Dogs are social animals and thrive on being around others. As puppies, dogs are used to being around both their mother and siblings, and most puppies must therefore gradually get used to being alone at home.
Can a puppy be left alone once it is brought home?
When you bring your puppy from the breeder to its new home for the first time, it is a big transition from being surrounded by the dog family to being completely alone with new faces. Therefore, it is important that you as the owner give the puppy time to get to know you and the new family, and that it becomes confident in its new surroundings. With a new puppy in the house, you should therefore adjust your schedule and daily routine for the first week, so that it is not left alone too soon.
Home Alone - Training is the Key to Success
Once your puppy has settled into his new pack (read: your home), you can start training him to be alone at home. The key here is to start small and not go too fast. The point of training is for your puppy to learn that you will always come back and that it is normal to be alone for short periods of time.
- The first step is to make sure your dog is comfortable, calm, and fed when you start training. Also make sure your dog has some of his belongings in the room, such as his bed, treats, or toys. Leave the room, but come back shortly. Just a minute is enough to start with. Then give your puppy praise and rewards.
- Once you have mastered the first step, you can increase the difficulty a little and leave it alone for a little longer. It should still be a very short period of time (we are talking about minutes here). If the puppy barks or whines, do not go back into the room immediately. When it becomes quiet, you can go back in, but behave calmly and in an everyday manner.
- As with most training, it's important to be patient and consistent. As you notice that your puppy is comfortable being alone, you can start to leave them home alone. The time period should be increased gradually, though, so don't be too harsh. Also, don't forget to praise and reward them when you return! Continue training regularly, and increase the time they are home alone each time.
Read how to housetrain your puppy so your home is still clean when you get home!
But how long can a puppy be left alone at home?
Even though your puppy will eventually become confident about being alone, this doesn't mean they can manage on their own indefinitely. Exactly how long is okay also depends on the puppy's age.
- For puppies aged 3 months, we recommend that they are left alone at home for a maximum of 2-3 hours , even if they have been trained to be alone.
- Puppies at 4 months can be left alone for about 3-4 hours .
- When it reaches 5 months old, a puppy can be left home alone for 4-5 hours , provided it copes well with being home alone.
In addition to this, there are also a few other factors that play into how well the puppy copes with being left alone at home. For example, if there is a storm with thunder and loud noises, the dog may become both scared and stressed. In addition, it is also worth remembering that a good walk before the time alone provides the best conditions!
