Can you leave an English springer spaniel alone at home? Before adopting any dog, there are many things to consider. For example, if you leave home for work, you need a dog that can stay home alone without separation anxiety. So, can English springer spaniels be left alone?
You can leave an English springer spaniel alone for a limited time. However, to do so, you must train your dog adequately and ensure it has plenty of things to keep busy with when you’re away. Puppies and older dogs have bladder control issues, so you can’t leave them alone for too long.
While you can leave an English springer spaniel alone for some time, you cannot do so without proper training and preparation. We will discuss how to prepare an English springer spaniel to stay alone at home and what are some problems people face when leaving their English springer spaniels alone at home.
Can You Leave An English Springer Spaniel Alone?
Some dogs suffer terribly from separation anxiety when left alone, while others adjust to being alone just fine. English springer spaniel falls somewhere in the middle. You can leave an English springer spaniel at home for a while.
However, if you don’t prepare your English springer spaniel before leaving them alone for the first time, they can develop separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is bad for a dog’s health and can cause various problems. Signs that your English springer spaniel has separation anxiety are:
- Constant barking when you are away
- Howling
- Drooling
- Crying
- Destructive behavior
For these reasons, it’s crucial to train your English springer spaniel to be left alone. Once trained, you can leave them alone for about eight hours, but we don’t recommend leaving them alone for an entire day or longer. You might also wonder if it’s best to leave your English springer spaniel indoors or outside?
Can You Leave An English Springer Spaniel Alone Indoors?
You can only leave an English springer spaniel indoors if it has been appropriately trained. Leaving a puppy or older dog alone indoors can lead to accidental spills inside.
Puppies don’t have complete control over their bladders until they are six months old. Older dogs lose control of their bladders and are more prone to leaking accidents. Therefore, you cannot leave puppies or older dogs alone at home for too long.
Leaving an English springer spaniel alone at home is not without risk, as it can get bored or anxious and then become destructive. Therefore, if you want to leave your English springer spaniel alone indoors, it needs plenty of activities to keep occupied without becoming destructive.
Ensure their food and water are filled before leaving so your English springer spaniel doesn’t get hungry or thirsty. Also, remove any temptations from your dog’s reach, making them less inclined to get up to trouble while alone.
Can You Leave An English Springer Spaniel Alone Outside?
English springer spaniels are highly active dogs and require tons of stimulation. Therefore, you might be tempted to leave your English springer spaniel outside when you leave home. This is acceptable. However, you must ensure that your English springer spaniel is safe when left outside.
For example, ensure the fence is secure and high enough that your English springer spaniel won’t jump over it. Also, ensure there is a shelter for your English springer spaniel if it rains or in case of extreme heat. Then, you should also be certain that there is fresh water and food for your English springer spaniel.
In addition to ensuring your dog is safe, you must leave some toys or fun things for your English springer spaniel to do while you are away. A ball, rope, or plush toy is a great way to keep your English springer spaniel entertained while you are away.
You can also leave a chew stick, puzzle ball, or swing ball for your dog to play with when you are not home. Although your English springer spaniel will have more to do if you leave it outside, you still need to prepare your dog to stay home alone for extended periods.
Teaching An English Springer Spaniel To Stay Home Alone
You cannot just leave an English springer spaniel alone at home for eight hours without preparing it first. Doing so will undoubtedly lead to your dog getting separation anxiety which can cause destructive behavior and bad habits.
Therefore, you must prepare your English springer spaniel before leaving it alone for the first time. These are some tips to leave your dog alone at home successfully.
1. Stimulate Your English Springer Spaniel Before Leaving
If your English springer spaniel is tired when you leave, there is a smaller chance that it will get bored and chew on things it isn’t supposed to. Therefore, play with your English springer spaniel before leaving home, so it’s tired and calm.
However, if you leave home in the early morning, your English springer spaniel may still be sleeping or barely awake. In this case, try not to excite your dog and instead leave home without stimulating it too much.
2. Start With Short Periods
When training your English springer spaniel puppy to stay home alone, you should first start by leaving it for short periods. For example, leave it alone for five minutes and see how it reacts. When your puppy doesn’t cry or howl after five minutes, you can increase the time it stays alone at home.
Gradually increase the time your English springer spaniel stays home until you can leave it at home for several hours without incident. We recommend increasing the time you leave your puppy home by one hour for every month it’s old.
3. Reward Your English Springer Spaniel
When you start leaving your English springer spaniel alone at home, reward it when you return, and it has been good. You can do this with a snack, a belly rub, or playtime. This will assure your English springer spaniel that your reason for leaving wasn’t a result of their bad behavior.
If you decide to give your English springer spaniel a treat when you return, you will have to do so every time you return home. This means keeping treats in your car to give your English springer spaniel.
4. Ensure Your Dog Has Everything Needed
As mentioned, you must ensure that your English springer spaniel has fresh water, food, shelter, and toys before leaving. This will help them stay calm and be happy when you leave, and they will have everything needed until you return.
5. Don’t Overexcite Your Dog When Leaving Or Returning
Finally, many recommend exiting your home calmly and entering it the same way. By doing so, your English springer spaniel won’t see your leaving as a significant event worth getting upset about. This will help to keep it calm and peaceful until your return.
Conclusion
English springer spaniels can be left alone at home for a few hours. However, before doing so, you must train and prepare your dog. You can leave an English spaniel indoors or outside if you prepare everything it will need while you are away. Ensure there is enough food, water, shelter, and playthings for your English springer spaniel while you are away.
