Quite a common question most pet parents have is – how long can you leave a Boykin Spaniel alone? You might also wonder if your house is pet-friendly and whether your pets can take care of themselves properly when you’re not home.
Read this article to know how long you can leave a Boykin Spaniel alone.
Boykin Spaniel – Overview
The Boykin Spaniel is a very new and unusual breed whose ancestors include the Chesapeake Bay Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel, and American Water Spaniel.
South Carolina hunters created this breed as it was the perfect dog for hunting turkeys. The American Kennel Club formally recognized the Boykin Spaniel in 2009.
They are an energetic, all-American, medium-sized breed of dog. Even though they were mostly known for their hunting abilities, it has recently been discovered that they make good family dogs.
These spaniels make active companions who are highly clever, eager to please, and playful. As long as they get adequate exercise, they are excellent household pets and hunters and are good in behavior, speed, and retrieval activities.
You can recognize the breed by its stunning, solid-brown coat. Rich liver to decadent chocolate is just a few of the colors. Their big cheeks and fluffy ears create an image of soulful intellect.
Can They Be Left Alone?
Boykin Spaniels are highly devoted and often develop strong attachments to their pet parents.
This breed is known for effortlessly bonding with its family, which is a significant plus for many owners but also means that they aren’t the best dogs to leave alone on a routine basis.
They are not the best dog if you work long hours and are frequently away from home because they crave attention from their owners. They often develop separation anxiety if they are alone for an extended period. They might start gnawing on furniture and barking uncontrollably.
How Long Can Boykin Spaniel Be Left Alone?
Boykin Spaniels are independent dogs who occasionally don’t mind being alone.
They can be left alone for three to five hours if they are crated and given fun toys. Be sure to give them plenty of exercise before putting them in crates.
Are They Good Indoor Dogs?
Boykin Spaniels can make ideal indoor pets if there is enough room to burn off energy. They can do better in apartments because they are a higher-energy breed.
Since they are amiable, devoted, and kind, being indoors with their families makes them the happiest. A Boykin Spaniel, however, is not content to live indoors alone. When we say “indoor-only,” we mean a dog who doesn’t go outside other than for walks or jogs with its owners.
Boykin Spaniels have tremendous amounts of energy that cannot be fulfilled by short periods of rigorous exercise. They have incredible stamina because they were developed to hunt in fields for long periods.
As we stated above, they should only live in apartments if their owners are committed to meeting their exercise needs and have the time and freedom to take them for walks and runs whenever they need to burn off some energy.
Temperament and Personality
The medium-sized brown dog embodies the best traits of the spaniel breed: the capacity to flush and retrieve, the eagerness to work, the appealing drooping ears, and the amiable wagging tail.
The temperament of a Boykin Spaniel is typically described as being gentle, inquisitive, amiable, and loveable.
This energetic small dog thrives on accomplishing chores, has all-day energy, and is highly docile, enthusiastic, and quick to follow instructions. It is a friendly dog by nature. Adult Boykin Spaniels get along well with other dog breeds and pets.
The Boykin Spaniel puppies enjoy playing with kids and thrive on companionship and acceptance. However, these dogs do not enjoy being entertained by clumsy children.
They adapt to many situations if given a chance to interact with people and release surplus energy. Despite being friendly and attentive, this breed is not an excellent watchdog. They only bark when someone is approaching the house or when they hear something out of the ordinary.
At What Age Do Boykin Spaniels Calm Down?
Boykin Spaniels are fun-loving and playful dogs for most of their lives. They may vary with their maturity progression, but most settle into adulthood around 2-4 years of age.
Do They Have Separation Anxiety?
Many dogs suffer from anxiety, which is a common mental condition, and they are most frequently affected by separation anxiety. While nervousness in Boykin Spaniel puppies is likely to be widespread, there are a variety of other plausible causes for concern in these dogs.
It’s also important to note that a neglected or abused dog will likely experience more severe anxiety symptoms.
Dogs get separation anxiety when their owners are gone for a long period. Since smaller dogs are frequently bred as companion pets rather than working dogs for their families, they often experience separation anxiety more than larger dogs.
Boykin Spaniel dogs often don’t suffer separation anxiety as much as other dogs do because they are raised to hunt and provide other services for their people.
This could change, though, as they have incredibly loyal, people-focused personalities. If they are frequently left alone, they may experience separation anxiety, typically shown by biting, digging, and strained barking.
Training Your Pet How To Be Alone
You must first teach your dog that it is okay to be left alone at home and that they can manage on their own. It will be simpler when you actually need to leave the house if you practice doing this more often before you need to.
The crate is essential for helping your Boykin spaniel puppy feel secure when being left alone for a while. However, you must first adapt your puppy to the crate before leaving them there.
Introduce “alone time” in your puppy’s crate if they are already accustomed to it while you are still in the house. The best time to practice this is naptime when they are most relaxed.
Place their box in your house where there is less activity, so they can unwind. Create a relaxed setting where your puppy will feel at ease and peacefully exit the room, draw the curtains, turn down the lights, play some gentle music, and drape the front and sides of their crate with a sheet.
If your dog whines when left alone, you may have started training too early, and they still need to develop a solid positive link with their space, or you may have left them alone for too long.
Keep in mind that letting them out repeatedly will just reinforce screaming and wailing. Instead, take a step back and reduce the amount of time they are alone, rewarding them when they do so without interruption.
When your puppy can confidently handle extended periods alone, you can stop using the crate or other enclosed room and gradually allow them access to a more significant part of the house every time you leave.
Conclusion
Now is an excellent time to begin training your pet at home before going back to work or university.
Doing this can prevent your puppy from experiencing separation anxiety and eventually allow them complete access to your home while you’re away once they are potty trained and prepared.
Remember, you can leave your Boykin spaniel for a short time, a maximum of three to five hours. But if you are going on a vacation, leave them in the care of a dog sitter.
We hope this article helped you know about Boykin Spaniels and how long they should be left alone.
