Can a golden Retriever be left alone?
Every dog owner would love to be with his Golden Retriever all the time and take him everywhere. Unfortunately, this is not always possible because we have a doctor’s appointment or have to work and sometimes the dog has to stay at home. But can a Golden Retriever be left alone and for how long?
A Golden Retriever can be left alone for 4 to 6 hours without any problems if you get him used to it slowly. In exceptional cases it can be 8 hours, but not longer. However, this should not be the case every day. No dog should be left alone for that long every day.
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Can a Golden Retriever stay alone?
If you have already decided before buying a Golden Retriever that he will have to stay alone more often, you might ask yourself if the purchase makes sense or if a Golden Retriever can stay alone.
A Golden Retriever can be left alone for 4 to 6 hours without any problems, as long as you get him used to it sensibly and slowly.
Of course, there are exceptions. Some dogs simply cannot stay alone for long no matter how carefully and diligently they have been trained.
If you spend every free minute with him from puppyhood because you don’t have a job or other appointments you can’t take him to, it will be difficult later when you need to.
Your Golden Retriever may suffer from separation anxiety because he has never been separated from you.
Can a Golden Retriever be left alone for 8 hours?
In exceptional cases a Golden Retriever can stay alone for 8 hours. In my opinion, however, it should be the absolute exception and not the rule.
No dog should be left alone for 8 hours a day. Dogs are social creatures that need contact with other dogs or humans to be happy.
Of course it happens to us from time to time. For example, when we go to a party our dogs are sometimes alone for 8 hours because we can not take them with us.
Another reason why a Golden Retriever should not stay alone for 8 hours is because he might need to go out more often.
Quite simply, if your Goldie has trouble holding his urine and has to go out every 5 hours, he can’t be left alone for 8 hours.
Puppies need to go out more often and need a pee break. As your Golden Retriever gets older, it can also cause them to need to go out more often.
However, a healthy adult Golden Retriever should be able to easily handle 8 to 10 hours.
We take our dogs out in the evening at about 10 pm and then again in the morning at 6 or 7 am. On weekends this can also be 8 or 9 o’clock. So that’s 8 – 10 hours.
Since they didn’t whine until then, they would last longer.
When our dogs need to go out, they usually stand at the door and make their presence known.
At what age can a lGolden Retriever be left alone?
You can’t say exactly when you can leave a Golden Retriever puppy alone. It depends on how quickly and well he gets used to the situation.
When you get your puppy he is between 8 and 10 weeks old. In the first 2 weeks your puppy should not be left alone.
You have just torn your Goldie from his familiar environment, separated from his mother and siblings.
He must now get used to the new environment, to you and your family and possibly to other pets.
For this reason, it is definitely advisable to take time off when moving in the puppy to ensure that someone is always at home.
Otherwise you may provoke separation anxiety and have other problems later.
When you feel that your Golden Retriever puppy has arrived and is comfortable, you can slowly, step by step, get him used to being left alone.
Getting your Golden Retriever used to being left alone
You must proceed very slowly if you want to get your Golden Retriever puppy used to being alone.
No special training is required. Just integrate it into your daily routine. The following has worked very well for us.
- Leave the room you are in with your puppy. Close the door and go back after 1-2 seconds. Repeat this a few times throughout the day. This way your Golden Retriever puppy will see that you keep coming back.
- Gradually increase the absence duration. First 2 seconds, then 10, 20, and so on. As soon as your puppy starts crying, take another step back.
- If you can leave the room without any problems, go one step further and leave the house for a short time, for example, to get the mail.
- Gradually, you increase the length of absence here as well. From 1 – 2 minutes to 15 minutes and so on.
Note: ALWAYS avoid big goodbyes and greetings when you return. Both in training and later.
Your Golden Retriever should learn that it is normal to be left alone and that you will always come back.
If you want to be sure that your Golden Retriever is really calm and relaxed when he is alone, you can watch him with a dog camera.
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Even if he doesn’t bark all the time, he may be restless and walk around the apartment for hours.
Support your Golden Retriever to stay alone
The following tricks can and should be used to make it easier for your Golden Retriever to be left alone and not to make it unnecessarily difficult.
If you have to leave your Golden Retriever alone for an extended period of time, make sure he goes for a walk and does his business beforehand.
A Golden Retriever needs a lot of exercise. If your Goldie is basically physically exercised, there’s a good chance he’ll be cozy in his dog bed.
Give your Golden Retriever a special toy or chewing article for the time he has to be left alone, which he finds great. The toy should be given only when he is alone.
Put a worn t-shirt of yours in his dog bed. Your smell can calm him down when he really doesn’t like to be left alone.
Consequences if your Golden Retriever has to be left alone for too long
There are always dogs that just can’t stay alone. No matter how well you train it. The consequences can be many and varied.
- Your Golden Retriever can become aggressive if he often has to stay alone for too long.
- Your Goldie can pee in the house or on the couch again.
- Your Golden Retriever walks restless and stressed through the apartment. In the long run, this can have a negative effect on his health.
Frequently asked questions:
How smart are Golden Retrievers?
The Golden Retriever is very smart. He belongs to the most intelligent dogs at all. In a study he occupies the fourth place.
Are Golden Retrievers easy to train?
The Golden Retriever is relatively easy to train thanks to its intelligence and its will to please its owners.
Why does my Golden Retriever attack other dogs?
The Golden Retriever is basically not known for aggression. However, lack of socialization or too little exercise can cause your Golden Retriever to attack other dogs.
Conclusion: How long can a Golden Retriever stay alone?
A Golden Retriever can usually stay alone between 4 and 6 hours. The prerequisite is that he is accustomed slowly and sensibly. In exceptional cases, even 8 hours are possible. But this should not be the rule for any dog.
Zacarias da Mata-stock.adobe.com (Contributing image)
