Can Yorkies be left alone? As much as you’d like to take your pet everywhere with you, it just isn’t possible at times.
We certainly cannot take our Yorkies with us to the movies, restaurants, and especially to work. So what do you do when you have to leave your Yorkie alone at home?
In this guide, we will talk about:
- Can Yorkies be left alone?
- How long can you leave a Yorkie alone at home?
- Can you leave your Yorkie home alone for several days?
- What to do if you have to leave your Yorkie alone for prolonged periods?
- Some more tips for leaving a Yorkie alone
- FAQs
Also Read: Do Yorkies Like to Cuddle
Can Yorkies Be Left Alone?
Yes. Sometimes when you have no choice, you need to train your Yorkie to be left alone.
The key word here is ‘train’.
Yorkies that can successfully stay alone at home without their pawrents around, are mostly trained to do so from puppyhood.
Inherently though, this dog breed is not meant to stay alone. After all, genetically and thanks to evolution, it has developed into a Velcro dog breed. This means that it always needs its humans nearby.
Many Yorkies are also prone to terrible separation anxiety. That is why leaving it alone could be challenging, at least in the beginning.
However, through right training from puppyhood, there is no reason why you cannot leave your Yorkie at home safely and without guilt.
To answer the question: can Yorkies be left alone? Yes, they can be left alone – provided it isn’t for more than 4 to 6 hours for adult Yorkies and no more than an hour or two for a Yorkie puppy.
If you have to leave your pet longer than this period, consider getting a pet sitter or leave your dog with your family/friends.
Also Read: Do Yorkies Get Attached to One Person
How Long Can You Leave Your Yorkie Alone?
Ideally, you should not leave your adult Yorkie alone for more than 4 to 6 hours and a yorkie puppy for more than 1 hour as it cannot hold its bladder longer than that.
Also, in both cases, you must ensure your pet’s complete safety and security.
If you have to leave your pet longer than this period, it is best to have a friend or family member come over to check up on your pet.
Yorkies are small dogs and they are susceptible to trauma and injuries. In addition, they need frequent emptying of their tiny bladders.
We must not forget the fact that most Yorkies are prone to separation anxiety and get extremely stressed when left all alone.
This stress can lead to excess barking, crying, whining, destroying furniture, and other unwanted behaviors.
Also Read: Why Do Yorkies Shake
Can You Leave Your Yorkie Alone For Several Days?
Even if you make arrangements for food, water, and potty indoors, we would not recommend leaving a Yorkie alone for days.
If you must, then please board your Yorkie at a reliable dog hostel or have a pet-sitter or a friend to come over to take care of your pet.
Yorkies are not designed to be left alone for prolonged periods.
If you are asking this question before buying/adopting a Yorkie, then you may want to re-think the decision through especially if you travel frequently or have to work outside home for hours.
Yorkies are companion dog breeds which means they want to be with their humans at all times.
If that isn’t possible with your lifestyle, you might want to reconsider your decision about getting a dog. You might consider getting two Yorkies instead of one so they can give each other company.
But we still wouldn’t recommend leaving both dogs alone for more than a 4 to 6 hours each day.
Also Read: Do Yorkies Get Cold
What to Do if You Have to Leave Your Yorkie Alone for Prolonged Periods?
There is bound to come a time in your life when you have to make the painful decision of leaving your Yorkie home alone.
Here are some general tips to follow before leaving your furry friend home alone:
A. Consider how long you have to leave your pet alone
Consider carefully how long you have to leave your Yorkie alone. This will help you decide about its meals, whether to board your pet or have a sitter/friend come over to check on it.
There could arise a situation where you might get delayed which can increase the time you leave your Yorkie home alone.
Please consider all scenarios carefully.
B. Factor in where you will keep your Yorkie.
If you have to leave your Yorkie alone at home for a few hours, then consider whether:
- Is it allowed to roam freely indoors?
- You need to confine it
If your Yorkie is used to a crate , then crate it. However, you must not crate your pet for more than 2-4 hours as it is bound to need potty breaks, food, and water.
If the crate is large enough, you can section off one area with potty pads and place food and water bowls inside. (You still need to train your pet to go on the potty pads)
We definitely recommend having a pet-sitter or a friend come over to check on your buddy.
In case you allow your pet to roam freely indoors, make sure you section off some areas with baby gates, pet proof the house, and close the doors to certain rooms. This will curtail indoor potty accidents.
If you have a yard, make sure it is safe and secure so your Yorkie cannot escape or get stolen. Having a yard eases many things as your Yorkie can use it for potty. (But you’d still have to train it to ‘go potty’ there.)
Check out our guide on Why Are Yorkies So Hard to Potty Train. We have discussed many important tips regarding potty training.
Also Read: Best Chew Proof Dog Crate
C. Think about its meals
Consider placing plenty of dry dog food in a safe and clean area accessible to your Yorkie. This way, your Yorkie can feed when hungry.
Alternatively, use an automatic pet feeder.
We recommend the WOPET automatic dog feeder which dispenses up to 4 servings of dry dog food per day, has a programmable timer control, as well as a super-useful voice command recording feature that can let your Yorkie hear your voice.
