Goldendoodles are loving, friendly dogs that hate to be parted from their human family. However, most of us need to go out sometimes, perhaps to work or to school, leaving our beloved Doodle home alone.
So, how long can Goldendoodles be left alone? How many hours is too many? And what services can you use to help out if you’re working away from home during the day?
Keep reading to find out how to help your pet cope when he’s left home alone.
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Can Goldendoodles Be Left Home Alone?
Unfortunately, it’s not always possible for you to be there with your beautiful Goldendoodle pal. For dogs such as Doodles that are so loving, faithful, and friendly, being away from their human family can be stressful, especially in the early days and months.
Why Goldendoodles Hate Being Left Alone
All dogs are natural pack creatures that do best when living in a group or pack. Every pack has a natural hierarchy within which every dog knows its place. When a member of the pack leaves, even temporarily, the other dogs get anxious and insecure because the familiar order has changed.
Your Goldendoodle regards you as the pack leader. So, when you leave, your pet’s sense of security and order is taken away from him. As pack leader, you provide your dog with food, shelter, direction, and security. When you leave your pet alone, he’s going to wonder if you’ve gone for good and, if so, who’s going to care for him.
So, when you leave your Goldendoodle alone, he might have issues with separation anxiety.
What Is Separation Anxiety?
Although Goldendoodles make wonderful family pets, one of the breed’s few downsides is that the breed can suffer from separation anxiety if not properly socialized from an early age. Separation anxiety is the term that’s used to describe a dog that is extremely dependent on or attached to its human family members.
These dogs typically become highly anxious and distressed when they’re separated from their owners even for a short period of time. Most dogs with this condition follow their owner around the home, refusing to be separated from them for even a few minutes. Some dogs won’t even spend time outside in the backyard if their owner isn’t with them.
Usually, dogs with separation anxiety begin to show signs of stress as soon as they realize that their owner is planning to go out without them.
Common separation anxiety behaviors include:
- Excessive barking or howling.
- Destructive behaviors, such as chewing items of furniture, damaging wall coverings, even chewing through wooden doors!
- Defecating and urinating in the home or crate, even though the dog is potty trained.
Sometimes, separation anxiety is confused with another condition called isolation distress.
What’s Isolation Distress?
Isolation distress is the term that’s used to describe dogs that hate to be left alone for a period of time. These dogs need to have another creature around to keep them company. That could be another dog, the family cat, or a member of the human family.
In comparison, dogs that have separation anxiety need to be around the person that they’ve bonded closely with and will continue to be stressed until their special person returns.
How Long Can I Leave An Adult Goldendoodle Home Alone?
Goldendoodles are generally pretty chilled-out dudes that can cope with being left home alone for a bit of time once they have been acclimated to your regular routine. Most adult dogs are okay with being left for a while, as long as they know that you will come back to them. Puppies are a different matter, and we’ll discuss that later in this guide.
However, there are some practical things to consider when deciding how long you can reasonably leave your Goldendoodle home alone.
How Long Can A Goldendoodle Hold Its Bladder?
Your dog must always have access to clean, fresh water 24/7/365, especially during warm weather. It’s not acceptable to deny your Goldendoodle a drink simply to stop him from needing to pee while you’re not home to let him out!
So, how long can a Goldendoodle hold its bladder?
A dog’s bladder control depends on several factors, including the dog’s age and any medical conditions that affect his bladder or bowel.
As a general rule of thumb, a healthy adult Goldendoodle of over 18 months of age should be able to hold on for up to six hours maximum before he needs to pee. You should not expect your dog to wait to relieve himself for longer than that!
Can Goldendoodles Be Left Outside?
Some dog breeds, such as Siberian Huskies, are content to be left outside while their owner is out at work.
If you provide your Goldendoodle with a cozy kennel, shelter from the elements, and a few toys to keep him busy when you’re not around, that’s fine, right?
No! Goldendoodles do not like to be kept outside.
First of all, a Goldendoodles silky coat isn’t well-suited for life outside. Secondly, as previously mentioned, the Doodle is prone to separation anxiety, and they need to be with their family as much as possible.
Can I Leave My Goldendoodle In A Crate When I Go Out?
Sometimes, a dog will find ways of entertaining himself while you’re not around to watch him.
For example, many pups enjoy destroying things, such as your cushions, shoes, even chewing wooden skirtings and doors. A naughty Goldendoodle might even mark your floor coverings out of frustration by urinating on them!
If you have a cheeky Doodle that gets into mischief when you’re not around, you could confine him to his crate. That’s fine for short periods, but active dogs such as Goldendoodles need space to move around, and being shut in a crate can be very stressful for your furry friend.
Give your Goldendoodle a safe toy that he can play with or cuddle up to, as well as some high-quality calming treats to help your pet relax and settle down while you’re out.
Confinement Anxiety
Also, some dogs suffer from confinement anxiety.
