# Leaving Puppy Home Alone



## Kikksss (Apr 7, 2017)

I have an 11 week old Cockapoo named Levi. Both my boyfriend and I are able to bring Levi with us to work and have been doing so back and forth since we got him. We started training yesterday and we asked our trainer about possibly leaving Levi at home some days if our schedules are too busy to have him at work. The trainer told us we should leave Levi at home in his crate all day and he will be fine. 

Morally, I have been struggling with the idea of leaving my puppy at home by himself for 8 hours during the day. Against all my beliefs, we left him at home today in his crate and I'm feeling uneasy. 

What do you think is the right thing to do? Do you think its okay to leave him and have any of you done this with your Cockapoo? 

HELP!


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Unless you've left him a space he can toilet, you will likely have a mess in the crate. I used to leave them for a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours in the afternoon when my schedules and my dad's (who watched them when I worked) had a gap. But the general rule is an hour for every month. So right now Levi can hold it for 2-3 hrs. Also, 8 hrs is a long time for him to not have access to water. And if he does, well you know what happens. 


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## Kikksss (Apr 7, 2017)

Thanks for your note! 

My trainer assured me that the puppy would be absolutely fine at home in the crate as long as he went outside before I left. 

Obviously a trained professional would not suggest that I put my puppy in danger... 

I am now having trouble deciphering between what is right and wrong with crate training and leaving the puppy alone.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

8 hours alone in a crate during the day is too much for any dog let alone an 11 week old puppy and I would be doubting the experience and methods of a trainer suggesting this.

Overnight, 8 hours might be achievable at this age without toileting as the pup will be asleep but it is not realistic to expect the same from a pup during the day. Left for any length of time they should have access to water and a crate is giving them very little space to toilet or play both of which they need to do.

Would you be able to have a crate at work on busy days? or have someone come in part way though the day to play with him and let him have toilet access (and probably clean up!). Most pups are also on 3 meals a day at this age so 8 hours is also a long time to be going without food.


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## Kikksss (Apr 7, 2017)

Yes - I knew there was a reason I didn't feel good about it. I just left work and popped home to take him out. He was sleeping and was fine when I got home but he definitely had to go to the bathroom! I took him out for a walk and played with him for a while before returning to work. 

I will keep bringing him with me to work whilst he is still small and hire a walker for him once hes older and needs to stay home. 

Thanks for the advice!


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

There is a chasm between the two extremes of what is an acceptable way to treat any animal, perhaps most of all dogs. I'm all worked up right now because I've just watched some videos of a mouse trap that works by drowning them slowly and I'm having fantasies about tracking down these people, dressed up as a mouse, kidnapping them and torturing them for a few hours in a human sized "no-fail" drowning trap.  I'd let them out of course, before they actually drowned! Maybe your trainer would be happy in a crate for eight hours?


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

The longest I left them in the crate alone was usually about 3-3.5 hours, on most days just for a couple of hours. One time I got stuck and didn't come home until 4 hrs later. This was after playing for a couple of hours and exercising them and lots of potty breaks. And a pee right before they went into the crate - no problems and were even asleep before I'd leave. 

When I came home, the squealing I heard as I opened the door was so loud I thought one of them had gotten stuck in the crate. I came to their crate area and Beemer had pulled his covers (a twin sized sheet) all the way into his crate and was desperately trying to get out because he had an accident. Lexi on the other hand slept through the whole thing as I had to wake her to go out. She immediately peed and he was all wet and was clinging onto me. I never went more than 3 hours after that. It's only been in the last couple of years that I've left them for longer as they can come in and out of the doggie door but now that I'm able to be flexible with my time, I try not to be gone for more than 6 hours max. 

The downside of all of this is that usually that is their bladder filling tolerance - 5-6 hours. So they wake me for a late night pee (around 12:30) and early morning pee (Around 6). Pretty easy to take them out so I don't really mind it much. But my friend's dogs who were left at a young age in the crate will go entire days (10 hrs) and be able to hold it. I know I can't so I do t make my two wait that long either.


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