In case your pet is used to wet or canned food, you can opt for the Cat Mate Automatic Feeder as it comes with ice packs to keep canned meals fresh.
We still recommend having a friend or pet sitter come over to ensure that your Yorkshire terrier has eaten. This will prevent it from starving.
Remember: Yorkies are prone to hypoglycemia. This means that their blood sugar levels can drop dangerously if they go without food for several hours.
D. Use a water fountain
A pet water fountain can dispense fresh drinking water to your Yorkie as needed.
We recommend the Veken Pet Water Dispenser to feed fresh hygienic water to your Yorkie all day.
Also Read: How to Prevent Slime in Pet Water Fountain
E. Consider your Yorkie’s personality
If your Yorkie is destructive, not trained to be left alone, or is prone to separation anxiety, then it is best to either confine it to a room or a crate, have a pet sitter to watch it. You also can board it in a dog hostel for longer separation.
This will prevent unwanted behaviors like chewing stuff, indoor urination, howling, and barking.
F. Train your Yorkie to be left alone (if this is an everyday thing)
In case you have to leave your Yorkshire terrier alone every day, you must have it trained for it from an early age.
The gentlest way to do is to leave it alone for short periods every day and slowly increase the duration.
- Do this firmly, do not stop to pet your Yorkie before leaving.
- Give it a treat, and just leave.
- Do not rush to your pet when it starts howling or crying or barking.
- As before, ensure your pet’s safety and take care of its potty, meals, and water before leaving.
- Slowly increase the duration daily so that your Yorkie soon learns to stay alone for 4-6 hours.
Also Read: Are Yorkies Good with Kids
Some More General Tips for Leaving Your Yorkie Alone
1. Exercise your pet
A well-exercised Yorkie is much better suited to stay alone for 4-6 hours. So, walk your pet before leaving and once again in the evening after you return home.
2. Spend quality time with your buddy when you can
You must make it a point to spend some quality time with your pet daily by walking it, brushing or grooming it, petting it, and even letting it cuddle next to you when you are home.
3. Leave it in the garage
Some pet parents leave their Yorkies in their garage to get rid of the ‘inside/outside’ dilemma. Potty is definitely easier to clean here as there are no carpets to worry about.
Make sure the garage is safe, pet-proof, clean, and at a comfortable temperature for your buddy.
4. Play some music or leave the TV on
In case it is a onetime thing leaving your Yorkie alone, then you might want to keep the TV or some soothing music on. This can calm your pet’s nerves and prevent howling, barking, and soiling.
5. Feed it calming treats
In case your Yorkie is prone to separation anxiety, then some calming hemp treats might help.
We recommend the NaturVet Quiet Moments Calming Aid Dog Supplement It promotes relaxation and reduces stress of separation anxiety, thunderstorms, and reduces excess barking.
6. Use dog monitoring systems
If leaving your Yorkie home alone is a daily thing, then invest in a dog monitoring system . This can let you check on your buddy and also reduce your own anxiety.
Some even come with 2-way communication and treat dispensing facilities.
7. Give your pet something to do
A bored Yorkie is a destructive Yorkie. Give your pet something to do so it can expend that energy in a better way. You can fill some Kong toys with treats or dog chew toys to keep boredom at bay.
8. Minimize stressors
Our fur babies often get stressed due to thunder, vehicle noises, etc. and more so when alone.
Minimize these stressors using curtains/blinds/ or soundproof windows. You can also invest in a No products found. or turn on the radio.
9. Keep your own emotions in check
Dogs can sense our emotions. They can certainly read into our guilt and anxieties.
So stay calm when you leave and especially after you return. Do not make a big deal of the situation so your pet learns that being left alone is completely normal.
FAQs on Can Yorkies Be Left Alone?
1. Do Yorkshire terriers have separation anxiety?
Yes, most Velcro dog breeds including Yorkies are prone to separation anxiety. It all depends on your pet’s training. If left alone from a young age, you can significantly reduce anxiety in its adult years.
2. What should I do with my Yorkie while I am at work?
Give your pet some toys, chew bones, etc. Make sure you tire it out so it will sleep or at least be too tired to indulge in unwanted behavior.
You can also consider leaving your Yorkie with family/friends or have a dog-walker come over.
3. How long after a Yorkie eats does it poop?
Young Yorkie puppies tend to poop within 15 minutes to half an hour after eating. Adult dogs can hold it in longer – about 6 to 8 hours. Most adult Yorkies need to poop twice a day as well.
4. How long can my Yorkie go without peeing?
Puppies need to pee every couple of hours. Adult dogs (over 12 months) have more control over their bladder but they should still pee every 6 to 8 hours.
Any longer than that can be harmful to their urinary health.
Also Read: Are Yorkies Easy to Train
Conclusion – Can Yorkies Be Left Alone?
Can Yorkies be left alone? The answer depends on your dog’s age, training, and several other circumstances.
In general, you must not leave a Yorkie puppy alone for more than 1-2 hours and an adult Yorkie alone for more than 4 to 6 hours.
If you have to leave your Yorkie alone longer than that, do consider boarding it, keeping it with family/friends or have a pet-sitter come over to check on it.
We hope this guide helps you safely leave you Yorkie alone for a few hours.
