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Leaving your dachshund alone can be done humanely and inhumanely. Knowing how long they can be alone and some precautions when they are alone is important for their overall health and wellbeing. So, with that being said…
Can Dachshunds Be Left Alone?
Yes, Dachshunds can be left alone. The most important things to remember when leaving your dachshund alone are: do they have food and water, were they able to go to the bathroom before you left, and is there anything they could harm themselves with in your absence.
In this post we dive deep on the most up to date information around leaving a dachshund alone as well as some best practices and tips.
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
Can You Leave a Dachshund Alone All Day?
First it’s important to know what a person means by ‘all day’. Do they mean 8 hours while they’re at work?
Or do they mean a 24 hour period where they won’t be able to make it home.
A dachshund can absolutely be at home for an 8 hour period by themselves.
So long as they’ve been able to go number 1 & 2 before you left, have food and water if they get hungry and don’t have anything they could get into that might harm them.
Their physical and mental health starts to get worse if they’re frequently left alone for 10+ hours everyday.
Dachshunds need exercise and mental stimulation in order to remain healthy.
Dogs in general are very social animals and if they’re left alone for too long, not only will their body become more unhealthy, but so will their mental state.
Which brings us to the question of if dogs can be alone for 24 hours.
Absolutely not.
A 24 hour period is too long for a dog to be alone.
They don’t have the ability to let themselves out, refill their food or water bowls and will absolutely get lonely!
If you need to be gone for a full 24 hours it’s important for you to set up an arrangement with a friend, family member or neighbor to have them check in on your pup.
Do Dachshunds Bark When Left Alone?
Barking when left alone isn’t unique to just dachshunds.
And It has a lot to do with your dog’s early years.
If a dog has been trained (most of the time unintentionally) that barking will get them what they want, they will bark when left alone.
Many dog’s bark because they know it will get them attention.
Whether it’s positive or negative attention isn’t super important to them. They just want you to be near them.
So not all dachshunds bark when left alone. But if you’ve catered to them as a pup when they do bark, there’s a good chance that’s why they bark when you leave them alone.
In an attempt to get you to come back.
If your dog barks for hours after you leave, every time you leave, they could have separation anxiety.
Do Dachshunds Have Separation Anxiety?
Separation anxiety isn’t uncommon in dachshunds.
Again, it’s largely to do with the experiences a dog had in their puppy years. If they were abandoned, got way too much attention, or were abused are a few examples of experiences that can create separation anxiety.
However if your dachshund was raised in a more moderate setting, certain things that’ve happened recently could spark it.
Some things that might trigger separation anxiety in your dachshund are:
- If you’ve recently moved to a new home
- Your schedule changed at work which changes their schedule
- There’s new people in your dog’s home
- You’ve recently adopted them and their change in guardian has been hard on them
If any of these things have happened recently and you’re noticing your dachshund is barking for hours on end in your absence, destroying things in your home, attempting to escape, or excessively pacing, they may have separation anxiety.
Related Reading: Why Does My Dachshund Always Look Sad? 7 Reasons + Tips
Is It Better To Have One Or Two Dachshunds?
Dachshunds are actually perfectly okay with being your only dog.
They like having your sole attention and not having to share it. This is probably because dachshunds were bred to hunt and they form a strong bond with their guardian.
So if one dachshund is all you can handle or afford, you won’t be doing them any harm by not getting another pup.
But, this doesn’t mean that a dachshund couldn’t live with a brother or sister. If they’re introduced within their first year they won’t have any problems with another dog.
However, when a dachshund has matured and you introduce another dog, they might take a little more time to warm up to them.
Some people believe a dog should have another four-legged friend to keep eachother company when all the humans are away at work or school.
But this is really a personal decision. If it’s within your means to get two dachshunds, they’d likely enjoy the company.
If you feel you’d only be able to manage one, they would enjoy being the only doggo in your life.
Related Reading: Do Dachshunds Get Along With Other Dogs? 11 Breeds Reviewed
Can You Make Being Home Alone Easier For Your Dachshund?
There are a few ways you can make being home alone a little easier on your pup.
First, mind stimulating dog toys can be a great distraction for them. If they’re occupied with a toy that’s holding their attention they’ll spend less time being upset that you’re not home.
Second, leaving them with a used sweater or t-shirt of yours. Oftentimes, the mere scent of you can put your pups mind at ease.
If they’re able to smell you it can make them feel as though you’re not away from them.
Third, you can tire them out before you leave. Dog’s that have too much energy usually misbehave.
If you take them for a long walk, or have a thorough play session with them before you leave they’ll be too tired to worry or be destructive.
Related Reading: Top 12 Best Harnesses For Dachshunds
Can You Leave Your Dachshund Alone When Sick?
