A Goldendoodle is a wonderful, social dog that will fill your life with joy. These Doodles are affectionate, loving, and active, but how are they in terms of being left alone? How long can Goldendoodles be left alone?
This will, of course, depend on the dog’s age. A young Goldendoodle puppy should not be left alone for the same amount of time as the adult Goldendoodle.
Also, even dogs of the same breed do not have to have the exact same progress. Some Goldendoodles will master the potty training earlier, while others will need more time.
Goldendoodles owners should observe their dogs and see how they react to being left alone.
The most important thing here is to not make a trauma for your dog when you leave it alone, but to make the dog feel good for those couple of hours when you are away.
Now, let’s see what you should know about leaving your Goldendoodle alone.
How Long Can Goldendoodles Be Left Alone?
Your dog’s age is the most important factor of the question of how long you should leave your Goldendoodle alone.
Your dog needs food and water, but, you have prepared enough of both while you are at work, and this is all your dog needs while you are away?
Well, things are not so simple. Don’t forget about your dog’s potty breaks!
Young puppies usually can hold their pee for up to 3 hours. So, if your Goldendoodle is younger than 12 months, you should not leave it alone longer than 3 hours.
Adult dogs can last longer, and they don’t need to pee as often as young puppies. Your adult Goldendoodle will probably be perfectly fine for 8 hours, or even longer, but I wouldn’t suggest you risk your chances.
A Goldendoodle should not be left alone for longer than 6 hours. Some medical conditions might cause your dog to pee more often, and you can never be sure if and when your dog will suffer from one of these health problems.
Your Goldendoodle’s physical needs are one of the most important reasons why you should not leave this dog alone for too long.
But, there are some other factors included. Since this dog is very affectionate with its owners, there is a high chance your Goldendoodle will not feel well if you are away for too long.
This dog might develop separation anxiety, and it also might show unwanted behaviors.
If your schedule is too busy, and on some days you must leave your Goldendoodle alone for longer than 6 hours, you should consider hiring a dog walker, at least for a couple of times a week.
When Can You Start Leaving Your Goldendoodle Alone?
You should start leaving your Goldendoodle puppy alone from the beginning of your life together.
But, a puppy this young needs to go potty so often; how can I leave it alone in this period?
You should not leave this dog alone for too long at the beginning, of course. You should start leaving it for 10 to 15 minutes. You can even just go outside, and close the door behind you.
See, puppies learn the best from their young age. Eventually you will need to leave your dog alone for a longer period of time – rare people have the luxury to spend all of their time with their furry companions.
Also, Goldendoodles tend to be clingy, so, as soon as your puppy starts to get used you will not always be around, the better for him.
As time passes, you can extend the time period your puppy spends alone, but, you should do this gradually.
Start with 10 to 15 minutes and see how your Goldendoodle reacts. After a while, extend this time period to 30 minutes, 1 hour, etc.
Remember that your Goldendoodle needs to learn how to spend some time alone, but you shouldn’t force this.
Forcing your Goldendoodle to do something can only make the dog stressed, frightened, or even aggressive.
So, bear in mind that you will need to be patient and persistent, and full of support for your Doodle.
How To Prepare A Goldendoodle For Being Left Alone?
In some cases, a dog might want to be alone, but, there is usually a good reason for this. Most of the time, all dogs want to be with their human families, especially affectionate dogs such as the Goldendoodle.
Dogs are pack animals, which means they are used to having company, and most of them will not do well on their own.
Unfortunately, most of us will not be able to spend all of our time with our dogs, so, we’ll need to figure out the best way to leave our dogs alone for a while, and not worry about their well-being.
If you are currently considering what is essential in the process of leaving your Goldendoodle home alone, I suggest you read the following few tips.
1. Food And Water
This is something basic, but I will mention it anyway.
Before you leave your home, you should take care that your dog will have enough water and food while you are away.
If you are leaving just for an hour or two, you should not leave a large amount of food available to your Goldendoodle – you don’t want your dog to develop obesity!
You should leave your dog food in the same amount you would normally give to him. Also, you should establish a daily routine for your dog’s meals – you can use your own schedule that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner as a guide for your dog’s meals.
Meanwhile, you can also give your Goldendoodle some tasty treats!
2. Let The Dog Exercise Before You Leave
Walks, hiking, dog sports, all kinds of activities… These are the things all Goldendoodles love!
Since this dog is highly active, it needs plenty of exercise on a daily basis.
So, if you don’t want your Goldendoodle to become frustrated and bored, you should never leave your home before having an exercise session with your Doodle.
I suggest you take your dog out for a walk or a short jogging session before you leave for work. This is a great way to know your dog will have a part of his daily exercise routine early in the morning.
This will also be great for you, since you will have your exercise, too, with your favorite company!
3. Don’t Make A Big Thing Of Your Leave
Many dog owners tend to say goodbye to their dogs and pet them when they are about to leave.
If you have just started leaving your Goldendoodle home alone, you should not do this. A better option would be to distract your dog with its favorite toy, or a treat, and then leave the house.
Don’t inform your dog about your leave, because you will be doing a big thing out of this. If you act like your leave from the house is completely normal, your Goldendoodle will get used to this fact sooner.
Our dogs are emotional, and they can sense our mood and emotions very well. Therefore, leave the house as quietly and inconspicuously as possible.
4. Provide Your Dog With Entertainment
Leaving your Goldendoodle alone, especially at the beginning, might force you to think of ways to stop your dog from scratching the door.
Your Goldendoodle is likely to feel insecure when you are away, but your dog might also simply be – bored.
The dog is probably used to you always thinking of some fun activities for you two to do together, and now, he doesn’t know what to do. In these situations, many Goldendoodles will become frustrated and will nervously wait for you to come back home.
To prevent this, you need to provide your active dog with some forms of entertainment while you are away.
Dog interactive toys are an excellent way to keep your Goldendoodle mentally engaged while you are not home.
You can also dog puzzle bowls – this way, your Goldendoodle will be entertained while it is eating.
The most important thing here is to not leave the house before you are sure your dog will have something to do while you are away from home.
Final Words
So, how long can Goldendoodles be left alone?
I would suggest you up to 6 hours, and not longer. Our dogs have physical needs, and also social needs, so they should not spend too much time alone.
If your schedule is overwhelming, and on some days you will need to leave your Doodle alone for longer than 6 hours, a good thing to do would be to hire a dog walker.
Goldendoodles are highly active dogs – they will miss you when you are not home, but they will also miss being active.
Getting your dog used to being alone for a while is very important, but it is even more important to make your dog feel safe and entertained while you are away.
Moreover, you should encourage your Doodle and let him know you will always come back home to him!