Once your dog is three months old, you can usually hold it for an hour for each month it is alive. After six months, dogs can hold it for up to six hours. However, even adult dogs shouldn't be alone at home for much longer than six to eight hours without the opportunity to go to the bathroom. Eight hours should always be the absolute maximum to leave your puppy alone at home, and only once he is more than six months old.
However, if your puppy is outside or has access to the yard to go to the bathroom, it may be OK to be left alone for eight hours from a younger age. If you think you're going to be away longer, it's always best to have someone come and see how they're doing. Age is one of the most important factors to consider when thinking about how long you can leave a dog alone at home while at work or having fun. According to the American Kennel Club, puppies under 10 weeks of age cannot be left alone for more than an hour.
From 3 to 6 months, they should not be left more than their age in months (for example, 3-month-old puppies cannot be alone for more than 3 hours). Yes, as long as you have a good setup for your dog, there is no problem leaving it at home for 8 hours. However, it's important to make sure they have a park with water, toys, and a place to go to the bathroom. Before you consider taking on a puppy or leaving your new furry family member at home alone, you should realize that not all puppies are created equal.
Puppies can usually hold it for one hour per month of age (so a three-month-old puppy can wait three hours to urinate). You should seriously consider buying a playpen for your puppy if you are going to leave him alone regularly for long periods of time. So how long can you leave a puppy alone, really? If you work full time and have a puppy, you're going to need help, especially during the first three months of a dog's life. Leaving your dog at home can weigh heavily on a dog owner's heart, especially if you leave frequently for a long time.
Before jumping right into leaving your puppy or adult dog for extended periods, it's important to prepare them for success. It is also quite common for puppies to experience periods of regression in their training at home when they are left alone on a regular basis. When your puppy can tolerate the least amount of time, leave them alone in the cage for increasing periods of time. Puppies younger than 10 weeks of age will not be able to hold urine for more than an hour at a time, and it's not until six months that puppies can wait up to six hours to go to the bathroom.
Leaving your puppy free reign of the house is a recipe for disaster, as he can get into anything and everything. So how long can you leave your puppy alone? In the first six months of life, puppies need a lot of attention, care, and exercise.
