If you have a young puppy or plan to be gone for longer than four hours at a time, consider using a puppy pen instead. A puppy pen will give your puppy a safe area to play and stretch their legs. You can also place a puppy pad in the corner to contain any messes your dog makes 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.
Once your dog reaches three months old, they can usually hold it for an hour for each month they've been alive. After six months, dogs can usually hold it for up to six hours. However, even adult dogs shouldn't be home alone for much longer than six to eight hours without a chance for a bathroom break.
Use a puppy-safe area
Create a space where your puppy will feel safe in. Use an exercise pen or crate, or even cordon off a section of your house with baby gates. Fill the space with their favourite toys and blankets so they know it isn't a punishment, but rather a place they can go to relax.
If you have a full-time job and are away for longer periods, you can't expect your puppy to be in a crate for 8 hours per day. After a certain period of time, it becomes cruel to do this. Puppies can't hold their bladders or bowels for very long. The maximum time they should be in their crate is 4 hours.
Impawtant Note: While it's common for dogs to sleep in crates at night, we don't recommend that you keep your dog in a crate for more than a couple hours during the day. Before you go back to the office, make sure your dog is fully potty trained so they do not have to stay in a crate at all while you're gone.
Unlike the crate where you can't leave a young puppy for long periods; the puppy will be fine in the playpen and you can go out for longer periods. Just make sure your dog is ready before you leave for a long period so the puppy does not feel left alone form the start and associate that with the playpen itself.
Age is one of the most important factors to consider when thinking about how long you can leave a dog home alone while at work or having fun. According to the American Kennel Club, puppies younger than 10 weeks cannot be left alone for more than an hour.
If you're still finding accidents in the morning or during the day, make sure you're taking him out frequently enough. A good rule of thumb is that puppies can hold their bladder for about one hour per month of age (so an 8-week-old puppy can hold it for about 2 hours).
Puppies under 6 months of age shouldn't stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time.
Having a pet sitter or someone you know, such as a friend or neighbour, spend time with your puppy when you're working is a great way to lower the risk of boredom or separation anxiety. If possible, have someone stop by every couple of hours while you're gone if your puppy is younger.
Important note: Although you can leave potty pads in your puppy's playpen to absorb any accidents they may have, this on its own won't potty train your puppy. This is why we recommend following a potty training schedule to teach them how to “hold it” and where to potty when it's time to!
You may introduce a crate as a 'safe space' a puppy can use as a retreat to rest and include this in the setup of your playpen. However, you only want to do this if the pen is large enough to house the crate and still have room for stretching and roaming.
Many dogs cannot be trusted completely until they are closer to two years of age. We recommend crating your dog at night until they reach this milestone. If you can leave your dog alone at home without crating them for a few hours, then you may be able to leave them out of their crate at night.
If you have a young puppy you've just brought home or started training, start by taking them out about every 45 minutes during waking hours. Make sure you observe your puppy and make changes as they progress. Over time, the time between potty breaks can get longer.
4 to 6 months old: While 6 month old puppies should be able to hold their pee for up to 6 hours, you should try to give them breaks from their crate or confined area every 4 hours.
During long periods or more than two hours, a playpen may be preferred for your young puppy. Potty accidents during longer periods will be less of an issue in a puppy pen compared to a dog crate. That said, older pups and adult dogs can typically manage up to four hours in a dog crate, assuming they're crate trained.
Using a playpen alone
Using an exercise pen instead of a dog crate for a new puppy is not recommended. The two products are intended for different uses. Many pet parents find that when their puppy is properly crate trained, they enjoy going into their dog crate for naps and downtime.
Confinement for More Than Four Hours
Like humans, dogs need to be able to change position regularly to ensure their physical health and comfort. If you must confine your dog for more than a few hours, use a dog pen rather than a dog crate, so your pup can get up easily and move around.
When you observe a few important guidelines, covering your dog's crate is very safe. You should never completely cover your dog's crate as it can block airflow. Keep blankets away from heat sources, ensure the fabric is breathable, and avoid using knit blankets that may snag or unravel.
Caged dog syndrome occurs when dogs are confined to small, cramped spaces without interaction for prolonged periods of time without any relief. This can lead to severe physical and mental trauma, including a lack of socialization, mental stimulation, and proper training.