Is it OK to leave a dog alone for 8 hours ?
Wondering if you can leave your dog alone all day and go to work?
As I said before , the answer is yes , you can leave your dog alone for 8 hours or more every day if you want as long as he is over a year old, crate trained, trained to stay alone, non destructive and of course to respect some rules, like :
It was just a few quick tips on what to do if you leave your dog alone all day, and if you want more details on the subject, I invite you to continue reading…
Can I leave my dog for 8-hours?
Yes, as long as you have a good setup for your dog, there is no problem with leaving them home for 8-hours. It’s important, however, to ensure they have a playpen set up with water, toys, and a place to go to the toilet.
If they are a puppy, ideally you will want to return in your lunch break for a potty break, exercise, and a cuddle!
You could also arrange for a dog walker, family member, or alternate pet service to visit, allowing your puppy the chance to use the bathroom during the day.
You’ll also notice that the above chart ends at 8+ hours, even when a puppy is 12-months-old.
Following the adage that you can leave your puppy alone for the number of months old they are plus one, why doesn’t the chart end at 13 hours?
Well, it’s unrealistic to expect a dog of any age to hold their bladder past 8-hours. The chart ends in 8+ to account for the exceptions where an owner may be away for 9-hours or so, because of work, and those dogs that do handle it fine.
However, in general, you won’t want to plan to leave your dog alone for longer than 8-hours. Not only is it a bladder issue, but dogs have physical and emotional needs that must be addressed to ensure a happy dog.
Providing fun toys is an absolute must when leaving your dog home alone. Ideally, you should change the toys often to provide a new experience.
We made the best puzzle toy for dogs ever made… well, of course I’d say that! But see for yourself, I’m sure you’ll agree.
You can imagine that there are days when you certainly couldn’t make it through your 9-5 job without an opportunity to use the bathroom.
Even if your job is exceptionally busy, it’s often the case that you need to make a stop at the bathroom after clocking out at the end of the day.
It’s unfair to our dogs to ask them to hold their bladder for longer than 8-hours, and it can lead to a urinary tract infection or house training problems.
It’s also unfair to expect our dogs to be couch ornaments and be content with being left alone longer than 8-hours of a day.
While dogs usually sleep away a good portion of the middle of the day, being gone for longer than 8-hours means there isn’t ample opportunity for you to provide your dog with the exercise and enrichment they need when they are awake.
It’s not cruel to leave your dog home alone for an 8-hour workday, and you’ll be among many thousands of other dog owners who do the same.
You might want to read our post, Can you leave a puppy with a Kong or a Nylabone?
What is important, though, is that you make an effort to give your dog the attention and exercise they need when you are home.
If you feel your puppy or adult dog isn’t getting enough interaction or they are lonely or anxious, then a doggie daycare might be a good idea.
Are you interested in reading our post How long after getting a puppy can you go on holiday?
Some dogs are better at being left alone than others. This can depend upon their breed, for instance, a Beagle is far more independent than say a Bichon Frise. However, it can also depend on their individual temperament and whether they suffer from any separation anxiety.
This you can determine yourself through knowing your dog and how they respond to you leaving them.
You can greatly improve the success of your dog being left alone through training practices that help them to be more independent.
Ensuring that you’re spending quality time with them when you are home is also important, including giving them adequate exercise.
More on this is covered in the section below titled, How to leave your dog home alone, but here is a short video from our resident trainer, Alex Writz, on separation anxiety and how you can improve your dog’s tolerance to being alone:
One of the best ways to teach your dog to be comfortable away from your side is through the use of “Place” training.
We highly recommend this practice and rate it as one of the best training tools in a dog owner’s arsenal.
Why? Well for a few reasons, but in the case of teaching your dog to be alone, it primes them for more independence, and if your dog suffers from separation anxiety to any degree, it’s a great tool to help remedy this.
We’ve covered “Place” training extensively here with the best methods of training.
Getting your puppy or adult dog to spend longer periods of time away from your side or in another room teaches them independence.
We also highly recommend you make your dog’s home as comfortable as possible for when you’re away. We absolutely love this dog blanket for our dog and can’t recommend them highly enough!
You can get one here for your dog for the perfect stay-at-home blanket!
Why should you ignore your dog when he gets excited ?
You have to ignore your dog when you come back home in the evening so that he doesn’t associate your coming back with the fact that you are playing with him .
In fact, it is important to make your dog understand that it is normal for him to stay home alone all that time and that you, as his owner, know what you are doing and he must trust you.
Leaving Dog Home Alone: 8, 12, 24 Hours
It’s a fact that we have to work and we have chores that we need to do during the day, which means that we can’t always be there with our dog 24/7. But how long can you leave your dog home alone during the day?
Everyone has different commitments each day and this will determine how much time your dog spends on his or her own. If you work all day then it’s likely that your dog will spend more time on their own than someone who doesn’t work.