Leaving Your Dog Home Alone

“How long can I leave my dog home alone,” in one of the biggest question that worried dog owners ask on this issue. It also seems to be the hardest to answer.

I’ve spent hours searching the internet for an answer to this question and have yet to find a dog expert who will give a definitive answer, nor have I found any scientific research that can offer us an ideal length of time that is okay to leave our dogs for. Of course, you will read opinions like ‘4 hours is best’, but none of them back up their recommendation with a reason why 4 hours is right instead of 3 or 5 or even all day?

So whether it’s fair to leave your dog home alone and for how long seems to be much more a question of personal choice or perhaps more relevant, personal need. Times have changed and many of us need to work these days and occasionally want a day out with the family where we can’t take the dog.

Do You Feel Guilty Leaving Your Dog at Home Alone?

“You decide” might not appear to be a very helpful answer, but if you accept there is no right answer you can instead focus on making sure your dog is fine while you’re gone, without feeling guilty.

And believe me, there are plenty of people who will make you feel guilty if you leave your dog for more than a couple of hours! The dog forums seem to be full of righteous dog owners telling others that they don’t deserve to have a dog if they have to work and leave it during the day.

We can all accept that in an ideal world none of us would leave our dogs alone for long, then face up to the fact that few of us live in an ideal world and make the best possible job of it we can.

Free Video Training on Dog Anxiety

Preparing a Dog to be Home Alone

If you’ve got time, you can do some training with your dog and gradually build up the time they spend on their own. Start by separating them from you for just 5 minutes by putting them in a crate or in a room on their own. Do it without making a fuss of your dog, just put them in there, leave for 5 minutes and when you come back don’t make a fuss either, just let them out. That way they won’t attach any importance to going in a room alone, it will just be like an everyday thing and therefore nothing to worry about. Build up 5 minutes at a time and once they are use to spending an hour on their own you can try leaving the house in the same way.

Make sure your dog is comfortable when you leave them, that they’ve been let out to toilet and have access to water if you’re going to be away for a reasonable length of time. Leaving your dog with some favourite toys will give them something to do while you’re gone, although many dogs will settle and sleep for much of the time you are gone.

Dealing with Separation Anxiety in Dogs

If your dog comes from a rescue centre, they may well arrive with this problem, but any dog can develop it, even those that have been fine for years. Sometimes a major change like moving home or the death of another dog in the house can trigger it.

It’s important to stay calm yourself when dealing with a dog with separation anxiety, as if you’re anxious every time you leave them it will only increase theirs.

Separation anxiety can be a difficult problem to deal with and will need you to be patient and persistent with training that will help desensitize them to the triggers that set of their anxiety and help them learn how to spend time alone. If you’re looking for a highly effective, step-by-step training programme for leaving your dog home alone without worry, check out our Dog Anxiety eBook because it could make your life a lot easier.