How Many Hours Can a Puppy Be Left Alone?

If Rascal is younger than 6 months, leaving him home alone for more than three to four hours does nothing for his health and well-being. Lack of exercise and interaction can trigger depression and anxiety in your pet companion. Additionally, being home alone for long hours doesn't promote your puppy's housebreaking process. If you must leave Rascal alone for extended hours, take steps to make sure that he's got everything he needs.

  1. Age

    • To determine how long your puppy can be left alone, take his age in months and convert this into hours. For instance, if Rascal is 4 months old, he can stay home alone for up to four hours, because this is how long he can hold his waste. If your puppy is younger than 12 weeks of age, he can't control his bowel and bladder and is best taken outside every hour. Understand that even if Rascal is housebroken by the time he's 4 to 6 months, it doesn't mean that he can hold his waste for a long time.

    Crate Confinement

    • If you must leave Rascal home alone for a short time, crate confinement is an option. To your puppy, the crate is a den where he can lounge, play and rest while he waits for you to return. It keeps your furniture safe and promotes the housebreaking process, because dogs dislike soiling their dens. Before confining Rascal, take him out for a walk and allow him to explore, run and play so he gets tired and takes a nap in his crate while you're away.

    Room Confinement

    • If you're going to be absent for a longer time than Rascal can hold his waste, confining him to a small, pet-proof room with easy-to-clean flooring is ideal. Block off a small room, such as the bathroom or kitchen, with a baby gate. Place Rascal's crate on one end of the room and place a pee pad or newspapers on the floor at the other the end. Provide some dog toys to keep your furry pal entertained during your absence, and ideally, have a friend, neighbor or pet sitter stop by to feed and exercise your pet companion.

    Daycare

    • If you don't want to confine Rascal for hours at a time, you might prefer dropping him off at a doggie daycare. Although it might be less economical, your puppy will get to interact and play with other dogs and professional caretakers, which enhances his socializing skills. He'll get fed and exercised on a set schedule, and by the time you pick him up, he'll be good and ready to turn in for the night.