How long to leave dog home alone?

[Onlywayisupmaybe]

What is the maximum length of time that you would leave your dog alone at home for?

8-9 hours on occasion. But he gets 45-60 mins walks either side of this, is 9 years old now so sleeping more and unfortunately is not safe to go with dog walkers. He has full run of the house, dog treat puzzles to work out and dog monitor app shows that he is chilled and sleeping generally.

Four hours maximum.

Depends on the dog. Ours doesn’t like much more than 2.5 hours but I seem to recall the advice is no more than 4. Anything longer than that - get a dog walker or someone to pop in and let them out for a wee etc.

It’s not usually more than a couple hrs, but about 6 is the most he’s ever left.

5 hours max, I stress any longer!!! Only occasionally as we both can WFH. Any longer he goes to his Grandmas for treats

Depends a lot on breed, age and normal routine. My collie is fine all day if needed and doesn't like doggie daycare. If you are at home he completely ignores you all day doing his own thing

Ours is rarely on his own as OH works at home; I’m in and out all day, and we have two teens who are home quite a lot. On the odd occasion the whole family is invited somewhere he can’t go, I’m ok leaving him for four hours but no more.

My current 2yo dog is ok for 4-5 hours, but he's rarely left for more than 3. One occasion, when I got stuck in stationary traffic on the M1, after being out for 5 hours, he ended up being on his own for about 8 hours, but he was absolutely fine. I've got a camera and can see he just sleeps when I'm out, usually flat on his back on the sofa!

My old dog was regularly left longer, as I was working out the home and she hated anyone coming in when I wasn't there - would hide and wet herself (perfectly confident when she was either me though!), so it was less stressful for her to leave her alone than to get a dog walker in.

This is a “how long is a piece of string” question. My youngest never cared less about being left. Even as a pup. My older dog ate through a wall when I popped next door to have a wee.
You never know what a dog will be like until you get them home and settled. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

We had a dog who wasn't that fussed on us as long as he was fed and walked he couldn't care less if we were in or not we could leave him hours!

Same, and he’s always snoozing when we get back no matter how long we’re been.

Oh mine was a collie they really are not that fussed are they 😀

My dog is old, and also a breed known for sleeping their life away.
I leave her for 6-7 hours every so often.

Four hours maximum but in reality she usually goes to family if I'm planning to be out for any length of time purely because they are happy to have her and I don't like her sad face when I leave without her.

Inside, not long at all. Outside with their kennel, several hours.

My dog much prefers to be outside and sleeps in an outdoor kennel unless it's freezing. Even then I have to force him in.

4-5 hours fine after a good walk.

6-7 hours occasionally if desperate and again only after a good long walk.

I'd say 90% of the time they have someone with them at home during the day due to us both hybrid working. So it's really not an issue to leave them for a longer stint occasionally. However I wouldn't be doing it multiple times a week.

I have three and they are all over 8 yrs so I know that they just crash after a good blast. They have the run of downstairs too so are free to sleep wherever they like

My dog is very, very elderly, and pretty much sleeps most of the day, after her morning walk, I'd leave her for a max of seven hours, but no way would I have done it a few years ago, then 4 hrs would have been my tops. I often work from home, and she'll raise her head now and again, when I get up to make a drink, but won't get up unless she needs a pee.

We have two, so they have company even if nobody is home. My dad used to live next door and sometimes heard them playing through the wall. I generally say 4-5 hours.

Dogs are pack animals. It must be so boring and lonely for them to be left on their own for hours. I’d never have a sole dog personally.

Mine can't tell the time so he couldn't care less. I don't generally leave him more than 3-4 hours but he will often go from 7pm until 7 then next morning without going out for a wee if it's raining/ cold/ wrong type of dark/ he's comfy or already "gone to bed". We have a camera so I can see him if I'm out and he usually sits looking out the window or rolls around on the sofa with his bits on show snoring. If we are to be longer than 4 hours I'd ask someone to pop in and let him out and give him a fuss. The report I usually get back is "refused to go out for a wee and went upstairs and laid on the bed whilst I was here"
He's antisocial like his mum.

When we had our boy it would be sometimes 4 hours and a very occasional 6 hours. He could go in and out of a cat flap to a completely secure walled garden though. When we came home he would almost always come downstairs yawning and blinking so he had been knocking out zzzzzs somewhere.

Four hours, but took a long time to work up to that gradually - from literally 2 minutes at a time as a pup. She'd probably be fine with longer to be honest, she's always asleep when we get back but I wouldn't like to.

Don't get a dog counting on it though OP, I know plenty of dogs who can barely be left at all.

I try not to leave mine longer than 4-6 hours but very occasionally he'll be alone for 7-8 hours and he's fine. That's once a year if that though. I couldn't do it when he was younger but now he's an old man he likes the peace and quiet and sleeps most of the day anyway

4 hours I'm OK with, 6 if it's an emergency but not as a rule.

Whippet girl, 3 years old. Gets VERY miffed if she's left alone!

My spaniel is left for 2 hours max

Very clingy though

We never leave ours if we have to be somewhere where we can't take dogs, they would be taken to doggy daycare x