If you are planning to get a Belgian Malinois dog it’s good to search for as much information about this breed as you can. One of the questions that first arises among future and new Mali owners is whether these dogs should be left alone and for how long?
Adult Belgian Malinois shouldn’t be left alone for more than 4 hours in a row while seniors and puppies can be left alone for a maximum of 1-3 hours. Belgian Malinois are very social and family-oriented dogs so they are not happy to spend their time alone.
This breed is extremely active therefore need a lot of playtime and exercise to burn all that energy. If not, Mali dogs become destructive and separation anxiety can set in. Since they are intelligent dogs, mental stimulation and interactive toys while you are not around are a must.
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How Long Can I Leave My Belgian Malinois Alone (By Age)?
Leaving a Belgian Malinois puppy alone for an extended period of time is not only dangerous but also cruel. Puppies need to be trained to stay home alone but also to reach certain age for it.
If you really need to be out of your house for a couple of hours every day you should find someone to take care of your Mali puppy during that time.
Malinois puppies are full of energy, they like to explore. While their teeth are growing they will nibble whatever they find, if you don’t supervise them.
The capacity of their bladder is not big so don’t leave a 2 months old puppy (or younger) for more than 1 hour. Then with every month of your puppy’s life, you can increase the number of hours.
So the 3 months old puppy can be left for 2 hours, 4 months old puppy even for 3 hours, and so on.
After the puppy is 6 months old, it’s ready to stay home alone for a maximum of hours. No matter the age of your dog, never exceed 4 hours.
Senior Mali dogs also shouldn’t be left alone for too long but for different reasons. After they reach a certain age ( around 8-10 years of age) dogs have health issues that can cause them pain and discomfort.
Also, older dogs usually pee more often than younger ones so don’t leave your Mali senior for more than 2-3 hours.
Adult Mali dogs are passionate dogs, full of adventure. They constantly need some physical activity. These dogs thrive off of human affection and companionship.
All in all, you shouldn’t leave your dog alone for more than 4 hours in a row. Don’t forget his potty needs as well, even though he can hold his urine for a couple of hours more, it’s torture.
Although no law specifies exactly how long you can leave your Belgian Malinois alone there is a general rule in North America that says that no dog should be left alone for more than 4 hours.
In the UK, vet experts also suggest 4 hours as the maximum time one dog should stay alone.
How To Train My Belgian Malinois To Stay Home Alone?
Start very slowly with the training. First, decide on the confined area. It can be a crate or part of the room limited with a baby gate.
Make sure that the confined area is dog-proofed without any hazards. Encourage your puppy to go and stay in the crate for just a minute, while you are there.
The next step is to leave a puppy inside for a short time but you need to come out of the room. When you return praise your dog for being good and give him some treats.
The important thing is not to make a great fuss about it, you don’t want your Mali puppy to get too excited. Gradually increase the amount of time your puppy spends in the crate. You should be able to leave your puppy for 30 minutes (up to 1 hour) after a couple of days.
If you notice that your Mali puppy is crying while he is in a confined area you probably have started the training before your puppy learned to associate his space with good things.
It’s recommended to finish the crate training first before you jump to this one. Another reason for your Mali puppy crying is that you left him alone for too long, cut the time and continue the training.
What Do I Need To Do Before I Leave My Belgian Malinois Alone?
When you plan to leave your dog alone make sure he :
- is not hungry
- has access to freshwater
- had physical activity and quality playtime before
- had a potty break before
- has some chewing and other interactive toys for mental stimulation
Even if you have adult Malinois, it’s better to limit his space when you are leaving him alone, especially if you have a large house. If you live in an apartment there is no need for space limitation.
Mali can become destructive either from fear or boredom so he can destroy things around such as carpets, furniture, shoes, clothes…
What Are Guilty-Free Options If I Need To Leave My Malinois Alone?
If you have a full-time job and you simply need to leave your dog for 8 or even more hours you have to think about what to do with your dog.
Belgian Malinois is not capable to stay alone for almost the whole day, he needs company, and not just that, he needs a good playmate as he has endless energy to spend.
