A dog separation anxiety study conducted by the University of Brisol has suggested that a huge number of dogs are suffering with separation anxiety as a result of being left home alone at home for too long.
We wanted to solicit the views of dog owners on this thorny issue as it often proves one of the most commonly asked questions we receive here at advice.dog…just how long is too long to leave a dog at home alone.
There tends to be two schools of thought about how long is too long to leave a dog home alone:
1. Working people should be able to have dogs, but leaving the dog at home for more than a few hours at a time is cruel and proper arrangements should be made to cater for the dog’s needs i.e professional dog walker or owner returning home to take the dog out.
2. There is a certain ‘cut off point’ at which it is simply too long to leave a dog at home on their own.
How Long Can a Dog Be Left At Home For?
So, the question is, where do you stand?
Is there a magical number after which it’s not OK for a dog to be left alone and, if so, what is it?
Should dogs EVER be left alone for periods of longer than, say, two hours?
Are we getting worked up over nothing? Is it OK to leave a dog alone for the length of a normal working day (above 6 hours).
And finally, what tips, experience etc do you have in helping a dog cope with potential separation anxiety issues?
We’d be interested in your thoughts, so feel free to add your views in the comments section.
According to the University study, Dr John Bradshaw, a fellow at the Anthrozoology Institute at Bristol University, has revealed that dogs may be ‘traumatised’ by being left at home while their owners go out to work — shocking the countless dog owners who assumed they were fine to be left alone, and highlighting how little we really know about our pets.
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