How Long Can I Leave My Dog Alone?

How Long Can I Leave My Dog Alone?

One of the main considerations when determing how long you can leave your dog alone is by asking yourself how long your dog can go without needing to pee. This question might not affect folks who live in homes that are equipped with dog-friendly backyards paired with accessible doggy doors, but not all of us are that lucky. For those who live in condos or apartments, this becomes one of the first questions that comes to mind when leaving your pup alone.

A general guideline is that dogs need to use the bathroom around 3 to 5 times per day. This obviously varies from dog to dog, and it goes without saying that puppies and senior dogs need to go out more frequently. If you are curious how long your pup can hold it before soiling the carpet, check out our simple guidelines below:

Puppies

A general rule of thumb is that a puppy can 'hold it' one hour per every month of age e.g. at 5 months they can hold it for 5 hours, and so on.

Dogs (age 1+)

Dogs between the ages of 1 and 8 can usually go without using the potty for 8 hours, but ideally no more than 6 if possible.

Senior Dogs (age 8+)

This category is a bit more vague because it really depends on the size and health of the senior dog. It’s best to try and take your dog out every 2-6 hours, but know that 6 hours is really pushing it.

How to Help Your Dog Cope With Being Home Alone

Gradual Alone-Time Is Best

If you have a puppy or a new dog, you're going to need to gradually get them used to being alone. Creating a safe and confined space is a great way to go about this by using a crate or baby gates. Put a cozy bed, treats, and toys in their safe space and get them accustomed to being happy and comfy here before starting gradual alone-time training. If you slowly start leaving them alone in their safe space for very small amounts of time to begin with, they should get used to being by themselves in their happy area. Over time, you can then start allowing them access to more areas of your home when they're by themselves.

Make Sure They Get Enough Exercise

Exercising isn't that important, right? Wrong! Exercising your dog is a crucial component for your dog's health, and it's particularly important if you plan to leave your dog alone for periods of time. Not only good for their health, a good amount of exercise will directly help with the anxiety that comes with being alone and not knowing when you will come home.

Whatever your pup’s fitness level, exercise will help them:

• Stay healthy, mentally and physically
• Stimulate their mind
• Burn calories and tire them out
• Calm their nerves
• Curb their anxiety

Individual exercise needs vary depending on your dog’s age, breed, fitness and health level. Regardless of whether your dog requires more rigorous play or minimal activity, every dog needs to grab it’s favorite chew toy or get up and stretch its legs every once in a while.

Before you leave your dog for the day, spend 30-60 minutes taking them on a walk or playing fetch. You could also hit up your local dog park and let them romp around with other dogs, that’s always a surefire way to tire out your pup. The goal is to tire them out so their time at home by themselves is enjoyable and relaxing.

If your dog acts out while you’re gone, chewing your favorite shoes or getting on the counter to rip up the mail, it’s possible that they need more frequent and intense exercise prior to being left alone. Acting out is typically your dog not knowing how to deal with and process their anxiety in a healthy way. In general, healthy adult dogs need around 60 minutes of moderate activity every day. If they aren’t hitting that goal, they will be restless and uneasy while you’re away.

Offer Mental Stimulation

The next layer would be assessing mental activity. Keeping your dog mentally stimulated throughout the day helps keep them happy and well-behaved. Although this proves to be truer for puppies and adolescent dogs, all dogs need a certain level of mental stimulation or else they may become bored and destructive when left alone. There are various types of puzzle toys you can try, such as a  food puzzle feeder toy, or you could stuff a Kong toy with treats. 

Reduce The Amount of Time Your Dog Is Home Alone

If you're unable to be home with your dog as often as you’d like, you could consider some of the following options to reduce the amount of time they're spending by themselves:

• Coordinate with your partner or roommate to offset the time that your pup has to spend alone.
• Invest in a house sitter or a dog walker.
• Drop them off at a trustworthy doggy daycare facility.
• If you work close by, try swinging by home at lunchtime. 
• Ask your employer if you can spend time working from home or ask if you can bring your pup to work with you - share our National Take Your Dog to Work Day blog post with them to help convince them!

We hope you're now feeling more confident to answer the question, how long can I leave my dog alone? All dogs are different and some can handle more alone time better than others but every dog requires periodic potty breaks, lots of exercise, and mental stimulation. It's also possible to reduce the amount of time they need to spend alone in a variety of ways, such as by using doggy daycare or a dog walker. Shop our dog apparel so you're always reminded of your pooch, even when you're apart!