Quicklinks:
- Can Border Collies Be Left Alone?
- Can A Border Collie Be Left Alone For 6 Hours
- What Size Is Your Home?
- Crated Or Free Range?
- Keeping Your Border Collie Entertained When Alone
Can Border Collies Be Left Alone?
There’s a lot of conflicting information on the internet when it comes to leaving your dog alone at home. And somewhere among that conflicting information is the answer to the question, “can a border collie be left alone?”
The genuine answer is that it can depend on a few factors.
Important note: When leaving your dog home alone for any amount of time, always make sure that they have access to fresh water!
Your border collies age can be a big factor when it comes to how frequently they need to use the bathroom.
Can A Border Collie Be Left Alone For 6 Hours
Your border collie shouldn’t be left alone for any more than 8 hours at any one time. The question that you need to ask yourself is, how long can my collie wait before they need to go to the bathroom? Their age is a big factor.
Puppies: A good rule of thumb to use is “one hour for each month.” So, for example, if you own a border collie that is 3 months old, then it’s safe to assume that they could “hold it in” for around 3 hours.
After 6 months old: If your border collie is older than 6 months, then it should be safe to assume that they should be able to hold it in for 6 hours, perhaps a bit longer (but preferably not longer).
Older dogs (age 8+): If your border collie is 8 years or older, then they will probably need a bathroom break every 2-6 hours, depending on their exact age and other factors.
However, bladder control isn’t the only factor that should be considered. One question you need to ask yourself is, “how much damage could my border collie do when I’m out?” If you have a collie puppy, then the answer is probably, “a lot.” For their sake and the sake of all your possessions, it’s not wise to leave your young border collie alone for any more than a couple of hours at the most.
What Size Is Your Home?
If you live in a house with a safe, fenced yard and a doggie door, you can, then you’ll obviously be able to leave your border collie alone for longer compared to city dwellers with no outside space. Similarly, if you live in a large apartment with more space for your collie to roam around, then you can leave them for longer than you could if they were in a smaller apartment.
Crated Or Free Range?
If your border collie is crate trained and stays in their crate while you’re out, then they’re less likely to be destructive, but of course, they’re in a very restricted space. Puppies under 6 months old shouldn’t be crated for any longer than 4 hours.
On the flip side, if your collie is allowed “free-range,” then they could get destructive if left alone for too long, and no one wants that.
If you crate your collie, make sure they have access to fresh water. A great solution is to use a dog water bottle that attaches to the side of the crate.
It’s important to provide at least some mental stimulation for your border collie if they’re being left home alone.
All dogs need mental stimulation, and young dogs will need a lot more of it. Not only that but letting your dog nap for too long could lead to obesity. Make sure your collie stays stimulated while you’re gone by providing enriching toys, especially toys that allow you to hide food in, like treat puzzles, snuffle mats, or Kongs. This stimulation should help prevent boredom, warding off destructive behaviors.
Keeping Your Border Collie Entertained When Alone
Keep Him Busy
Stuff a food puzzle toy with various treats for them. There are many various puzzle toys that’re available on the market. These toys can keep your border collie entertained for quite a while and, in the end, they get a tasty reward for all of their hard work. Treats to put inside the toy can include anything from carrot sticks, peanut butter, and commercial dog treats. As always, keep water available for your dog.
A Room With a View
It would be a good idea to set up your dog’s water bowl, toys and bed in the room of your house with the best view. If they can see other people, cars, birds go by, then all the better! We all love a great view and your dog is no different. Being able to see people, cars and other animals outside will help to stimulate your dog’s mind, helping them to feel less alone while you’re away.
Install a pet camera
If doggy daycare isn’t an option, whether there isn’t a service near you, or perhaps you have a limited budget. An alternative option could be to install an interactive pet cam. These newly popular systems allow pet parents to not only see their dogs but also communicate verbally with their stay-at-home dogs throughout the day. When your dog is not expecting interaction with you but they get some attention via the camera, it could help to give them some much needed mental stimulation.
