How long can you leave your dog home alone? The exact amount of time you can leave pets according to experts

Dogs are valuable members of our family, however with many of us getting dogs during the Covid lockdown and now faced with returning to the office the thought of leaving them on their own can be daunting.

Many of our pups have been used to having our undivided attention when we’ve worked from home. With the average working day lasting eight hours, not accounting for the time it takes to commute, it can be a long day for our four-legged-friends to be left by themselves.

Our dogs can form a strong attachment to us which can result in separation anxiety when we leave them alone. This can result in destructive behaviour such as barking, whining or damaging property within the home.

So, how long is it safe to leave a dog home alone for and what are the signs of separation anxiety in your dog? Here’s everything you need to know.

How long can you leave a dog alone?

Dogs are social animals and can worry when they are left on their own. The Dog’s Trust recommend that you should avoid leaving an adult dog alone for longer than four hours and that if you plan to be away for longer than this that you arrange for someone to call in to check on them.

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What are the signs of separation anxiety?

Some dogs can struggle when they are left alone and will develop separation anxiety, this can show up in a variety of ways from destructive behaviour to noise or going to the bathroom inside.

Signs your dog may have separation anxiety according to the Dog’s Trust can include: whining, barking, pacing, scratching and chewing at doorways or furniture and going to the bathroom inside.

You can help prevent separation anxiety by teaching your dog to develop coping skills so they learn to be comfortable when they are home alone.

This can include providing them with a doggy den to retreat to, leaving them with an engaging toy that releases food and gives them stimulation, using baby gates to prevent them going into spaces in the house where they have been destructive and most importantly gradually building up the time you leave them alone and connect it with something that is positive.

We’d love to hear from you! Do you have a dog, do they like being left on their own or do you ever leave them on their own? Share you experience in the comment section below.