Can a Bulldog Be Left Alone? How to Train Them to Be Left Alone

Bulldogs are considered a people-oriented breed. They are very attached to their owners and love spending almost all the time with them.

However, some dog owners might have to leave their Bulldogs alone for a long time, and it’s important for the dogs to be prepared to handle the separation.

So, can a Bulldog be left alone? A Bulldog can be left alone as long as it’s are well-trained and can tolerate being separated from its owners. Since Bulldogs are companion dogs, they love spending all the time with their owners. Leaving them alone for too long will cause them to develop separation anxiety and act destructively

Keep reading to know more details about when you can start leaving bulldogs left alone, how long to leave them alone, and how to train them to be left alone.

Can Bulldogs Be Left Alone?

Bulldogs are companion dogs by nature. They like to spend time with their owners, and they tend to get super attached to them. That’s why dog owners often wonder whether it’s okay to leave a Bulldog alone for any amount of time.

Fortunately, the answer is yes. Bulldogs can be left as long as it’s trained enough to tolerate being separated from its owner.

Before leaving your Bulldog alone, you need to keep some things in mind:

Your Bulldog must be potty-trained.
Your Bulldog must be crate-trained.
Your Bulldog has an established feeding schedule.
Your Bulldog must be trained to chew toys only.
Your Bulldog must be exercised well before being left alone, so he can get all his energy out.
Your Bulldog must be taught how to overcome separation anxiety.

If all the previous points are fulfilled, then you’ve got nothing to worry about when leaving your Bulldog alone.

However, if you leave your Bulldog alone when it’s not ready for that, then it’s likely that the dog will react negatively, leading to the following situations:

Your Bulldog will get bored and start chewing everything in the house, including furniture, papers, clothes, shoes, etc.
Your Bulldog will pee inside the house and cause mess everywhere.
Your dog will start barking loudly, and it might start becoming aggressive.

When Can You Start Leaving Your Bulldog Alone?

You can start leaving your Bulldog alone when it’s at about 3 months of age. The older your Bulldog is, the better it will be at handling being left alone.

Also, keep in mind that the amount of time you leave a dog alone will vary depending on its age. That is because the dog’s needs as a puppy are different from their needs as an adult.

Puppies are like children because they need extensive care and nursing. So, leaving them alone for long periods will cause a lot of damage. Adult dogs, on the other hand, are easier to deal with in these situations.

How Long Can a Bulldog Be Left alone?

We can’t spend all the time with our dogs. We all have our busy times and working days that will take us away from our dogs. However, that does not mean that you can leave them all day long.

As mentioned before, the amount of time you can leave a Bulldog alone will vary depending on the dog’s age.

You can leave Bulldogs for 3 to 10 hours, on average. Adult bulldogs can generally be left alone longer than puppies because they don’t have as many needs.

Here is a detailed guideline for you to know how long you can leave your Bulldog alone at every age:

Age	Time the Dog Can Be Left Alone
Under 10 weeks	Can be left for 1 hour
10 – 12 weeks	Can be left for 2 hours
3 – 10 months	Can be left for 3 – 6 hours
10+ months	Can be left for a maximum of 8 – 10 hours

How to Train Your Bulldog to Be Left Alone?

Since bulldogs are super attached to their owners, it’s hard to leave them alone. However, you can still teach and get them to adapt to spending time alone while you are away.

Here are some tips you can follow to train your Bulldog to be left alone without causing any damage.

Leave The Dog In A Suitable Space

Choosing a suitable space will help reduce the dog’s anxiety about being left alone.

If your Bulldog is crate-trained and comfortable with being in a small space, then you can leave it inside its crate.

But if your Bulldog prefers staying in wide and large spaces, then it’s best to leave it outside the crate.

You need to make sure you’re leaving a dog in a space where it prefers to spend the most time. It all depends on how you raised your Bulldog and what it’s used to.

You also need to make sure to provide the dog with all the supplies it needs in its space, including a bed, blankets, toys, etc.

Should You Leave Your Bulldog Indoors or Outdoors?

Since bulldogs’ bodies are more likely to get allergies and it’s super sensitive, leaving them outdoors while exposed for long times to the sun and grass can cause skin irritations.

So it’s preferable to leave him indoors and make sure you are leaving him water, food, and availability for bathroom breaks.

Leave The Dog with Some Toys

Leaving your Bulldog alone will cause it to feel bored. When dogs feel bored, they will search for something to do to have fun, which might end up causing too much of a mess.

They might start chewing on everything around them, including furniture, shoes, clothes, etc. So, it’s a good idea to provide them with a substitute to chew on.

Providing them with a wide variety of toys will also help distract them from being bored and generally make them less likely to become destructive.

When they get bored, they will just play with their toys and have fun without causing any damage.

Leave The Dog with Enough Food and Treats

You need to leave your Bulldog with enough food and treats so that it wouldn’t get hungry when it’s alone. If the dog gets too hungry, it’s likely to become destructive or cause a mess while trying to look for anything to eat.

You can use the automated food dispenser that delivers dry food at certain times.

You can also make it more challenging for them and give them a toy that contains some treats, so they will spend their time focusing on how to eat the treats inside the toy.

