Can you leave a 5 week old puppy alone? The Ultimate Guide

Having someone check in on your pup can reduce separation anxiety, as can dog sitter services. Another option is to monitor your dog via Furbo. You can not only check in on your furry friend, but you can talk to them and even dispense treats, so your dog does not feel as alone between the time you leave and the time you get back. It can help reduce the sting of being left alone.

Puppyhood is one of the most challenging times for dog parents. You’re adjusting to the new demands on your attention; your puppy is trying to acclimate to a brand new and somewhat alien environment…it’s exciting, it’s fun and it’s exhausting. Couple these changes with the fact that you are raising a puppy when you work full time and it can start to seem overwhelming.

Furbo is a two-way communication system for your dog to help you monitor your pup. Just plug it in and through your home Internet connection, it will allow you to communicate with your dog from any mobile device. Use the free app to check in your dog at any time of the day or night. The HD, night vision camera lets you see clearly and a dog alert notification system allows you to get an alert whenever your dog barks, so you can keep track of barking and be alerted if your pup is in distress.

Accidents will happen often, particularly in the first six to eight weeks. It is also fairly common for puppies to experience periods of regression in their house training when they are left alone on a regular basis. Planning for these things helps reduce the stress level for you and your puppy and is an essential part of learning how to raise a puppy while working. Keep your cleaning supplies well-stocked and remember that most puppies will have a natural desire to avoid soiling their own areas, but a tiny bladder can only last for so long!

Before you even consider taking on a puppy or leaving your new furry family member at home alone, you need to realize that not all puppies are the same. Just like the young of any species, they have different stages of development, and these stages can affect when they’re ready to be left on their own:

Dogs are social animals; they want to be near their humans as much as possible. If you leave your puppy alone for long periods of time he may develop separation anxiety, which causes behavior problems such as:

When you return home, in addition to finding a frantic animal and a messy house, you’ll notice that your puppy will follow you around, unwilling to lose sight of you. He may become visibly upset or depressed when he notices your preparations to leave the house. Separation anxiety is easier to prevent than to overcome.

Cate Rushton has been a freelance writer since 1999, specializing in wildlife and outdoor activities. Her published works also cover relationships, gardening and travel on various websites. Rushton holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Utah.

You can leave an adult dog home while you’re at work during the day, but a young puppy shouldn’t be left alone for more than a few hours at a time. Adding a puppy to your family is a long-term commitment. Make sure you’re ready to give your new puppy lots of attention, especially during his first few months at his new home. If your lifestyle requires that you be away from home for long hours every day, it might be best to wait until life is less hectic before getting a puppy.

A young puppy shouldn’t be left alone in a room that hasn’t been puppy-proofed. He can quickly destroy valuable items, ingest poisonous plants or injure himself by chewing on exposed electrical cords. A puppy left alone in the yard may destroy plants, dig up the lawn or wiggle through the fence.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Tips for Leaving a PUPPY Home ALONE (Puppy Training)

2020 was the year when everyone stayed at home. All. The. Time. Admittedly this was due to some pretty exceptional international circumstances; but between lockdowns, homeschooling and working from home, most people spent far more time at home than they ever would in a normal year. Unfortunately, both Coronavirus and staying at home have continued into 2021; but at least with the vaccine roll-out there is some light on the horizon.

COVID 19 has changed how we work and live our lives but there has been a bright spot for some people, at least. They finally felt able to get a puppy. Working from home and reduced travelling – whether commuting or going on holiday – meant that people had more free time to dedicate to a pet. A dog was also a good reason to leave the house for that recommended daily exercise.

Most are very happy with their new lifestyle, but others are not finding things as easy as they had hoped. Puppies are hard work and require training. Those of us in the veterinary profession are worried about owners facing problems with these puppies and eventually having to rehome, or even euthanase these dogs. A particular problem is separation anxiety.