Can Golden Retrievers Be Left Alone?
It can be hard to decide what’s good for the dog and what might be harmful to them, and there’s so much information on the Internet that it can be hard to parse what is and isn’t useful information to have.
That’s why, in this article, we’re going to give you an overview of a topic that is likely very important to you: How long can you leave your golden retriever home alone?
No matter how old your dog gets, it will likely still be considered your beautiful baby puppy. As such, it’s not in the dog’s best interest to be left alone for long periods.
However, that’s not always feasible. If there’s a family emergency – or, more likely, you have to go to work every day – you might have to leave the dog all alone in the house. Although certain businesses might allow well-trained dogs to be on the premises while you work, this accommodation will rarely exist.
As such, you likely have to start considering the idea that your dog is going to be left alone for large periods.
However, the age of your furry friend will determine how long you’re able to stay away from your dog without them suffering adverse consequences.
As with all things, each dog is different, so don’t stick with this as a hard and fast rule of thumb.
In the simplest terms, the extremes for how long you can leave your dog alone are as follows:
Puppy = 4 hours maximum
Adult Dog = 8 hours maximum
However, as is mentioned above, these are absolute maximums! Any longer than this, and you start bordering on cruelty.
Realize that your golden retriever is a very loyal and friendly breed that will likely imprint on you before you even get them home. Every time you leave, your dog will have to deal with the idea that they’re being abandoned!
The longer you leave your dog alone, the more likely they might develop anxiety and other mental problems, which isn’t something that anyone wants.
Keep in mind that your dog will be unable to eat, go to the bathroom, exercise, or do anything that it needs to do to stay healthy while you’re gone. And, even if you set out food, water, and a place for your dog to go to the bathroom, what happens if the food spills or the water runs out?
There are so many things that can go wrong when you leave your dog alone. As such, you must either find alternative means so that they’re not home alone for such long periods, or you have to do your best to make sure that you’re not hitting those extremes of time for leaving your pet alone.
However, as with most dogs, they don’t just arrive at your house with all the knowledge of how to be the perfect dog for you. You will need to spend a lot of time with them and make sure that they’re trained and that they won’t destroy your house out of anxiety while you’re away.
You also have to start small. Whether that’s leaving a room and training your dog to stay in a separate room for a few minutes, or even just walking outside for a little bit, you have to build your dog up to be able to be left alone.
If you don’t, your dog can suffer from mental problems and anxiety – and no one wants that!
Takeaway
Although it’s possible to leave your dog alone for hours on end, it’s not good for them. Try to find alternative means so that they’re not alone for long periods of time.