This will be different for every Cockapoo. All we can tell you is our own experiences with our own Cockapoo.
Cockapoos are generally quite clingy dogs, hence the nickname “velcro dogs”
If your cockapoo is like ours, she loves to be close to you and follows you everywhere around the house!
Each Cockapoo is an individual though, and you really need to decide how long you leave your dog based on how you know them.
Some dogs suffer with separation anxiety so will not want to be left on their own for very long, and some dogs are absolutely fine being left alone and and just chill out and sleep when they’re home alone!
How long can I leave my Cockapoo for?
When we first started to leave Lottie home alone we would only leave her for short periods of time to start with, and then gradually increased the amount of time.
We had to get her used to being home alone when she was a small puppy as we both would have to leave the house to go to work. Luckily, one of us works just round the corner from home, so Lottie would be left for a few hours in the morning and then we would come home at lunch time and spend some time with her, before leaving her for a few hours in the afternoon before we would both get home in the evening. It was good to have a routine that Lottie could get used to.
Luckily now, one of us works from home due to Covid so Lottie doesn’t get left alone very often anymore.
When she was a small puppy, we would leave her shut inside of her crate, and as she got older and better behaved, we would then just leave her in her bed, free to roam around the kitchen but leave the door shut so she couldn’t get anywhere else in the house.
When she was a small puppy, she did suffer with separation anxiety more than she does now, and she would cry and howl when we left her. Eventually though, she would always settle. Lottie seemed to grow out of this anxiety as she got older.
We also purchased a CCTV camera that we set up in our kitchen where we would leave Lottie which linked to an app on our phones so that we could keep an eye on her and check that she was ok.
Generally, Lottie will just sleep when we leave her home alone.
How do you help a dog with separation anxiety?
Leave your dog with a piece of worn clothing with your scent on it, they will find this comforting.
You can use over the counter calming products to reduce anxiety
Consider an anxiety bed –
Try to take your dog out for a walk before you leave them home alone, especially if it’s going to be for a few hours, so that they are tired and more likely to just sleep when you leave – this one has always worked for us!
Leave music on for them, Lottie seems to settle a lot better when there is some background noise, also it helps block out outside noise that would disturb her or make her think someone was coming home.
Try leaving them with a puzzle toy or a KONG toy stuffed with treats to keep them entertained for a while –
Don’t punish or scold them, separation anxiety is not them misbehaving, they are simply distressed about being left alone and this is not something to be punished for, but something to help them deal with.
Signs of separation anxiety in dogs
Crying and howling
Destructive behaviour
Pacing
Weeing and pooing inside (even if they are toilet trained)
Trying to escape the area they are contained in
