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Leaving Your Dog Home Alone for A Week? Keep Them Happy with These Top Tips

Whether you’re taking a vacation in the sun for a week or just heading out for an evening and leaving a particularly needy pooch, learn about your options for pet care, and discover how AlfredCamera can help you keep an eye on your little loved one.

Differences Between Cats and Dogs

Regardless of species or breed, an animal needs a lot of attention in its first few months.

That being said, breeds themselves differ wildly in how much socializing they need: a Chihuahua, for instance, enjoys its alone time, whereas a Persian cat is notoriously attention-seeking. Bear these factors in mind when deciding whether it’s appropriate to leave your pet alone at all. 

Where Can I Leave My Dog For A Few Days?

While it largely depends on just how long your pet is going to be left alone for, there are actually several options for your pet to spend their time away from you aside from commercial kennels—some conventional, others less so.

Here are our top five.

1. Kennels

Kennels—and, for our feline friends, catteries—have a mixed reception, and occasionally even a bad reputation. That’s why it’s crucial to do your research well in advance, so that you won’t struggle to find a reputable, safe environment for your pet at short notice. 

A good place to start is to ensure that the establishment is licensed and has a legitimate certification, like from the Pet Care Services Association (PCSA) or the International Boarding & Pet Services Association (IBPSA).

a black dog looks sad lying on a bench

2. Pet Sitters

Having a pet sitter come to your home is a great way to avoid upsetting a pet that’s a bit of a homebody. Traditionally, a pet sitter is someone you already know and trust who comes to stay at your home for an extended period. 

While this does mean your fridge may be raided on occasion, it does give your pet the option to not only stay home, but to be around someone they trust.

3. Family/Friend or Neighbor

If having someone live in your home is a hard no (we get it), consider having a neighbor check in twice a day to feed, water, and change litter trays. 

As with a live-in pet sitter, having a neighbor or friend check in on your pet does run a slight security risk. After all, you will be entrusting them with your front door key. 

Again, having a subtle security camera like AlfredCamera running can help alleviate any stresses over leaving your pet (and property) in the hands of someone else. 

For morality’s sake, do make sure to notify the neighbor beforehand that they will be recorded.

Perhaps the greatest benefit for owners is that, other than a friendly gesture as thanks, having a neighbor pop in a couple times a day is free! That is, unless your neighbor is utterly heartless.

4. Pet Boarding

Perhaps a little unconventional, ‘pet boarding’ refers to taking your pet to someone else’s property to leave them there. 

Again, a number of these services exist in app form, but it’s well worth meeting with the sitter beforehand and checking out their home to best gauge how appropriate the space will be.

Pet boarding can be great for a particularly sociable animal, since it will give boarding animals the chance to socialize with other animals, assuming the individual boards multiple pets at once. 

More importantly, it also helps avoid the awkward question of home security, since no one will be either entering or staying in your home, yet still feels like a much more natural and comfortable environment for your pet than a kennel. 

That being said, it’s always wise to have a security setup in place before leaving for extended periods.

Pet boarding rates can vary quite drastically, depending on the type of establishment you leave your pet at. Chances are, a small home-run business will be cheaper than something resembling a kennel. 

5. AlfredCamera

If you’re only going to be absent for a night or so, it isn’t out of the question to leave your pet home alone. And leaving them alone doesn’t necessarily mean having no eyes on them at all.

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What Users Are Saying About AlfredCamera

Curious about how you can use AlfredCamera to check on your pets? Check out what users are saying about how the app is helping them monitor their pet’s lifestyles!

‘I use AlfredCamera at home to monitor what my active mischievous dog is doing and make sure my dog walker comes and goes as reported.’

‘I am a K9 Officer who frequently has to leave his dog unattended in the vehicle. While it is equipped with temperature monitoring equipment, I use AlfredCamera to monitor him while I’m away. Alfred gives me peace of mind at the touch of a button. Here’s a moment I caught my buddy enjoying his favorite bone.’

‘My 2 year old Great Dane, Archer, is too big for a cage or kennel. So with the help of Alfred, I can safely give Archer his own bedroom. It has been a lifesaver! Literally! About a year ago, I was able to rush home the moment I found the dog trying to eat a dryer sheet. I used the speaker feature to tell him to stop chewing on it and got home before he could swallow anything dangerous!’

‘I just LOVE AlfredCamera because it reassures me my babies are safe! I have 6 dogs & they are my big babies. AlfredCamera helps me relax by letting me check in on them visually & with audio, so I know if there’s barking, howling, whimpering. I make minimum wage so I could never afford this kind of thing if it wasn’t for you guys!’

5 Top Tips to Keep Your Pets Happy Home Alone

1. Water

Always make sure there’s adequate water for your furry friend.

2. Food

Have a food dispenser release food gradually so that your pet doesn’t munch through it’s supply!

3.  Air

Make sure your property is well ventilated, but fight the temptation to leave the window open: not only is this a huge security risk, but your pet might be prone to jumping out!

4. Heating

For colder properties, leave the heating on between 69 and 72°F (thick fur means they prefer it cooler in the winter). In the warmer months, 75-78°F will do.

5. AlfredCamera

Trust Alfred with looking out for your pets—keep an eye on them at all times, and even talk to them through your device!

FAQ

How long can you leave a dog alone legally?

Experts suggest 8-10 hours is the maximum amount of time you should reasonably leave a dog alone.

Can I leave my dog somewhere for a week?

Absolutely! Kennels and pet boarding services often have package deals sold by day, week, and month.

Will my dog miss me if I leave him for a week?

Perhaps you should be asking yourself, will you miss your dog if you leave him for a week? If the answer is yes (and it should be!), then chances are your dog will miss you too. That being said, assuming the dog isn’t puppy age, it won’t adversely affect him, so long as his basic needs are met and he is given plenty of attention by whoever is caring for him.

Do dogs get sad when you leave for a long time?

Conclusion

There are a range of options available for pet care, and one of the options is sure to meet you and your pet’s particular needs. And by using AlfredCamera, you can keep an eye on your beloved fluffball even when you’re a hundred miles away so long as the internet’s on!

What’s especially important is to make preparations long before you intend to leave your animals alone. Making arrangements on the cusp can result in upset pets and even be detrimental to your home’s security, since you might have strangers either living in or coming in and out of the property.

By arranging in advance, you avoid distressing your pet—and your belongings.