’s Temperament

Within the list of factors affecting the time to leave a pup alone, the next one to discuss is the dog's temperament. Most of the dogs get aggressive and show anger when left alone, even for a shorter time. At the same time, some dogs are calm and fine, even when going for a longer time.

Dog’s Age

Note that elder dogs need to go out to relieve frequently as compared to the younger dogs. So, elder dogs should not be left alone for a long time; otherwise, they will pass out within the rooms. On the other hand, puppies can hold it for long and can be left home for more time.

In addition, there can be some other things to affect your final decision, so deep research is highly appreciated.

Can I have a dog with a full-time job?

Leaving my puppy home alone

Owning a dog is a big responsibility and also a commitment. When I bought my first dog, it also meant a change in my lifestyle. Despite the love you get for it, it also means hard work.

When I bought my dog, I had a full-time job. My full-time job meant that I couldn't stay home all day.

Can I get a puppy if I work 9-to-5? The answer to this question is yes. The only problem many people don't realize is that you can't leave a puppy home alone all day. You must therefore organize something so that your puppy is not home alone all day. What I did for example is that I went home to work so that I could give both attention to my pup, and attention to my work.

Leaving my senior dog home alone

Want to go on vacation or take a day trip? Many proud dog parents are concerned about leaving their sweet dog home alone for a day. You may be worried that your dog will be stressed and that your dog won't like it. Yet, it is certainly possible to spend a day away without your four-legged friend. You just have to plan it carefully and build it up in steps. Consider the following if you want to leave your senior dog home alone.

1. Ask the neighbors

Get someone to feed and walk your dog. For example, ask your neighbors to walk your dog and keep an eye on it.

2. Practice with your dog

Practice with your dog by leaving him home alone for a few hours. Is he stressed after a couple of hours or did he manage just fine? If your dog does well, leave him alone for a little longer.

3. Let your dog move

Observe your dog's nonverbal body posture when you leave him home alone for a while. Does he look happy or sad? Is he still eating or is his eating pattern changing.

The time your dog can be home alone depends on how much energy he has. Always make sure he has had enough exercise as soon as you leave him home alone. Go for a walk with him and pay some extra attention to him that day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can I leave my dog alone for 8 hours?

There are many misconceptions about the amount of time your dog can be home alone. It also depends on your dog's breed, condition and character. In general, the dog experts at Proud Dog Parents agree that you can't leave a dog at home for more than 10 hours. 

Q2. Is it OK to leave my dog alone for 12 hours?

The dog experts think it is irresponsible to leave your dog at home for more than 10 hours. Leaving your dog at home for 12 hours is thus far too long. 

Q3. Can You leave a dog alone for a week?

A week is a very long time to leave alone. You should never do this. Make sure you arrange for a good sitter where your dog gets plenty of attention and love. 

Q4. Is it cruel to leave a dog alone all day?

It is not cruel to leave your dog home alone. Just make sure your dog gets the proper care he needs. 

Q5. How long can dogs hold their pee?  

It depends on the age of your dog how long he can hold his pee. Puppies simply need to pee more often than adult dogs. On the other hand, dogs pee more as they get older.

The dog experts at Proud Dog Parents give this as a guideline:

• Puppy younger than 6 months = hold pee for 1 - 3 hours
• Puppy older than 6 months = hold pee 2 - 6 hours
• Adult dog younger than 7 years old = hold pee for 6 - 8 hours
• Senior dog older than 7 years = hold for 4 - 6 hours
• Senior dog older than 12 years = Hold pee for 2 - 4 hours

Q6. Should I leave the TV on for my dog?   

When your dog stays home alone, you want to keep him busy. Many dog parents leave the TV on for their dog. The question is whether this will keep your dog occupied. Dogs have good perception (for more information see this article on a dog's visual field).

Yet dogs perceive television images in a different way than humans do. Dogs see flickering images when they look at a television screen. The answer to the question of whether it is wise to leave the television on? The dog experts at Proud Dog Parents think not.

To wrap it up

Proud Dog Parents may get panic when they have to leave their pups alone at home. Mentioning, it’s not a tricky decision to take, but it just demands to consider some factors. By keeping overall breeds or dog behavior in mind, we conclude that 4 to 5 hours are enough for a dog to stay alone at home. At this point, you are well aware of the factors that may affect the time. Training your dog and teaching your dog about good behaviors will help you out in this

Also download our free ebook where we give tips on how you can reduce stress and anxiety in your dog. 

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