Not every dog is the same but a majority of this breed requires very active owners who are really engaged in activities with the dog. Mali dogs request full attention and commitment.
If they are spending their days alone, they can get bored very easily. So if you have a full-time job and there is nobody in your home who can stay with your dog while you are not there, that think twice if Malinois is the good choice for you, as it’s not.
If you already have a Mali dog and you are forced to leave him alone every day, consider the following options:
- a private pet sitter who can come over and spend some time or a full day with your dog. That pet sitter could be a professional or a kind neighbor/ cousin/ friend who is willing to dedicate some time to your dog.
- a dog walker is a less expensive option than a pet sitter. This person can stop by your house and take your Mali for a walk (or two), every day.
- doggy daycare facility – you can find different options here. You can take your dog every day or only a couple of days of the week. He can stay the whole day or just a couple of hours. You will find the best combination for you. The greatest advantage of this option is the socialization that your dog really needs. Belgian Malinois dogs are very social, they like to play with other dogs.
Make sure you take your dog for a walk before you go to work. Take at least 30 min to tire your dog a little bit. As soon as you come from work, take your Mali for another walk, a longer one. Mali dogs like to run, play retrieve games, play Frisbee…
If you have that possibility use the lunch break to stop by and say hello to your dog. He will be thrilled to see you and play a little bit with you.
If the circumstances allow you, do your job from home. That way you won’t leave your dog alone.
Get a pet camera with a treat dispenser. This is a super useful gadget, you can watch your dog from your office, talk to him and reward him with some treats for being a good dog while you are not around.
You can get another Mali dog. That can be a solution because those two will keep each other company. But bear in mind that this is a good idea only if two dogs will get along, as if not it will be a total nightmare.
Provide chewing and other interactive toys. Mali dogs are super smart, they need to keep their mind occupied and stimulated. Treat puzzle toys or Kong toys are perfect for your dog.
Some owners claim that their dogs are much calmer if the radio or TV is on while they are alone in the house. That comes from the fact that dogs like to hear a human voice.
But dogs shouldn’t watch any type of TV content. For example, many people think that Animal planet is the perfect channel. Well, it’s not.
Wild animals on TV can stimulate some predator instincts your Mali dog certainly has so he can become more aggressive. It’s better to put on some music channel or similar.
Where To Leave My Belgian Malinois – Inside or Outside?
If you have a house with a backyard you maybe ask yourself where is better to leave a dog – in the house or in the backyard. Both options have it’s pros&cons.
Inside – if you leave your dog inside you know that he is safe, nobody can hurt him, he cannot escape, there are no extreme temperatures. The biggest con is that your Malinois cannot go to the toilet and doesn’t have that freedom to run around.
Outside – your dog is free to run, to pee, and poop whenever he wants but he can escape easily, maybe he runs into some coyote or other larger predator ( bear or mountain lion). He is not protected from extreme weather conditions ( unless he has some kind of shelter ).
You shouldn’t think that he cannot destroy anything in the yard as Malinois dogs like to dig. Don’t be surprised if your backyard starts to look like a moon surface full of craters.
One of the signs of separation anxiety is excessive barking and howling. If your dog remains outside this noise may disturb your neighbors.
The same goes for leaving the dog inside, especially if you live in an apartment building.
What If I Leave My Belgian Malinois Alone For Too Long?
If this happens few times, most probably nothing will happen with if you continue leaving your dog for an extended period of time every day, it’s considered as neglect which further can cause:
- separation anxiety
- depression
- destructive behavior
- extreme restlessness during the evening which can affect night sleep
- some health issues like heart disease, bladder infections, gastrointestinal problems caused by stress
You should never punish your dog for showing signs of separation anxiety and destructive behavior. He is not disobedient but highly distressed.
Conclusion
Belgian Malinois is a super active dog that likes to spend as much time with its owners as possible. He is a social creature and doesn’t like to be alone.
Of course, sometimes you need to leave your dog alone but make sure you don’t do that for more than 4 hours otherwise he may become destructive and separation anxiety may set in.
