What's the longest you leave your yorkie home alone?

[Nikkilovespink]

I'm just curious. I've heard that they're one of the breeds you shouldn't leave at home alone for more than an hour or so? What do you guys think?

[Britster]

What?! lol. No, people have to have a life too, and a thing called work. lol. I've never ever heard you should only leave this breed alone for 1 hour. That would be a little crazy.

Sure, some days he may be only left alone for an hour because I had nothing else to do, but in general, he's alone right now on average for about 4 hours. I have left him alone for up to 8 hours though and he does fine. But 6 hours is what I personally like to leave him alone the longest for.

[yorkieusa]

Originally Posted by Britster

What?! lol. No, people have to have a life too, and a thing called work. lol. I've never ever heard you should only leave this breed alone for 1 hour. That would be a little crazy.

Sure, some days he may be only left alone for an hour because I had nothing else to do, but in general, he's alone right now on average for about 4 hours. I have left him alone for up to 8 hours though and he does fine. But 6 hours is what I personally like to leave him alone the longest for.

Kacee goes into work with me, so she's spoiled rotten.

[Nikkilovespink]

Yeah. That's what I thought. I was like what! Lol Harlow is left alone for about four hours a day while I'm at school and when I heard that stupid one hour thing I was like, that can't be right! Lol

[Winston08]

I agree...and hour is pretty unrealistic. When it was just my 2 yr old I would leave him alone for around 6 hours (I just feel bad, I'm sure he can go 8+). But now that I have a new little 4 month old furbaby, I only leave them alone as long as she can hold her bladder (1 hour for every month + 1 hour), so we are up to 5 hours.

[anniez69]

"I am a foster volunteer for Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue. I have owned dogs my entire life, but now my lifestyle does not seem the best to "own" a dog. Therefore, I foster. I am wondering if my emotions are getting in the way of having a loyal companion. How do you feel about a single working person living alone owning a dog that is home alone all day? I feel guilty and that is why I have not kept one of these shelter dogs for myself. Should someone in my position not own a dog? I want what is best for the animal.
Carol Kersting

Valencia, CA


There are a lot of people in your position. They have to go to work all day and then come back home. If everyone felt guilty about it, almost nobody in America would have a dog!
My suggestion is fall in love with a dog that doesn't require a lot of physical challenges, because those are the dogs that are going to suffer not seeing someone for ten hours. Knowing this, you don't have to feel guilty anymore, because now you will have a dog that can adapt to your lifestyle.
But I believe everybody should have a dog, especially when you love them. Fostering a dog is out of love; you don't make money fostering dogs. I would never deprive myself of having a great relationship with a dog. I would never be alone, because that's just not part of my spirit as a human being. Dogs need their alone time. You need it too. But to live alone? Absolutely not! You're depriving the world of your love!
Cesar Millan"

[FlDebra]

I try to make 4 hours the limit on leaving mine alone. That is how long they can usually hold out for a potty break. I know they try to hold it, and will eventually use the pads but I don't like them to be uncomfortable. Mine are also a little spoiled and needy. They do like their people face time. Just like me -- I need my pup time too! Luckily I am retired and can do this.

If I had to go to work, I am sure I would figure something out. I used to come home at lunch when I had a dog and worked. But I have also left one all day, with plenty of pee pads. I just did not ever think that was the best. I always felt sorry for my dog when I had to be gone all day. Seemed like an awful long time without any companionship. So, I would wind up getting a second so they would have company. That seemed to work the best for me. Maybe it was just my own mind, but they always seemed happier and I know I felt better when they had another pet with them.

[bellababy08]

Originally Posted by yorkieusa

Kacee goes into work with me, so she's spoiled rotten.

Bella goes to work with me too...Its great to have a job that I can bring her with and YES spoiled rotten!!


I have left her as long as 8 hours but I'm very uncomfortable doing that even tho she was fine...so if I know I'm going to be gone that long...I take her to my best friends house and she babysits for me

[Vinnyluver109]

Vinny has stayed home alone for 2 days! He is newspaper trained, so we put a bunch of them on the floor. we also have multiple water dishes for him to drink from, and have a feeding machine, so it feeds him at the right times when we are gone. he is 13 years old, so he doesn't require nearly as much attention as younger yorkies. we don't do that more than once or twice a year. he's usually not left alone for more than a few hours.

loving owner of Vinny

[bellababy08]

Originally Posted by Vinnyluver109

Vinny has stayed home alone for 2 days! He is newspaper trained, so we put a bunch of them on the floor. we also have multiple water dishes for him to drink from, and have a feeding machine, so it feeds him at the right times when we are gone. he is 13 years old, so he doesn't require nearly as much attention as younger yorkies. we don't do that more than once or twice a year. he's usually not left alone for more than a few hours.

loving owner of Vinny

2 days...I would worry that the feeder would break or she would get into something and get hurt...I had a 14 1/2 yr old yorkie girl Bailey who just passed...and she still required the same amount of attention has my 2 yr old yorkie Bella...I would never leave them alone that long!!! your crazy.

[Tinksmygirl]

Originally Posted by Vinnyluver109

Vinny has stayed home alone for 2 days! He is newspaper trained, so we put a bunch of them on the floor. we also have multiple water dishes for him to drink from, and have a feeding machine, so it feeds him at the right times when we are gone. he is 13 years old, so he doesn't require nearly as much attention as younger yorkies. we don't do that more than once or twice a year. he's usually not left alone for more than a few hours.

loving owner of Vinny

Wow. I don't mean to sound rude, but leaving your dog alone for 2 days seems like a really long time. So many things could happen during that time frame. I would never reccomend anyone doing that no matter how old their dog was.

I am lucky in that Tinkerbell is only ever completely alone for 6 hours on Monday's and 4 hours on Thurdays. The rest of the time someone is usually around because we all work different shifts.

[KJLive]

Mine are alone for 4 hours, then I go home for lunch and they are out about 1/2 hour. Then back in the expen and alone for another 3.5 -4 hours until my husband gets home.

My limit though is between 5 to 6 hours.

[chachi]

Well my adult Son lives here too so the only time mine are left alone is when we all go and do something together so Id say 4 hrs at the most. We are homebodies and have put a pond in our backyard and kinda made our house our little oasis so we really dont do alot except maybe go to an amusement park for a day but like I said My sons home when we do that

[kdhawks]

I'd say Levi is usually left alone maybe 4 hours at a time. My brother/roommate and I have pretty opposite school schedules, so he is rarely left alone for longer than that. However, he has been alone for maybe up to 8 hours (for example, when I am at work over the summer if I can't make it home on my lunch break). Of course, he gets lots of extra special attention if I am gone for an "extended" period of time over the usual few hours.

[deonk1]

I'm a student and so is my boyfriend, we try to have someone home as much as possible, and I usually like to make sure he isn't alone more than 6 hours most of the time, but there have been days when we've been gone for a long day 8-12 hours. usually one of us ends up running home to say hi on those days, but we just assure that he gets lots of love before and after we leave. If I'm going to be gone all day, I MAKE SURE he gets a walk before I go. (In Canada = snow/rain messy weather so walking isn't always an option). And he gets to stay up late in our bed watching tv when we get home.