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Leaving a puppy alone can be stressful. But knowing how long you can leave your pup—and how to train them for it—can make the difference between a calm, confident dog and one that struggles with separation.
A common guideline for how long to leave a puppy alone is typically one hour per month of age. In reality, the math varies from puppy to puppy. It’s a good idea to adjust alone time based on factors like your puppy’s emotional readiness, training, and bladder control.
To help you navigate this critical period of growth and training, we spoke with Mary van Kriedt (CCTA/CCDT), a certified dog trainer and founder of FreeRun Leashes. With her expert insight, we examine what affects how long you can leave your puppy alone, breaking down guidelines and training by each month.
Age & Time Guidelines
Once they reach adolescence and transition into adulthood, most dogs can typically be home alone for up to six to eight hours.
Until then, your puppy’s age will determine how long until they need to be let out, given their emotional capabilities and their bladder capacity.
Here are some general guidelines for leaving puppies home alone.
- 8–10 weeks: 30 minutes to 2 hours
- 10–12 weeks: 1-2 hours
- 3 months: 3 hours
- 4 months: 4 hours
- 5 months: 5 hours
- 6 months: 6 hours
Separation Training Schedule
When it comes to separation training, it’s best to start gradually, seeing how your puppy does with short sessions and building from there. “The goal is to increase the time slowly so the dog learns that being alone is safe, predictable, and that [their] person will return,” says van Kriedt.
Puppies 8 to 10 weeks
“With an 8–10 week old puppy, the time away should be very short at first—often just 30–60 seconds, gradually building to a minute or two as the puppy becomes comfortable,” says van Kriedt. “The key is to return during a quiet moment so you’re reinforcing calm behavior rather than barking or whining.”
For these micro-absences, you don’t necessarily need to leave the house. Simply walk to another room, a different floor of the house, or even just outside the front door.
Additionally, van Kriedt recommends using a crate or playpen to keep your puppy contained and to give them a safe space to settle down. “Adding a stuffed KONG or LickiMat is also helpful,” she notes. “The licking and chewing can naturally help puppies relax and build a positive association with short periods of being alone.”
Recommended training:
- Practice being separated from your pup via a crate, pen, or gates while you’re still home.
- Build positive associations with being alone.
- Practice micro absences—walking to the other room, to a different floor, just outside the front door.
Puppies 10-12 weeks
“At this age, the same training principles apply, but you can begin stretching the time slightly as their confidence grows,” says van Kriedt.
During this period, you’ll also want to continue potty training and enforce naps, giving your puppy a predictable schedule that they can rely on.
Recommended training:
- Continue potty training, crate training, and enforced naps.
- Continue micro absences and build time away—walk around the block, to a cafe, etc.
Puppies 3 to 6 months
For many puppies, this is the stage where real-life routines start to take shape. Once you know your pup is comfortable, start extending your time away. Leave for lunch, take a trip to the gym, or even go see a movie. While accidents are still possible, puppies this age are typically adjusting well to potty training.
This window is also a good time to introduce a place cue or work on relaxation protocols to help your pup learn how to self-regulate and settle on their own.
Recommended training:
- Expand time outside of the house, matching the time away with your puppy’s potty training progress.
- Start teaching relaxation protocols, settle or place cues, etc.
Puppies 6 months and older
As your puppy gets older and continues to be successful in their separation training, you can start to leave them alone for longer periods. Depending on their behavior and potty training progress, you may also start giving them more access to your home while you’re away. Start with a puppy-proofed room and slowly expand from there.
At six months, puppies are typically entering adolescence and are full of energy. Before you leave your pup alone, ensure they have plenty of mental and physical stimulation.
Fear periods can also appear during the “teenage” months, so don’t get discouraged if you have to shorten your time away until your pup builds up their confidence again.
Recommended training:
- Keep expanding time alone based on your pup’s progress.
- Explore giving your puppy more access to the home, like a puppy-proofed area.
- Incorporate plenty of exercise and mental enrichment before leaving them alone.
- Adjust for fear periods.
Setting Puppies Up for Success
Puppies experience a lot of firsts during their early months of life—including being left alone for the first time. Knowing how to prepare your puppy for alone time is crucial to their solo success. Here are five tips.
Start gradually
Think of time alone as a skill your pup will need to build. The goal is to practice successfully leaving for short periods—transitioning from seconds to minutes to hours—working your way up to longer time away as your dog feels more comfortable being alone.
If your puppy begins to whine, bark, or scratch, you’ve likely moved too fast and need to dial back the duration during your next separation training session.
Create a daily routine
Keeping a consistent schedule for meals, potty breaks, and naps provides predictability in a puppy’s ever-changing first few months. Adding your absences to an established routine can help reduce a puppy’s stress when you depart. For instance, if you always take your puppy outside and then give them a puzzle toy before you leave, they’ll come to expect this specific sequence of events.
Set up a pet camera
A pet camera can help you keep an eye on your pup while you’re out of sight. If they’re settling well and seem comfortable, you can increase your time away, slowly building over a few weeks. Some cameras allow you to interact with your pup, offering encouragement (and even treats) from a distance.
Provide enrichment and exercise
Before leaving your puppy alone, ensure they’ve been physically and mentally stimulated. Work on obedience training at home, go for a sniffy walk, or play a round of indoor games. These activities can help burn off your puppy’s energy and prepare them for a welcome opportunity to rest while you’re gone.
Use soothing tools
Puppies may need some extra help to feel comfortable and safe on their own at first, such as a heartbeat toy or a pheromone diffuser. It also helps to ensure your puppy’s space is comfortable and cozy. If their crate is situated by a busy window, for example, they may remain on high alert and have trouble settling down. Consider using a sound machine and a crate cover to create a stress-free environment.
Signs To Slow Down
Some whining or restlessness is normal early on, but persistent distress is a signal that your puppy isn’t ready for longer absences.
If your dog continually exhibits the behaviors below when left alone, it’s time to slow down training:
- Excessive barking, screaming, or whining
- Destructive chewing or bed shredding
- Trying to escape their crate
- Self-biting/self-harm
- Urinating or defecating in the crate
- Excessive pacing or panting
If your puppy’s separation distress isn’t going away or is leading them to self-harming behaviors, it’s a good idea to rule out underlying medical issues with a visit to your vet.
Once your puppy gets a clean bill of health, consider reaching out to a credentialed trainer or vet behaviorist. They can help you identify the causes of your puppy’s anxiety and come up with a plan—both for managing things in the present and getting them back on the right track. To find a trainer near you, learn how puppy training works on Rover.
For puppies experiencing separation distress, you’ll also need to find solutions for care when you’re away. These alternatives might involve hiring a dog walker or taking your pup to doggy daycare. Remember: it takes a village, especially in the early months!
