Whippets love to run and having a sense of freedom means a lot to them, but they also love to lie on the couch and sleep for hours and be close to their owners. Being alone during the day may not be a big problem for Whippets. They can spend this time napping comfortably.
However, a Whippet’s ability to stay alone at home is directly proportional to the training given. Trained Whippets know that their owner will come back home and therefore do not feel much anxiety or stress.
Whippets can be left alone at home, but not for too long. Stress is observed in Whippets who are left alone at home for a long time. If the time is prolonged, Whippets may develop abandonment issues which cause anxiety.
Whippets can stay alone for an average of 8 hours, and waiting any longer can cause them stress, also they will need to meet their basic needs. If you need to leave your Whippet home alone regularly, you may want to get another dog to keep them company. That way, they won’t feel alone.
How Long Can You Leave A Whippet Home Alone?
If your Whippets can stay alone for up to 8 hours on average. Beyond this time they will start to get lonely and will need to use the toilet, need fresh water and food.
Although when they are trained, bored dogs tend to damage the things around them to keep themselves occupied. Although your Whippets may be able to stay along for long periods of time, it is not good for their emotional state if you plan to do this regularly.
Keeping time alone to a minimum will be beneficial. Also, considering your Whippet‘s toilet needs, they should not be left alone without access to a toilet for more than a few hours at a time.
Puppy Whippets are more sensitive in this regard, puppies have smaller bladders and need to pee more often. Puppy whippets should be fully potty trained before you leave them for long periods and should only be left for an hour or two. You can extend this time as they get older.
Should Whippets Be Crated When I’m Away?
A dog crate can be a suitable alternative for Whippets. If you have a Whippet that smashes, damages things, it would make more sense to crate train them, but they should only be left in their crate for a few hours at a time -with the exception of nighttime when they are sleeping.
But you won’t need a crate if your Whippet knows the house rules and isn’t harming your house in any way. You can also find crates for dogs of all sizes. Whippets can feel very comfortable in and feel safe in a crate, as they like to relax in small spaces.
Putting your whippet in a crate is entirely up to you. Most dogs like crates as they feel it is their own space and protected in their own enclosure. If you have a trained and harmless Whippet, you obviously don’t need a crate.
How Can I Make Alone Time Easier For My Whippet?
There are many things you can do to help your Whippet spend some quality time alone. For example, you can play relaxing classical music on the radio or leave the news on so they can hear human voices.
The longer your Whippet is alone at home, the more bored it will become and it will turn its attention to the objects around the house. To prevent this, leave their favorite toys around the room, they can play with them and thus help the time pass faster for them.
Apart from that, small fruits or treats will make them happy and keep them busy. Leave small treats in places that are a little hard to find so they can sniff them out. If possible, leave the house as soon as possible before it becomes too obvious that you are gone. That way, they won’t be too upset about your leaving.
Before leaving your Whippet alone at home, you should take it out and let it burn off its daily energy. You should also make sure that they go to the toilet and that all of their basic needs are met. In this way, you will have a Whippet that is both tired and happy.
Do Whippets Experience Separation Anxiety?
Whippets can experience separation syndrome from time to time. Although this problem is often seen in long-term separations, it can also be observed in Whippets who stay at home alone for the first time.
The main reason for this is that your Whippet will always want to spend time with you. It’s also common for Whippets who are not trained, nor have had any time alone while you are in the house to help them to learn how to lay by themselves.
In some cases, separation anxiety can also re-emerge from a previously experienced emotion. Your Whippet may perceive this situation as “my owner is going away and will leave me forever”.
As a result, it affects their mood negatively and increases their anxiety. Whippets can become depressed if this anxiety is prolonged. Separation anxiety is more common in highly pampered Whippets.
Do Whippets Like To Be Alone?
As with any other dog breed, it is best to let Your Whippet have its own space, and let it do things on its own so it gets used to self-directed play.
A dog that wants to spend every moment with you can naturally get depressed when he leaves you, so give your Whippet its own place and let them explore life on their own a little, they will get used to this and it will become normal for them.
As long as you take all this into account, your Whippet will learn to spend time on its own and will be more resilient if you need to leave home suddenly to see to something important.
What Age Can Whippets Be Left Alone?
While there is no exact age where Whippets can be left alone, it is recommended that Whippets can be left alone at home for up to 8 hours a day only after they reach adulthood, which is around the age of 2.
This time limit and age vary from dog to dog, some dogs may never be left alone. The important point here is whether your Whippet has basic training, is used to spending time alone, and does not have any psychological, physical, or behavioral issues to consider.
In addition, the time it takes for a dog to reach maturity may differ. Some dogs display puppy-like behaviors at 4-5 years old, while others can be quite calm. Another thing to watch out for is how long your Whippet can hold its bladder and make sure they have access to a toileting spot.
Adult Whippets can hold their pee for an average of 8-10 hours, puppy Whippets tend to pee much more frequently. Whippets that have problems holding their pee should have a litter tray inside the house f you plan to leave them for 8 hours.
Why Can’t Whippets Be Left for Longer Than 8 Hours?
Whippets that are left alone for a long time can sometimes experience separation anxiety or damage the furniture in the house because they are bored. For this reason, you should not leave your Whippet alone for longer than necessary.
It is of utmost importance to keep your Whippet entertained while you are away, and hopefully, make them tired before you leave. Whippets sleep during the day so if you can take them out for a good run before you go, this will be advantageous.
Like all other dogs, they have natural needs that must be attended to, and 8 hours without access to refreshment or the toilet is about their limit, as it would be for a human too!
Final Thoughts
Whippets can be left alone in the apartment, but you need to take some precautions in advance so that they do not experience any loneliness or separation anxiety.
With good training, you can eliminate many potential problems and ensure that your dog spends quality time by itself while you are away. The strength of your relationship bond with your Whippet will also closely affect their mood at the time of separation.
If you let your Whippet explore life on their own a little bit, and train them to become independent of you, they will not be so unhappy during their time away from you. On the contrary, they will enjoy some freedom to go about the house, and maybe even catch up on a little more well-needed sleep!
However, do not forget that you should not leave Whippets alone for extended periods too often. In a nutshell, your Whippet can easily be left alone at home for 8 hours as an adult and for 1 hour per month of life before adulthood. But it is important to remember that they are also living creatures and long-term loneliness can affect their mood.