10 Jun How Long to Leave Dogs Home Alone?

All pet parents have experienced times when they need to leave dogs home alone. But doing this gives all of us a sense of guilt and stress, especially if the dog is too young to be left alone.

It is quite natural for dogs to be at home on their own, but there are limits to this. There also some tips that can help you leave a dog at home without feeling guilty.

How long can you leave dogs home alone?

That how long a dog can stay at home by themselves depends heavily on their age.

• Puppies: You should never leave a puppy home alone more tat 2 hours in a day. Puppies are fragile and can quickly starve. They also pee more often and need help doing that. You should feed your puppy more than adult dogs, and this is the main reason you should be by their side. Because if they don’t eat well, they can experience health issues.
• Adult dogs: An adult dog must be over 18 months. You can leave dogs home alone for about 6 hours during a day if they are adult. Because they know how to act when alone, they won’t hurt themselves, and you can leave them with no guilt. But if being alone gets longer than 6 hours, they might feel lonely, and depression and other behavioural complications will appear in them, little by little. So, if you want a happy dog, don’t leave them at home for long.

What to do when you come back home?

Dogs are loyal and never forget to give you love. So, when you come home from a long day out, make sure to return their love and favour in being patient with you.

You can compensate for your absence at home by:

• Bringing your dog to a groomer to have a full dog grooming 
• Taking a walk at the neighbourhood
• Playing with your dog in the garden or at home
• Making a good meal for them
• Buying new toy before coming home
• Giving them an endless hug and cuddle
• Giving your dog a lot of belly scratching

Keep in mind that don’t welcome your dog too warmly when you are back home. Your dog shouldn’t learn that your arrival is a special thing. Dogs need to know that coming home is normal and can happen every day.

Instead of giving an ultra emotional welcome to your dog, ask them to sit, be calm, and once they perform your command, you can hug them, just as normally as how you hug them every day.

London has a lot of professional grooming shops for dogs, and one of the best service deliveries are done by Mishka Grooming in West Hampstead. We can make sure your dog will love you all the same after a long time spending at home alone.

What happens when a dog is alone?

• Scratching: dogs that stay alone more often and for long hours learn scratching themselves more than other dogs, and this can hurt their skin.
• Chewing on furniture and clothes: this is destructive behaviour. Dogs with more mental and depression issues develop such behaviour. By giving your dog more attention and love, avoid this from happening.
• Getting lost: This happens if your dog is free to open doors and go out. When leaving dogs home alone, make sure to lock all the doors. If you are afraid of any unexpected incidence, ask your neighbours or friends to keep an eye on your house and dog. They can even have access to your keys in case anything happens.

To wrap up

Dogs can stay at home on their own, but you need to prepare yourself and the dog for this. To leave dogs home alone might be stressing both for you and your dog at first. But once you are used to it, both of you can benefit from some solitude. Maybe make an appointment with a groomer or dog trainer, or a dog sitter can be another right solution for you.