How Long Is Too Long to Leave Your Dog Home Alone?

Of all the animals we might welcome into our homes, dogs are no doubt the most sociable. They crave companionship and enjoy nothing more than when you can spend the whole day with them. While your dog is an important part of your family and you‘d like to spend all day every day with them, the demands of a busy life – between work or personal commitments – may sometimes require you to leave them home alone.

But... how much alone time is appropriate for your dog? Are there legal limits on how long they can be left alone? And how can you ensure they’re comfortable and content during their solo time? In this guide, we’ll answer these questions and more, to help you figure out how long is the right amount of time to leave your dog alone.

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Main Takeaways

• How long your dog can be left alone will depend on their age and the way they feel emotionally about solo time.

• If your dog is stressed when left alone, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 could find you acting neglectfully in your role as a pet parent.

• Getting your dog used to spending time alone slowly is the best way to help them feel relaxed when you leave. 

How long can dogs legally be alone in the UK?

It may surprise you to hear that there is no legal limit to how long you can leave your dog home alone without human companionship here in the UK. However, as your dog’s guardian you are ultimately responsible for their welfare needs. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 is the UK Government’s code of practice for pet parents to follow to ensure the welfare of their dogs. While specific lengths of times aren’t noted, the advice is “that your dog is never left alone long enough for it to become distressed”.

Suggested time limits for leaving dogs alone in the UK

Life with pets isn’t prescriptive – there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to raising your dog in the best way and, it’s important to remember, all dogs are different. However, it is also true that all dogs who are left alone for long periods of time are likely to suffer from distress – either anxiety or boredom-related. This could lead to trauma for your dog, destructive behaviour in the home or nuisance to your neighbours such as your dog barking for long periods of time. Rescue organisations, including the RSPCA and PDSA, recommend not leaving any dog for more than four hours. 

At a young age a puppy is not going to have a strong bladder – meaning they’ll require frequent toilet breaks, sometimes as often as every 30 minutes during the daytime. A new puppy will also not have had the time to build up trust with their new family – they won’t understand that if their humans leave them, they’ll return again soon. Recently rescued dogs who’ve either had a negative history or have struggled during time in kennels will also need some time and emotional support to help them rebuild confidence when left home alone. Senior dogs may also struggle with solo time, either due to cognitive decline or their bladder strength weakening.

Ideally, before you bring a dog into your life you will have a plan for how you can fit work/life commitments around your dog’s needs. This might be by using friends or family for support, or by hiring a pet professional to come and sit with or walk your dog. 

• Puppy (under 10 weeks): should not be left for long periods, a few minutes at a time.

• Puppy (10 weeks–5 months): ideally should not be left for long periods, slowly build up to 1–2 hours.

• Adolescent dogs (5–18 months): start to build up to 2–4 hours in the daytime.

• Adult (18+ months): 4–6 hours or as long as comfortable, in the daytime.

Is it cruel to leave a dog alone all day?

Dogs are social creatures that thrive on companionship and interaction. Many dogs dislike being left alone for extended periods and may experience distress when left without company or some form of stimulation. Unfortunately, some dogs even struggle with short periods of isolation if they’ve not had the chance to grow confidence or have experienced something negative when alone in the past. In this situation, it’s important to work alongside your vet and an ethical dog behaviour practitioner to support your dog to feel more relaxed when left alone. 

Leaving your dog alone for an entire workday could lead to anxiety, boredom and behavioural challenges. According to the PDSA, “leaving a social species like dogs alone for these longer periods can be detrimental to their welfare”.

Can dogs be left alone at night?

While dogs are naturally crepuscular in sleeping habits – meaning they’re likely to be more active at dawn and dusk – domesticated dogs quite quickly adapt to our patterns and find it easy to sleep overnight for eight hours. While you may notice your dog moves around during these periods of nighttime sleep, they are much less likely to feel uncomfortable being alone overnight as they know you are in the home. There are also a lot less distractions during the night, with most of the human population also resting then.

Our concern for dogs being left alone for longer periods of time, is more focussed on the daylight hours when a dog would habitually be more awake and looking for interaction. 

Can dogs be left alone for eight hours?

An average eight-hour workday, with travel time potentially extending that, is really too long to leave a dog and expect them to feel totally relaxed. During that time, they may need to be let out to the toilet; they may feel bored; experience disturbances at home (such as deliveries); or be hungry for their next meal.

