• Pets KB

The very fact that you're searching for this article and have finally arrived here suggests to me one major thing - that you are concerned about the potential welfare of your Goodle. So, for this - I just want to say 'thanks'. There are many, many people who would blindly buy any dog breed and then worry about the small matters of what happens when you need to go out for long periods of time. You see, the thing is - this is not a small matter. It can become a big issue not just for you but (more importantly) for your dog in a very short time if their welfare isn't considered. There are undoubtedly many breeds of dog that handle time alone better than others, but what about the Goldendoodle? Can Goldendoodles be left alone? The Goldendoodle is not a dog that should be left alone for long periods of time. Like most dogs, it can suffer from separation anxiety which can lead to further complications. Why you shouldn't leave the Goldendoodle alone You should not leave the Goldendoodle alone for a long period of time (more than a couple of hours) without serious consideration of its mental state. I will make some assumptions as to your knowledge of the Goldendoodle as you've made it to this question, but as you know - they are a breed that is highly sociable. They are at their best when you are with them, you are its life and without you they don't have one. The Goodle may suffer from separation anxiety in a relatively short amount of time. This is a problem that can manifest in many ways (see below) but if the root cause isn't identified (in this case that would be simple) it can actually lead to some more serious health conditions. By leaving a Goldendoodle alone for long periods of time, and often, there is risk of changing its personality. If you know one of these dogs then you will also know that is something you desperately want to avoid! What might the Goldendoodle do if you decide to leave them alone? The initial, and most obvious indication that something is not right may well be the state of your home when you come back home after leaving your Goldendoodle alone for a few hours. There are several things that could happen, but the most common are: Destructive personality traits This typically includes chewing on anything within your home that can be chewed. Carpets, sofas, doors - you name it, if it's in reach - they will give it a go. They may also attempt to 'dig', which is fine if they're outside - in your living room this isn't so good. The result of this (apart from making a mess of your home) can be self-injury to your dog, including damaged paws and broken teeth. What you will notice is that behavior doesn't ever happen when you're around - only when you've left them alone! Excessive barking Now as you probably know, the Goldendoodle isn't typically a dog that makes a lot of noise. In fact, it's only when they've been surprised by perhaps the postman or someone at the door that they'll start barking. You may be notified by your neighbors that your dog has been making a lot of noise whilst you're out. They may bark or howl when you are not there with them and again, this is a behavior that only occurs when you leave them alone. If you don't have neighbors and need to know if this is happening, invest in a indoor security camera. They're pretty cheap these days and you can see what's going on remotely using your phone - more on this below. Pacing around your home Again, this is something you will only know that they're doing if you have remote surveillance. This is a typically by-product of separation anxiety where your Goodle will pace around and around the same path continually. Going to the toilet inside Another symptom of separation anxiety is defecating and urinating inside. Note that if this behavior also occurs when you are at home with them then it is most likely not related to being left alone. This is obviously quite an unpleasant thing to come home to and it's easy to initially get cross with your dog when you discover it. As you know, this really doesn't help and will only exacerbate the situation. Attempting to escape Your dog, if left alone for long periods of time may try and escape. This may be hard to spot but may manifest in chewing around windows or doors as they look for a way out of their 'prison'. Again, self-injury is possible and if you notice bleeding from the mouth (due to teeth damage) or problems when they walk (due to damage to their paws) this may be the reason. However, you'll probably also notice the damage to the doors and/or windows. If this is only related to separation anxiety, like most of the above symptoms, it will only occur when they are left alone. What are your options if you need to leave the Goodle alone? Sometimes, life gets in the way of things and we just have to leave the home for a period of time. If this is a one-off or very infrequent, it shouldn't do any harm as long as they are not left for more than a few hours. If a spell out of the house for longer than this is required, in the best interests of your Goldendoodle, there are some things you should consider. Neighbors / Friends Is there anyone you know (who likes dogs) that would be prepared to dog-sit just for a few hours. Although your Goldendoodle won't have as close bonds with them as they do with you, this will remove the risk of separation anxiety whilst you're away. Just having someone there so they know they haven't been left alone and will make a bit of a fuss of them, play with them and give them something to eat is the best option available to you. Crating Initially, I was never a fan of doing this. Before I really understood about crating I just imagined how I would feel being kept in this confined space for a period of time. However, I then started researching it and of course dogs don't see things the same way that we do. If a dog is crated it can actually get a sense of security from it and they feel safe. Most dogs would 'prefer' to be crated for a few hours than be left alone in a home. You do need to consider what type of crate to get. I'm not here to sell you anything and by all means, do your own research, but if you'd like an example of what I would recommend I would take a look at this over at Amazon (opens in a new tab). It's large enough for your Goldendoodle and I've always liked ones that have all the sides apart from one covered - this really helps to make them feel secure. Webcam Having a webcam certainly isn't an answer to your problems but it can complement the solution. Particularly if you're just popping our for 30 mins or an hour or so, you can remotely view what's going on in your home on your phone. Not only that, but I mentioned earlier that your dog can start howling and/or barking when left alone. Using remote surveillance you will be able to see if they are doing this. Another feature to look for in a webcam is therefore two-way audio, so not only will you be able to hear what's going on at home but you will have the ability to talk to them. If you're only going to be gone for a short period of time then simply calming them down remotely may give you a bit of breathing space. If you'd like an idea of what to get, check this one out (also over at Amazon) - it has great reviews for a reason. Conclusion - can Goldendoodles be left alone? Thanks again for searching for this and getting this far. Hopefully, I've made it clear that the Goldendoodle is not a dog that likes to be left alone. In fact, it's not unique here as there are very few dogs that cope well with being left alone and I can honestly say that there are no dogs that enjoy being left without human interaction. The very best solution is to keep someone with them and failing that (assuming you won't be leaving them for more than two or three hours) is to consider crating them. Please also don't think that just because you have other pets (particularly a cat) that it's okay to therefore leave them alone. They may get along great whilst you're there but they shouldn't really be left alone together for long periods of time.