As much as you’d love to do so, you can’t always take your Beagle along when you leave home. Figuring out what to do with your dog while you’re gone can be a challenge. Will your Beagle be safe in the house? Can you leave them loose, or will they get into trouble? Experts recommend that adult Beagles shouldn’t be left unsupervised for longer than 4–6 hours at a time. Puppies under 18 months of age shouldn’t be left for more than 2 hours. Let’s look at what you need to consider when leaving your dog alone in the house.
How Long Can My Beagle Be Alone?
While there are many different opinions on the subject, most experts agree that adult Beagles shouldn’t be left unsupervised for longer than 4–6 hours at a time. Puppies under 18 months of age shouldn’t be left for more than 2 hours. When they are left alone for longer than this, it can lead to separation anxiety and destructive behavior. Here are a few guidelines for leaving your Beagle at home at any age.
Puppies Under 18 Months of Age
Just like you must train your pup to sit, lie down, and potty outside, you have to train them to be alone. This should start as young as possible by ensuring that your Beagle pup has a safe space to be.
Many owners choose to crate-train their Beagle puppies. This is a great way to get a jump start on potty training, and it gives your puppy a safe space to be alone where they don’t feel threatened. You can also use the crate as a place for your Beagle to be when you are out of the house. It’s a good idea to gradually build on the amount of time that they are left alone as they get more comfortable.
If you’re not crate training, you can use a separate room or closed-off playpen area to leave your puppy. When left alone, puppies with too much space to roam have a tendency to get into trouble. A small closed-off space will make them feel more secure.
8–12 weeks: Puppies can be left alone for periods of 15–60 minutes at this age. They may cry or whine when you leave the house. This can be upsetting, but remember that you are training them to be alone for long periods in the future. Typically, puppies this young need the bathroom about every hour, so make sure you are back for potty time.
3–6 months: Your pup can be left alone for 1–2 hours at a time. By now, they should be used to staying alone in their crate or their room for short periods.
6–18 months: At this age, your Beagle can be left home alone for up to 4 hours at a time. Leave their favorite toy or something to chew on in their safe place. The more they practice being alone, the better they will be at it.
Puppies still need to use the bathroom more often than adult dogs at this age, but they can hold it for about 4 hours.
Image By: Joao Kermdec, Shutterstock
Adult Beagles
You can leave your adult Beagle home alone for up to 4–6 hours at a time. If you need to leave your dog for most of the day while you go to work, it’s best to have someone let them outside for a midday potty break. If you’ve trained your dog to feel safe while alone, they should have no trouble being alone for this long.
Older dogs that aren’t used to being home alone may have to be trained like puppies. The best thing to do if you are adopting an older dog is to start from the beginning. Leave them in a safe space for short periods, starting with 15 minutes and gradually building up the time.
Can Beagles Be Left Outside?
Beagles should not live outside full-time. They are social dogs that thrive on interacting with their family members. Dogs that lack enough interaction can become destructive, bored, anxious, and depressed. If you work for long hours, consider hiring a dog walker or taking your Beagle to doggy daycare, so they get interaction and attention while you’re at work.
Image By: Masarik, Shutterstock
Beagles and Separation Anxiety
Beagles aren’t dogs that do well being left alone for extended time periods. It is crucial that they get enough social interaction, as they are prone to developing separation anxiety. This can manifest in destructive behavior like chewing, howling, and barking.
There are a few things that you can do to ease separation anxiety for your Beagle:
Leave a favorite toy or chew.
Crate train your Beagle, or make sure they have a safe spot to go when they’re afraid.
Ensure that your dog has had plenty of exercise before you leave home.
Hire a dog walker to check in on your Beagle during the day.
Beagles can be trained to be home alone for periods of time. They are a breed prone to separation anxiety, though, so they shouldn’t be left alone for longer than 6 hours at a time as adult dogs. Giving your dog a safe space and making sure they get enough exercise will help alleviate boredom. If you need to leave your Beagle home for extended periods, we recommend utilizing a dog walker or doggy daycare to ensure that your dog gets adequate bathroom breaks and the social interaction that they need to thrive.
Chelsie is a freelance writer who is passionate about helping owners and pets live their best lives. She resides in rural Alberta, Canada with her husband and two sons, and is currently a pet parent to four horses, four cats, and a border collie.
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