If you’re working away from home and can’t take your dog with you, it really is best to enlist the help of either family or friends, or a trusted pet professional to either walk your dog or to keep them company throughout the day. 

Why some dogs struggle being alone more than others

Our dogs are individual – and just like us, some may struggle with anxiety more than others. There’s also a genetic element to separation challenges, with some breeds of dogs being more prone to struggle with solo time than others, with separation-related challenges occurring “with higher intensity in cooperative breeds”, according to a 2019 study from Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary.

We also know that the age, sex and history of the dog are also relevant. While research does sometimes vary, a study from the University of Waikato in New Zealand found that “dogs seem to develop separation-related behavior problems if they are male, sourced from shelters or found, and separated from the litter before they are 60 days old.”

Identifying separation anxiety in dogs

It’s important to regularly film your dog during periods you’re absent from the home to ensure they’re feeling comfortable. Even if you’re not hearing any barking or seeing other telltale signs such as toileting when they’re alone or destructive chewing, your dog may be exhibiting signs of stress. When watching your dog from a pet camera or recording device, look out for any pacing, panting, lip licking or other physical signs of distress. You might also note that your dog does not eat food when left alone but gobbles it up on your return – a sure sign that they’re uncomfortable with the situation. 

How to prepare your dog for being home alone

Start early with your dog to help them feel comfortable with solo time. Begin by creating some space within your home – leaving them while you go and take a shower, cook a meal or work in another room for short periods of time. Once your dog is happy during brief periods of absence within the home, then you can start to actually leave the house. You might start with just a few minutes while you’re emptying the bins or doing some gardening, then slowly build up the time. At this stage, use a pet camera to watch how your dog is responding, returning immediately to them if they show signs of distress. Finally, when your dog’s emotionally ready you can start to leave completely to visit the shops and eventually go to work or for a meal out. 

Bottom line: leaving your dog alone in the UK

Dogs are highly social animals that can struggle with extended periods of alone time. While there’s no legal limit on how long a dog can be left alone in the UK, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 requires owners to ensure their pets don’t experience distress. The recommended maximum time varies by age, with puppies needing frequent attention and even adult dogs ideally not being left alone for more than four hours. 

Leaving your dog home alone: frequently asked questions

What to do with my dog if I work long hours?

If you’re working for long periods of time, especially out of the house, enlist the help of friends, family or a trusted pet sitter to help exercise or to come and visit your dog.

Do dogs get lonely when left alone?

Dogs are social creatures by nature and can struggle with alone time due to missing the companionship of humans. Not all dogs will act in the same way, and some may even enjoy some solo time. It’s important to film your dog regularly to check they’re feeling comfortable emotionally when home alone.

How long can you leave a dog in a crate?

While a crate can help some dogs to feel more comfortable when they’re at home alone, they do restrict their movements which could cause issues particularly for growing puppies or older dogs who might have physical ailments. Stick to the maximum four hour rule of leaving dogs, ideally without them having to return to the crate after your return. It’s also important to ensure dogs left in a crate still have access to water; something that is all the more important on warm days. 

Can I leave my dog on its own for three days when on holiday?

No. Definitely don’t do this. Welfare organisations recommend a maximum of four hours of alone time for dogs at any one time. Leaving your dog for three days would not allow them access to companionship, stimulation, fresh food or water – as well as access to toilet and exercise.

Is it against the law to leave a dog home alone?

While it isn’t against the law to leave a dog home alone, leaving your dog for extended periods of time can be cruel to them, not to mention you could be in breach of the Animal Welfare Act of 2006 if your dog is deemed to be distressed when you leave them. You could also have issues from a noise perspective if your dog performs prolonged periods of barking that disturb your neighbours.

Resources

Participation, Expert. “ Animal Welfare Act 2006.” Legislation.Gov.Uk, Statute Law Database. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

“ PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report 2024.” PDSA. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Appleby, D., et al. “ Separation-Related Behaviour Indicates the Effect of Functional Breed Selection in Dogs (Canis Familiaris).” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Elsevier, 29 Sept. 2019.

Sargisson, Rebecca J. “ Canine Separation Anxiety: Strategies for Treatment and Management: VMRR.” Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports, Dove Press, 30 Oct. 2014.