Confinement anxiety is a similar condition to claustrophobia in humans. Basically, the dog becomes stressed and anxious when he’s shut in a confined space, such as a small crate. If your Goldendoodle suffers from confinement anxiety, it would be cruel to shut him in a crate, even for a short period.
Can Goldendoodle Puppies Be Left Alone?
Goldendoodle puppies are like children in that they do best when settled into a routine.
Generally, with proper training, your furbaby can accept being left alone for short periods, ideally in his crate, while you’re around at home. That way, you can let your puppy out regularly for potty stops. When your puppy is older, you can leave him alone at home in the secure, safe environment of his crate for very short periods, gradually extending that time so that your pet gets used to being left by himself when you need to go out.
How Soon And How Long?
Ideally, you don’t want to abandon a very young Goldendoodle puppy. That could seriously stress the little guy in the very early days in his new home.
The puppy’s bladder control capacity is also a big factor when deciding for how long to leave your puppy alone in his crate, whether you’re at home or away.
- Puppies aged eight to ten weeks shouldn’t be left alone for more than one hour. At this age, the puppy’s bladder is tiny, and they can’t hang on for very long!
- A puppy aged between two and three months can be left alone for longer, up to around two hours.
- Puppies aged four months can wait for around four hours, so you can leave them alone for up to that length of time.
After that age, you can leave your puppy for a little longer, but never for more than six hours at a stretch.
What Can You Do To Keep Your Goldendoodle Happy If You Are Out At Work During the Day?
There are a few practical things that you can do to help keep your Goldendoodle happy while you’re out at work during the day.
Before You Go …
Before you head off out and leave your Goldendoodle at home on his lonesome, there are a few steps that you can take to help your dog settle down while you’re not around.
Exercise Your Goldendoodle!
Goldendoodles are energetic dogs that need plenty of daily exercise to keep them healthy and happy both mentally and physically.
Before you leave your furry friend at home alone, taking him out for a walk or playing fetch in your backyard can help your dog to relax and settle down when you go out.
Feed Your Dog
If your pet is hungry, he won’t settle down. So, if possible, give your Goldendoodle something to eat half an hour or so before you leave.
Potty Break
A few minutes before you leave, take your Goldendoodle outside for a potty break. That will keep your pet comfortable and give you peace of mind while you’re not there.
Provide Your Goldendoodle With A Toy
If your furry friend has a favorite toy or cuddle-cushion, remember to put it into the crate with your pet while you’re not there. Something familiar can help to relax your dog, especially if that item smells of you.
How To Keep Your Goldendoodle Content While You’re Out
Here are a few options that you can consider taking to reduce the risk of separation anxiety for your Goldendoodle.
Work From Home
If possible and practical, ask your employee if you might be permitted to work from home for a few days or hours per week.
The Covid pandemic has seen many people being forced to work from their home office. That strategy has generally worked very well for employers and employees, so many organizations are content to continue with that now that lockdowns are easing.
Take Your Dog To Work!
These days, many companies recognize the positive effects of their staff bringing their pets to work with them. In fact, commercial giant, Amazon has over 7,000 dogs in their employ!
Depending on what kind of business you work in, taking your Goldendoodle to work every day might be an option for you.
Come Home For Lunch
If you live close enough to where you work, you can save yourself some cash and solve the problem of leaving your Doodle home alone by coming home for your lunch break. So, enjoy lunch with your dog and give him a comfort break before you go back to work.
Doggy Daycare
Goldendoodles are happy, friendly dogs that usually get along fine with other pups. So, if you can afford to do it, why not put your dog into doggy day-care for those times when you’re out all day?
Your pet will be supervised, fed, exercised, and can enjoy a happy time playing with his new furry friends.
Hire A Dog Walker
If your budget doesn’t extend to sending your pet to doggy daycare, you can still make sure that your dog gets to stretch his legs, relieve himself, and have a fun time by hiring a professional dog walking service.
That way, if you get caught at work, you don’t need to stress quite so much about rushing home to tend to your Goldendoodle.
Hire A Dog Sitter
For dogs that suffer from isolation distress, hiring a dog sitter can work very well. The dog sitter simply stays in your home for the entire time that you’re out at work, keeping your pet company, letting him outside for potty breaks when necessary, and feeding your dog.
Ask A Friend To Check In On Your Pet
If you have a dog-loving friend or neighbors who are also pet parents, you could ask them to check in on your Goldendoodle from time to time during the day. Your friend could even bring their own canine companion, too, for a mini doggy playdate.
In Conclusion
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On average, you can leave a Goldendoodle over 18 months of age home alone for a maximum of six hours. That alone time might be less for senior dogs and for those with health conditions that affect their bladder control.
When it comes to leaving puppies alone, it depends on the age of the pup and his capacity to hang on before needing to relieve himself. Generally, an eight to ten-week-old Goldendoodle puppy can last for only one hour. Two to three-month-old puppies can usually wait for two hours, and four to eight-month-old pups should be able to wait for around four hours.
How do you cater to your Goldendoodle’s needs while you’re out and your dog is left home alone? Tell us your strategy in the comments box below!
