So you want a puppy. That’s great…but before you rush out and adopt, there’s something you need to know. Puppies can be a lot of work; they’re delightful little bundles of joy packed with personality, but their care takes a significant amount of time.
In fact, one of the most common misconceptions pet parents have is just how soon they can leave a pup alone (crated or free) at home while they return to work or leave the house.
How Long is Okay to Leave Your Puppy Alone at Home For?
The answer to this question isn’t straightforward; in fact, it depends on the age of the pup and his or her personality. We’ll clear up the confusion and give you a direct answer here.
8 to 10 Weeks
Newly adopted pups are the most vulnerable when they first come home at between around eight and 10 weeks of age. They’re adorable, but they really need you to look after them closely at first, and that means spending a significant amount of time on their care. They also have teeny tiny bladders, meaning they’re more likely to have accidents if left alone for too long.
Ultimately, you can usually leave a puppy of this age alone for about an hour. You should place him in a safe spot (like in a playpen or kennel) with chewable toys and comfortable bedding – but don’t be upset if he soils on it. He’s still learning!
10 to 12 Weeks
By this point, most puppies are starting to gain a little bit of independence (read: they’re mischievous and eating everything in sight). That doesn’t mean you can leave for a full day yet; instead, puppies should be alone for no more than two hours. Even then, accidents are very likely to occur.
Using baby gates to keep the pup in a safety-proofed kitchen or somewhere with hard floors (and not carpet) will make cleanup much easier. You can also use pee pads, but some trainers believe they only interfere with real potty training.
3 to 6 Months
Good news: once your puppy reaches around three months of age, you get a bit more wiggle room with alone time. As a quick rule of thumb, you should measure the amount of time to be away as one hour per month of his age. For example, if your puppy is five months old, leave him for no more than five hours.
Bathroom issues become less common by this point, but they aren’t unheard of. Consider the fact that most dogs can’t hold it by then for more than a couple of hours, and factor that into how long you stay out. Remember that negative reinforcement methods don’t generally work, especially after the fact or hours later when you return.
However, there’s an important factor here to consider: not every puppy matures at the same rate. Your puppy may or may not be ready for this before he passes the six-month mark (let alone the three-month mark). Use your intuition and run shorter tests before you extend your away time – and always use a safe environment.
6 to 12 Months
Once dogs reach about six months of age, they can hold their bladder and feces for a much longer period of time. If your dog shows signs of this, it’s okay to leave him in a safe environment for up to six hours every so often.
However, there’s another issue you need to consider. Before a year, puppies are much likely to chew, bite, and generally destroy things if they begin to feel frightened, upset or worried. Canine separation anxiety is a real risk; more than one homeowner has come home only to find the bottom of a door chewed out or the leg of a kitchen table stripped.
If your dog shows similar behaviors, he may be telling you that he’s not ready to be alone for so long just yet. Try providing him with a few toys and games (such as a peanut butter filled kong) and see if the situation improves. Or, use canine separation anxiety strategies to help your dog gain confidence.
12 Months+
Most of us know dogs don’t really mature until they reach around two or even three years of age. Three years a young dog, three years an adult dog, and three years a old dog is the colloquial phrase used! That said, you can essentially assume your dog is an adult once they reach 1 year – at least in regard to staying alone.
You can effectively leave your dog alone at this point for up to eight hours IF they don’t seem to mind and don’t show signs of stress. However, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
Dogs are inherently social. If left alone for too long, too often, they can begin to develop symptoms of neuroses, like anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems. Even as adults, and even with dogs previously okay with being alone, your dog is not guaranteed to be okay with being alone all the time.
If you’re worried about this, you have a few options. Doggy daycares (even a couple of times per week) can be a source of great fun and an excellent alternative. Another option is adopting two puppies at once; they can keep each other company. Still others “carpool,” so to speak, having one pet parent take the dogs one day and the next the day after – and so on, and so forth.
Leaving Your Puppy Alone (Safely)
There’s really no “right” answer, here, other than you should try to limit your dog’s isolation time when you can. But here’s the thing: there are some things you shouldn’t do if you do decide to leave Fido at home.
- First, don’t leave dogs alone outside for long periods of time. Even if you have a high fence, dogs can still find ways to escape or get hurt while playing.
- Secondly, be sure your dog has open access to fresh water (not just the toilet – yuck!) and food while you’re away.
- Lastly, think carefully and dog-proof your home or the environment he’ll stay in extra-carefully; a serious accident like ingesting something toxic can quickly become an emergency while you’re away.
You are your pup’s number one advocate!