Make Sure That The Temperature Is Suitable

Bulldogs can’t handle being in humid and hot weather for too long. So, you need to make sure that the temperature you’re leaving them in is suitable.

It’s recommended to keep the temperature at 65-70 °F. You can check and control the temperature remotely if you are able to, just to make sure that the dog is comfortable.

Get Someone to Check On The Dog and Take It for A Walk

If you have the option to get someone to check your dog occasionally to make sure that everything is alright, it would be great.

You can also get someone to take the dog on a walk while you’re gone to help tire the dog out and prevent it from getting bored.

Spend Quality Time With The Dog When you’re Back

When you get back home, make sure to spend some quality time with your Bulldog because it will definitely be missing you.

You can take the dog for a walk, play with it for a while, or do any activities that involve being in close proximity to the dog. This will help reassure the dog and make it feel safe.

It will also help make the dog less anxious when you leave it alone again in the future.

Alternatives to Leaving Your Bulldog Alone

If your dog has not been trained yet or has separation anxiety and you want to go out, there are some alternative options you can go for instead of leaving it alone.

So, let’s take a look at some of the alternatives to leaving your Bulldog alone:

Hire a Dog Sitter

You can search for a dog sitter online or ask someone who has a dog.

When you find a dog sitter, make sure that they are responsible and have enough experience with dogs by asking for a resume or references from previous clients.

You can arrange a meeting with the dog sitter you choose and watch how they deal with your dog. You can also ask them some questions regarding their experience in dog sitting, so you can evaluate their abilities.

Leave The Dog with a Neighbor.

You can seek help from your neighbor and leave your dog there until you get back.

However, make sure that your neighbor is capable of taking care of your dog and doesn’t have any kind of issues with them.

Board The Dog

You can search for a nearby kennel to board your dog or ask someone who has boarded their dogs before for help.

Make sure to check the reviews for the place where you’re boarding your dog to ensure that they will provide the dog with the best treatment.

This option is more expensive compared to other options, but it’s the most ideal when leaving the dog alone for extended periods of time as the dog will be taken care of by professionals.

Separation Anxiety in Bulldogs

Leaving Bulldogs alone is extremely hard for them, and it usually results in them developing separation anxiety because they can get too attached to their owners.

Signs of Separation Anxiety in Bulldogs

Here are the common signs you need to watch out for to tell if your Bulldog has developed separation anxiety:

It will be barking continuously with and without reason.
It will display some destructive behaviors, such as knocking down objects, scratching doors, or chewing on furniture, shoes, clothes, etc.
It will start peeing inside the house, even when it’s potty-trained.
It will start drooling excessively.
It will start biting and scratching its body or try to hurt itself in some way.
It will try to escape or follow its owners when they’re going outside.
It will display some destructive behaviors such as attacking or biting you.

Is It Separation Anxiety or Something Else?

You have to be able to tell whether your dog is suffering from separation anxiety or just seeking attention and being stubborn.

If your dog is stubborn and seeking your attention, you will find them displaying the same symptoms of separation anxiety even when you are around them. It’s usually an attempt to make you focus on them and give them more attention.

What to Do If Your Bulldog Has Separation Anxiety?

If your Bulldog has separation anxiety, you will have to spend time and effort managing its behavior to prevent it from becoming destructive. This might be a little challenging, but as long as you remain patient, you will see positive results.

So, here are some tips you can follow to manage your Bulldog’s separation anxiety:

Establish A Fixed Routine for Your Bulldog.

Changing your Bulldog’s routine is not easy for them and causes them to become more anxious. So, try to focus on establishing a daily schedule for your Bulldog and stick to it.

When planning the dog’s schedule, make sure to have a fixed time for all of its daily activities, such as playing, eating, bonding, exercising, and even peeing.

When you do this, your dog is going to understand when you are available for them and when you are busy, and gradually, it will get used to being away from you.

Improve Your Bulldog’s Living Space

Before you go out, make sure that your Bulldog’s space has everything it might need while you’re gone, including blankets, toys, food, treats, water, etc.

When the dog has all its needs fulfilled, it will be less likely to become destructive.

Use The Positive Reinforcement Approach

Rewarding your Bulldog and giving him his favorite treats makes it motivated to continue displaying good behavior.

So, if the dog remains calm when you leave it alone for some time, make sure to reward it, so it will know that this behavior is good. Also, avoid punishing the dog too harshly when it acts out due to separation anxiety, as this will only make it more destructive.

Work On The Basic Commands Training

Try to manage your Bulldog’s behavior by teaching it basic commands, like “sit,” “stay,” and so on.

If your dog is able to follow basic commands, it will be more likely to listen to you if you command it to remain calm when you need to leave it alone for some time.

Train Your Bulldog To Get Used to Being Alone

Start training your Bulldog to get used to being alone.

Start leaving your Bulldog for a short period first, and when it remains calm, make sure to reward it. Then, you can gradually increase the period that the dog is left alone.

When to Seek Professional Help with Your Bulldog’s Separation Anxiety?

You should seek professional help with your Bulldog when all your efforts in dealing with it are not working. It’s recommended to take the dog to a trainer to help manage its behavior and to get more advice on how to prevent the dog from becoming destructive.

Can a Bulldog Be Left Alone? How to Train Them to Be Left Alone

Can Bulldogs Be Left Alone?