Sometimes you feel guilty when you leave your dog alone at home. You leave your place feeling worried and afraid that your dog might get hurt, bored, or lonely. But with all the responsibilities around you such as work, school, family, and others, leaving your dog alone is unavoidable. Dogs indeed love companionship. They like to be around their humans, play with them and spend time with them. However, leaving your dog alone for some time is not dangerous as it might seem.
The following article will help you know for how long your dog can stay alone, and how to keep the environment around them safe.
1- Make Your Dog Familiar with Your Routine
Having a new dog at your house brings joy and happiness, it is exciting and thrilling. However, getting a puppy also means adding new responsibilities and changes to your routine. Your dog also needs your attention, your time for exercise, and social interaction to be as healthy and happy a dog as you wish.
When you get your dog to your house for the first time, it would be better to plan a vacation to stay with your puppy until it becomes used to the new environment. Once you notice that they start becoming more comfortable at your house, you can leave them alone for one hour or more.
2- The Bladder
You may think of how long your dog can hold their bladder and this is an important thing to understand before you decide to leave your dog alone. This may vary from one dog to another according to their age. Here is the period of how long dogs can last without a bathroom break:
- Puppies: Generally, they can wait one hour for one month. Thus a four-month-old puppy can keep from going to the bathroom for four hours.
- Adult Dogs: dogs aged one to seven years can wait up to eight hours, but ideally no more than six.
- Senior Dogs: those who are age eight and up, can wait from two to six hours depending on size and health.
These estimates however aren’t entirely precise because it depends on a dog’s size, health, and habits. It is important to note on the other hand that any dog forced to hold their urine for too long might be in danger of urinary tract infection, stones, or crystals. What’s more, holding urine for a long period can result in extreme discomfort and might even cause unfavorable accidents around the house.
To make sure your dog is safe and comfortable, hire a dog walker if you are working longer than six hours or provide a potty break every four to six hours.
3- Exercise Counts
Dogs enjoy physical activity as much as they enjoy food. Daily exercise is beneficial to the well-being of your dog as it helps them to:
- Stay healthy
- Digest meals
- Stimulate their mind
- Burn calories
- Avoid boredom
Dogs’ physical activity needs may differ from one dog to another, depending on their age, breed, and health level. Sporting dogs often require more intense and lengthy activity; lower-energy breeds and older dogs, on the other hand, can do with significantly less. However, it is commonly agreed that dogs love to stretch and play a couple of times a day.
Healthy dogs will often require 60 minutes of physical activity per day, the exercise might not be ongoing but can be divided throughout the day. When planning to leave your dog alone for a long period, try to spend around 20 to 30 minutes taking them for a walk or a play session. Once home, your dog will enjoy a deep and relaxing nap after having spent considerable time playing.
If you notice any changes In your dog’s behavior such as acting anxious or destructive after spending time alone, they might still haven’t fulfilled their utmost pleasure in the physical activity they’re engaged in. So, you should contact your vet to agree on an appropriate fitness routine to help make your pet more relaxed and happier.
4- Mental Activity Is Important
Mental activity is highly essential if you want to keep your lovely pet happy, healthy, and well-behaved. All dogs, no matter their age, need mental stimulation and enrichment activities such as training sessions, morning walks, or indoor games. These activities keep your dog balanced the whole time you spend out of the house and decide to leave your dog alone.
5- Teach Your Dog How to Be Alone
Dogs are social creatures. They like being with their owners. However, teaching them how to be alone is possible. To do that, you need to teach them the exact time you spend at home. Furthermore, you can put them inside a crate, leave the room, and see how they can react. You can encourage them to sit in their crate by putting their favorite Dogs food inside it and leaving their toys there. Make that environment safe and cozy for them.
6- For How Long Your Dog Can Be Alone
Dogs need constant care and attention. Nevertheless, they can learn how to stay alone for approximately eight hours of the workday.
It would be better if you can check your dog during lunch breaks. You can also consider having someone to look after your dog while you are busy.
Each dog is different from another one. You need to observe your dog and adjust your schedule according to its needs.
Dogs are different. While some of them can stay alone for a long time, others cannot. But every single dog needs time for exercise, mental stimulation, care, and love. If you are out most of the time, you have the option of having a trustworthy sitter take care of your dog until you are home. A sitter will give your dog the activity needed, and you feel relaxed.
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Last Words
Dogs are the best friends that humans can have. They are loyal, faithful, and truthful. They like being with their owners, sharing love, and spending happy moments together. But being with you all the time with your dog is impossible. You have to teach them how to be independent when you are not home.
