How long can a doodle puppy stay home alone?

[Rebecca bratter]

How long should a doodle puppy, 4.5 months be able to stay home alone?  If you've seen my previous post, you know that my aussie doodle Madiba and I have separation anxiety. We are working on leaving her alone for short bursts, the max to date has been about 2 hours.  I am having an argument with my husband, he thinks she can stay alone for 5 or 6 hours?  She has not had an accident in the house for about a month, she's really good but again we've never left her for more than 2 hours and she can hold it that long.  Otherwise someone is always here and she rings her little bell when she wants to go out.  I realize the answer probably depends on a lot of things, but your input would be appreciated. 

[Michelle L]

As a general rule of thumb, puppies are able to control their bladders for one hour for every month of age. For example, a 4-month-old puppy can usually hold in her pee for a maximum of four hours. Butters is 3.5 months and I have our neighbor's kid come over and walk her every 3 or 4 hours.

[Rebecca bratter]

We left her for about 2.5 hours today, she was fine, I was constantly worried. We almost never leave her and we need to start resuming some things we used to do. We have rearranged our lives around her and want to. I absolutely love being with her all the time but we need to be able to do some things without her. We don't crate her when we go out. Probably a no no but she just despises the crate

[F, Calla & Luca]

I'd think 4-5 hours would be OK if the puppy is crated.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

When Luna was about 10 weeks old she had to be left alone all day (8 hours) a few times a week while we were at work.  Because of this we got her an Ex-pen to go around her crate.  That way she had a sleeping spot (the crate) and an emergency potty area (covered with newspaper, she didn't care for puppy pads).  

Just make sure if you do that there are no toys in the crate, the door to the crate is secured (so pup can't get locked in or out) and puppy is not wearing a collar (for safety).

[Wendy and Myla]

That's a great idea!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Found a picture where you can kind of see it in the background.  Her crate was covered for that "cave" feel (but if she decided to destroy the blanket, we would have left it bare).

[Rebecca bratter]

Yup I see it. We just can't get crate nor expen to work for madiba. Crate only works for sleep at night.

[Sarah Bennett]

Salvador is 24 weeks old (almost 6 months), and I have left him alone for an entire work day before.  Up until he was about 3.5 months old, my neighbor's oldest daughter (8 years) would come over and let him out, after that, he was too big and too hyper for her to do so safely.  I only work 1.5 miles from home, so can come home most lunches, however I am job searching in an area about 20-30 miles away from my house, so I'm trying to transfer him over to being home alone all day.  He does really well with it...I honestly probably feel worse about the situation between the two of us.  I do crate him the entire time (though sometimes I block him into the kitchen during that time too (his crate is there), but I feel a little nervous about this, only because he is so young and it's a long time.  I don't want to come home too a cabinet door ripped off.  Unfortunately, I don't have an area large enough for a ex-pen too contain him.  It has been since he was about 3.5 months old since he's had an accident with me (my neighbor's daughter will still come over and play with him, but doesn't take him outside...so between being very excited to see her and having it be 5ish hours since going out last...well, I don't have to explain...luckily it's a laminated floor!).

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

My guy seems to have been able to go very long times without peeing since he was much younger -  he was always asleep in his crate when we got home and never rushed right out to pee.  We gradually expanded the time, working up to most of the work day. One of us might leave later, one home earlier.  Even now, if it is a long (8:30 to 6:30) day when both of us our gone, we have a walker come by.  

I would probably try to gauge how long the dog goes without asking to go out when  you are home and try to judge from there.  

In my case, I think leaving him is more an issue of my feeling bad he is alone than his bladder control! 

[Rebecca bratter]

Yes, I feel horrible about it.  We read somewhere in a book on the aussiedoodle breed that they are very social and cannot stay home alone all day not because they can't hold it but because they get depressed being alone.  My Madiba is way way too attached to me and now that we have started to leave her alone for 2 hours at a time, when I am home she is not letting me out of her sight.  She is also so darn smart, she's playing games like sleeping in front of the door so we can't get out without waking her or leaving her behind.  She also knows that when I start blowdrying my hair and putting on my fancy clothes that I'm getting ready to go to work and she  does not like it.  The thing is, she is not alone most of the time, my husband is with her all day when I go to work but that doesn't seem to be enough for her.  Im just wracked with guilt about leaving her and I have to go to south africa for 10 days for work in August and I'm just really stressed thinking that she's going to be depressed.  I don't make a big deal when I leave, I simply grab my things and go and when I come home I go sit down and let her come up to me, which is does immediately.  But i guess she can tell how I feel.  She also has diarrhea right now so I'm doubly concerned. 

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

I hate leaving Quincy, too.  But really, he sleeps the whole time!  He has never once been awake, even now when we leave him out of the crate when not home.

I don't think they get depressed as long as you give "quality" time with lots of interaction in between.

 I do think they pick up on our feelings, so leaving quickly and without a fuss is a good idea.  

I give Quincy a special treat whenever we leave- a cream cheese Kong!  He knows the drill and runs to his crate.  Lately I leave the crate door closed, but unlatched and when we come home, he is sleeping on his bed in the den.  

In the real world, you can't take your dog everywhere you want so I think you need to start lengthening the away time.  It's hard not to miss them, but I believe it will be better for all of you in the end!  

Good luck with your sweet Madiba!  btw what is the origin of the name

[Rebecca bratter]

I know, I actually get mad now when people don't allow dogs somewhere, I just want to take her everywhere.  We will keep working on it.  She just doesn't fall for the treat thing anymore, it has to be super high value.  I just have to suck it up.  Whenever we leave her and come home, she is always sleeping so she must be ok.  

Madiba is Nelson Mandela's tribal name and it's how most South Africans affectionately refer to him.  He is my hero. Even though our Madiba is a girl, the name suits her, she has a fierce, strong personality but she is loving and loyal.