You may have heard that English springer spaniels can be left alone for some time. But does this mean you can leave your English springer spaniel alone for an entire workday? If not, how long can an English springer spaniel be left alone?
You can train your English springer spaniel to be left alone for up to eight hours. Therefore, you can leave your dog alone for a workday. However, don’t leave an English springer spaniel alone overnight. You must train and prepare your English springer spaniel before leaving it alone at first.
Leaving your English springer spaniel alone is crucial as you’ll have to do some at some point. Therefore, you should train your English springer spaniel to be alone so it doesn’t feel anxious when you do so. We’ll discuss how long you can leave your English springer spaniel alone and how to prepare your dog to stay home alone.
How Long Can You Leave An English Springer Spaniel Alone?
Whether your work from home or have an office job from 9 to 5, sooner or later, your English springer spaniel will have to stay at home alone. This can be a stressful experience for your dog, especially if it hasn’t been trained.
With preparation and training, you can eventually leave your English springer spaniel alone for eight hours. Therefore, you can leave it alone for a workday. However, we don’t recommend leaving your English springer spaniel alone overnight, as this can cause separation anxiety and distress.
It’s important to start training your English springer spaniel while it is still a puppy. This will make the transition seamless if you must leave it alone at home. Note that puppies and elderly dogs don’t have good bladder control and cannot be left alone for long periods without incident.
How Long Can An English Springer Spaniel Puppy Be Alone?
While you should start training your English springer spaniel to be left alone from the time it is a puppy, you cannot simply leave a puppy alone for eight hours. You must start slow. First, leave the puppy alone in a playpen for five minutes.
When your puppy gets used to this and starts playing alone without getting upset, you can leave the room for a few minutes. Then, as your puppy adjusts to being alone, you can start to leave it alone for more extended periods. We recommend leaving it alone for one additional hour every month it gets older.
For example, if you start to train your puppy at three months old, you can leave it alone for one hour at four months, two hours at five months, and so forth. Leaving an English springer spaniel puppy alone for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience for you and the puppy. However, with the proper training and preparation, your English springer spaniel will learn to be alone without any problems.
Training An English Springer Spaniel To Be Home Alone
Regardless of the age at which you adopt your English springer spaniel, there will be some preparation and training before leaving your dog alone at home. First, suppose you practice leaving your English springer spaniel home alone correctly. In that case, they can learn to stay alone without causing problems.
Patience is crucial when starting to leave your English springer spaniel home alone. If they react badly at the beginning, you shouldn’t punish them. Instead, regress to the previous stage of the training where they did well and start again from there.
As your English springer spaniel becomes adjusted to spending time alone, you can start to leave it alone for more extended periods, leading up to a full day’s work. Here are some tips for leaving your English springer spaniel home alone.
1. Ensure Your Dog Has Everything It Needs
Before leaving your English springer spaniel alone for the first time, you must ensure that it has everything needed for the time you are away. This includes clean water, enough food, shelter or a bed, toys, and other comfort items your dog needs.
2. Don’t Overstimulate Your Dog When Leaving
The biggest mistake many make when training to leave their dog home alone is making the dog anxious every time they leave. When leaving your home, simply place your English springer spaniel where it needs to stay. Do so calmly and in a relaxed voice. This will assure your English springer spaniel that there isn’t anything to be anxious about.
3. Reward Your Dog When Returning Home
Remember to praise your dog when your return home if it has been good. For example, if your dog hasn’t made a mess in the house, or if it hasn’t chewed anything it wasn’t supposed to. In this case, give your English springer spaniel a treat or play with it for a while to reward its good behavior. By doing so, your English springer spaniel is also assured that staying alone isn’t a bad thing.
4. Ensure Your Dog Has Plenty Of Activities
To keep your English springer spaniel busy while you are away, you must ensure that they have enough activities to keep them busy. For example, a puzzle ball, swing ball, or rope are great activities to keep your dog entertained while away. You can also add new toys once in a while to keep your English springer spaniel stimulated.
5. Decide If You Want To Leave Your Dog Inside Or Outside
If your English springer spaniel has everything it needs, you can leave it inside or outside. Leaving it outside is better if your backyard is secure because it will have more things to do and a bigger area to play in. However, when leaving your dog outside, it must have shelter from the heat and cold.
What If My English Springer Spaniel Gets Anxious?
Sometimes, regardless of how well you prepare your English springer spaniel to stay home alone, it just doesn’t adapt well. It may cause separation anxiety or become destructive whenever you leave your dog home. Just like people, dogs also have different personalities, and it’s possible that your English springer spaniel just isn’t used to being home alone.
In this case, you must consider other options than leaving your English springer spaniel home alone. For example, you can take it to doggy daycare when you go to work. Doggy daycare centers allow you to leave your dog there during the day.
Although these centers are expensive, they offer your dog plenty of stimulation. Your English springer spaniel will also socialize with other dogs. Taking your English springer spaniel to doggy daycare is a great way to prevent it from becoming lonely.
Conclusion
You can train your English springer spaniel to stay home alone for up to eight hours. However, when training a puppy, start by first leaving it alone for a few minutes and progress from there. You must ensure that your English springer spaniel has everything it needs to stay home alone, including shelter, food, water, and toys.
