Bringing any animal home is a huge responsibility, and bringing a Pug home means you need someone to be with your little friend most of the time. Before you decide to give a Pug a forever home, it’s important to know that this breed craves attention. The Pug enjoys getting to know its pet parents and being their friend. While you can leave a Pug alone, it’s not recommended to leave it alone for a long time. So, how long can you leave your little Pug at home alone? We’ll answer that question and more below.
How Long Can You Leave Your Pug Home Alone?
The decision of how long you can safely leave a Pug home alone has been debated for quite some time. Some feel you shouldn’t leave this companion dog home alone for over 4 hours. Others think it’s all right to leave your little Pug home for 6 to 8 hours at a time, which is what most working people are gone for anyway.
However, no matter what type of pet you have, if you’re never home, that pet isn’t going to get the attention and time it deserves. While some owners say that Pugs can be left alone for 8 hours or more, it’s not recommended if you want your little friend to be content and happy. It’s better to follow the 4-hour rule if you want your Pug to develop into a well-behaved canine. Pugs shouldn’t be left alone for more than 1 hour when they’re puppies since they need more bathroom breaks.
In fact, there are said to be a few dangers that come with leaving a Pug alone for very long. We’ll talk about a few of those dangers now.
Pitfalls Of Leaving Your Pug Alone for Too Long
Leaving your Pug home alone for a couple of hours is one thing; leaving them for 8 to 12 hours or longer can lead to pitfalls you, as a pet parent, don’t want to deal with.
Boredom Barking
When your Pug gets lonely, it will start getting bored. A bored Pug tends to bark quite a lot. Anger in your Pug will show itself in barking or biting. If no one is there to bite, the dog will start barking, which may make your neighbors very unhappy.
Separation Anxiety
Pugs suffer from separation anxiety when away from their pet parents, to begin with. Leaving your dog alone for hours at a time can cause separation anxiety, resulting in your pet becoming destructive. Other signs that your Pug suffers from separation anxiety include nipping, biting, chewing, and urinating in inappropriate places.
Destructive Behavior
A Pug that is left alone for too long can become destructive. You could come home to your throw pillows chewed up in the middle of the floor or your Pug sitting in the middle of what used to be your couch cushions. The monetary loss from chewed furniture, remote controls, and electrical cables is frustrating enough, but your Pug could also harm itself by chewing toxic plants, swallowing couch stuffing that causes an obstruction, or ingesting a poisonous chemical.
Final Thoughts
Pugs are adorable, wrinkly pets that can experience separation anxiety easily if left alone for too long. Since they become so attached to their owners, leaving a Pug alone for more than 4 hours is not a good idea. However, that isn’t easy when you work 8 hours a day.
Some owners can come home for lunch to let their Pugs out, but those who can’t hire dog sitters to walk and feed their pups. Luckily, the Pug is a great traveling partner for road trips. Some airlines prohibit Pugs from flying in the cargo hold because of their short snouts, but they’re the perfect size for traveling in a car, truck, or van.
Featured Image Credit: Iryna Kalamurza, Shutterstock
