According to the American Kennel Club, puppies younger than 10 weeks cannot be left alone for more than an hour.
Remember, dogs and especially puppies need to urinate often. As a guideline, new puppies up to 10 weeks old typically can't hold their bladder for more than an hour. Dogs between 10 to 12 weeks old can usually hold it for around two hours.
No. It's a huge shock for a new puppy to be away from their mum and litter, so leaving them alone to cry is stressful for them. As puppies need their sleep, this could also cause them to feel tired, anxious and irritable during the day.
In general, you can leave a healthy puppy home alone when they are over 10 weeks old. However, this doesn't mean letting puppies roam free around your home. Before your puppy reaches this age, you can start crate training. This helps ensure that your puppy will be ready to handle being in a crate while you're at work.
Many people use a puppy-pen but you can use a small room, like your bathroom, as well. If possible, it's best to give him a space that you can gradually expand, an area that will be his for the long term. The space should have a comfortable bed, a few toys and something with your scent on it — old clothing works great.
Don't crate your 8 week old puppy for more than 2 hours during the day. As she gets older you can increase the amount of time she spends in the crate. Associate as many positive experiences with your puppy and the crate as possible.
Just because a 6-month-old puppy can hold their bladder for up to 6 hours doesn't mean it's a good idea to leave them alone for that long. Their young bodies and brains are still developing, and leaving them alone for too long can lead to behavioral issues and conditions like separation anxiety.
Puppy discipline uses a combination of redirection, basic commands that reprimand in a firm but calm tone of voice, supervision, and positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement: When puppies exhibit good behavior or correct bad behavior, reward them with verbal praise, petting, treats, or playtime.
Under no circumstances take the puppy to bed with you. This will form a very undesirable habit. – trust me…it's difficult to avoid doing when your puppy is whining all night, but it's very important to leave him in his crate. Give the puppy a stuffed dog toy to snuggle with.
Leave your puppy undisturbed.
It is hard to resist cuddling him and letting him fall asleep in your lap, but you don't want him to be dependent on you to fall asleep. Household members, including children, should learn to leave your puppy alone while he is sleeping.
At nighttime, you don't need to take your puppy outside as frequently as during the day since your puppy is (hopefully) sleeping. For very young puppies or a puppy that's still relatively new to the home, plan for one to two nighttime potty breaks.
2 months: An hour or less. Yep, puppies really need us at this age, and they also need to go for wees far more often. 3 months: 2 hours tops – otherwise your puppy will likely leave puddles on the floor. 4 months: At this point, how long a puppy can stay alone can start matching their age – so 4 hours.
3–6 months: At this point, consider the one hour per month rule. Three-month-old puppies can wait for three hours, four-month-old puppies for four hours, and so on. After 6 months: An older puppy, like most adult dogs, has the ability to hold it for up to six hours.
Thus leaving a puppy alone for 8 hours isn't great for any four-legger regardless of age (especially leaving a puppy alone at home for the first time!). While it's technically possible for a young adult dog to hold on this long, a puppy needs frequent toilet breaks plus the stimulation of company.
So don't feel guilty about leaving them alone – it's actually good for them! Keeping your dog occupied is the best way to keep them happy and prevents them from becoming bored or lonely.
According to the AKC, a good rule of thumb is to use your puppy's age as a guide. Experts say you can usually leave your puppy alone for an hour for each month they've been alive after three months of age. For example, at five months of age, your puppy will probably be just fine for five hours.
Crate training is necessary for when your canine is a puppy—sleeping in a crate at night teaches puppies how to control their bladder and bowels since they don't like to relieve themselves in the same space that they sleep. Kennels are also excellent for the times that no one can be home to supervise your new puppy.
Our recommended bedtime routine for new puppies is to take them for a short walk at 6pm (if they can go outside) or play some games for around 10 to 15 minutes, then give the last meal, followed by a trip to the garden for the toilet.
Puppies should be at least 10-12 weeks old before they're ready to start socializing and going outside in public places.
A properly sized crate is useful for sleep training, and your pet will soon learn that this is where to go for a quiet and safe place to rest. Bonus: Teaching your dog to sleep in the crate also helps with potty training. The crate should be a comfortable and warm place.
Encourage your pet to relax during their alone time
Return half an hour before you plan to leave and make sure they're not hungry. You can feed them a small meal before you leave or leave a food toy - your dog will be much more inclined to relax if they're fed!
It's totally fine to do this as long as they have all the things that you mention and they are getting appropriate amounts of attention and training at other times. In fact, it's a good idea for any time you're not around as it keeps them safe from getting into things that they shouldn't have- which puppies love to do!