If your dachshund has very recently injured themselves or is ill in general it’s best not to leave them for long periods of time.
Until you’ve seen that they don’t need your help for basic things and aren’t sick to their stomach frequently, you’ll want to keep a closer eye on them.
After a few days have passed, or even a week, where they’ve become more accustomed to their new situation, then it’s okay to start moving back to their regular schedule of alone time.
But it’s important not to leave them alone right after they’ve been injured, had surgery or are feeling ill.
If you have to be somewhere else, reach out to family, friends or neighbors to see if they can keep an eye on your pup.
Can Dachshunds Be Left Alone With Other Dogs In The House?
As long as your dachshund is familiar with the other dog(s) that they’ll be alone with it’s perfectly okay.
If they don’t know the dog(s) it’s best not to leave them alone until they’ve gotten to know each other a little better.
Schedule 5-10 play dates where the dogs can get friendly with one another and familiarize themselves.
The more time they can spend together before being left alone the better.
The last thing you’d want to come home to is an injured pup because the two didn’t get along.
5 Tips To Help Your Dachshund Be Alone
There are a few things that you can do for your pup to make sure that when they’re home alone, they’re as safe as possible.
Here are the top 5 tips to help your dachshund be alone:
1) Dog-Proof Where They Hang Out
If you know generally where your pup likes to hang out, it’s a good idea to make those areas dog-proof when you’re away.
Making sure there’s nothing potentially dangerous they can eat or get into.
Nothing close to the edge of counters that they might sniff out. Or anything valuable a bored pup might feel the need to destroy.
Another option is to give them an exclusive place to hang out during the day.
This way you know the area is completely safe for your doggo to be in and there’s nothing they’ll be able to destroy or unintentionally harm themselves with.
2) Get Cameras
If your dachshund is known for being mischievous while you’re gone it might be a good idea to set up cameras.
Most cameras you set up in your home can be monitored from your phone so you can see what/how they’re doing the things they shouldn’t.
When you have that information you can put up barriers or blockades to prevent it from continuing to happen in the future.
There are also treat dispensing gadgets that have a built in camera & speaker.
You can speak to your pup through the device, see them come closer to the sound and give them a treat.
This can help them feel like you’re home with them with the added bonus of getting a treat to keep them cool, calm and collected.
3) Desensitize Your Departure
Believe it or not, when you leave home, you likely do the exact same routine every time before you leave.
And your smart pup picks up on this routine and knows what it means.
They’re about to be alone.
The key here is to not make a big deal when you’re leaving. Also, to change up some of the cues that indicate to your doggo that you’re leaving.
For example if you grab your keys (which makes a jingle sound), grab your coat, put your shoes on, give your dog a kiss and then leave, try changing a few things up.
Next time you put your jacket on, go unload the dishwasher or sit on the couch and watch some T.V.
When you do things like this it makes it unpredictable when you’re leaving the house.
And if your pup doesn’t work themselves up because they know you’re leaving, they likely won’t have as big of a reaction to you being gone.
If they aren’t super worked up because you’ve left, they’ll likely be able to endure their time alone much better.
4) Have a Backup
You might be friendly with your neighbors, and if not, this is a good reason to become friendly!
If you’re going to be late or away from your pup for too long you can reach out and ask if they can check in on your furry friend.
This way they can go to the bathroom, get some food and water (or some treats), or simply have some social interaction.
Your pup will definitely appreciate you having a backup plan if you’re going to be super late!
5) Leave Music On Or The T.V.
Background noise or whitenoise can be calming for some dogs.
If the television is always on when you’re home or you always have the radio on at a low volume, these sounds can make your dog feel more comfortable.
They’ll associate the sounds with you being home and can make them feel more at ease.
Bonus: Consider Doggy Daycare
If being alone really doesn’t sit well with your dachshund, it might be worth considering doggy daycare.
Unfortunately, this is an added expense that some people aren’t able to fit into their budget. But, if you do have the means and your pup is really uneasy being alone, it could be a great option for them.
They’ll make friends, be able to go to the bathroom when they need to instead of holding it, and burn some energy during the day.
There are many benefits of using a doggy daycare if there’s one available to you.
Final Thoughts
Dachshunds can definitely be left alone. But there’s a right way of leaving your dog alone, and a wrong way.
Be sure to not leave them alone for more than 8 hours too often or it might physically & mentally harm them.
Other posts you might find interesting:
12 Best Dog Beds for Dachshunds
Top 5 Reasons Dachshunds Can Make Great Service Dogs
Can Dachshunds Climb Stairs? 4 Dangers + 7 Helpful Tips
8 Ways Dachshunds Make Great Apartment Dogs + Tips