How long can I leave my puppy alone at home?

While it may be unavoidable to leave your puppy alone, doing so over a longer period of time can have a negative effect on their development, both physically and emotionally. 

First and foremost, if you have just gotten a puppy, you should not leave it alone. This especially hold true for putting them in a kennel all by themselves and leaving them there. This will in all likelihood cause severe behavioral problems later on, because the puppy might experience being alone as traumatic. Young dogs are social animals. They are highly vulnerable and dependent. They need someone, a companion (such as another dog, preferably adult, or a human being). So don´t leave a young pup alone. 

Once you´ve had your pup for a while, the amount of time you can leave it alone at home largely depends on their age. Generally speaking, puppies should not be left alone for more than three hours at a time, and no more than four or five hours at most. Many experts suggest limiting the time to two hours or less for puppies that are younger than four months.