Bullmastiffs can be independent to a degree. This trait, however, doesn’t equate to him being okay if left alone for long periods. Bullmastiffs are social dogs and they love to be around their loved ones. Moreover, it is not okay for a dog to be bored and confined at home.
Anyhow, if you don’t have a choice but to temporarily leave your dog, you can do so for a limited number of hours. You can also execute a few simple things to prevent him from getting frustrated while waiting for you to come back. Learn these things through this article!
How Long Is Too Long?
The general rule is, never leave any dog, particularly the Bullmastiff alone for more than 4 hours. Anything that exceeds that can be harmful to your pet both mentally and physically. The length of time you can leave him by himself will be factored by age.
For Puppies
As a guideline, newborn puppies need to be visited every hour. This has more to do with his potty needs. He can’t hold his bladder for more than an hour and would need human assistance. The length of time wherein he could control when to urinate increases as he ages.
For example, if he turns two months old, he could wait for you to aid him after two hours. The reason why he’d need help in eliminating waste is that his body would need stimulation from the backsides which he couldn’t do without his mother or your help.
For Adolescents
Adolescent dogs have to start getting used to being left alone for four hours. Never do this right away but rather let the transition go gradually. You can add up more time either every two weeks or month until he’s capable of being by himself based on the target length of time.
For Adults
Adult Bullmastiffs, especially those who are trained, can do well on their own for four hours. However, as much as you can, he’d still appreciate getting interaction from you every once in a while. If leaving him alone is unavoidable, make sure you use certain tricks to eliminate potential boredom.
For Senior Dogs
It is quite a different case for a senior Bullmastiff. Before you leave him alone at your place, be sure to consider a few things first, specifically his needs, health, and capability to look after his own for a short period. Typically, you can leave a senior dog alone for 4-6 hours. Nevertheless, getting to bond with his owner from time to time would be necessary.
Do Bullmastiffs Ever Feel Lonely?
Yes, they do. The Bullmastiff breed is a sensitive one. He craves affection, attention, and love all the time, and not receiving them could make him emotional. Since socializing is essential for every dog, a Bullmastiff who has no chance to initiate anything with a pet or another human would eventually feel sad and lonely.
He’ll then try to communicate how he feels in what we often label as “undesirable behaviors”.
Signs Your Bullmastiff Suffers From Separation Anxiety
Having a friend can indeed save you from having a bad day. Unfortunately, not all dogs can be with a mate, more so if he’s the only pet in the house. If nothing is done during the time he’d be left alone, this will slowly affect your Bullmastiff’s mental health.
This should alarm every dog owner if he wants a happy relationship with his canine buddy. Spotting the signs and symptoms of separation anxiety early can change the situation.
Urinating, Defecating, or Vomiting
Stress is the main culprit as to why some Bullmastiffs would end up vomiting, pooping, or peeing when left alone. This is mostly because how he feels can trigger gastrointestinal upset.
Constant Howling or Barking
The Bullmastiff is a quiet breed. However, he could end up letting out unnecessary noise such as howling and barking even if no one’s there due to separation anxiety. If he constantly bellows, know that it’s unusual and that something is wrong.
Exhibiting Undesirable Behaviors
Another way to determine if your Bullmastiff has separation anxiety is if you go home and you see your furniture, shoes, pillows, or other things chewed off. If he has gone outside while you were out, he could manifest this by digging. Worse is if he ends up injuring himself such as breaking his teeth or damaging his nails.
Attempting to Escape
A Bullmastiff who is bored will find a way to make himself feel better. If he can’t experience a cheerful time at home, he’ll look for it elsewhere. If he finds a chance, he’ll leave his place and try to seek a sort of adventure in the neighborhood or look for his canine friends to play with.
6 Ways to Keep Him From Freaking Out
If you have to leave your home for an errand, never show how sad you’re going to be. Bullmastiffs can feel your emotions and would often feel the same way as you do. Rather, you should stay calm, relaxed, and confident as this could assure your pet that nothing big deal will happen.
You can also incorporate a few if not all of the things listed below:
- Exercise Your Bullmastiff
- Let Him Play a Few Challenging Games
- Allow Him a Potty Break
- Ensure That He’s Well-Fed
- Give Him Free-Access to Water
- Take Advantage of His Crate
- Keep Your Arrivals and Departures Low-Key
Keep Your Bullmastiff Entertained
While you’re away, don’t forget to give your Bullmastiff certain things that could make him happy. They don’t have to be extravagant. He only needs something that could make him busy for a while.
- Leave a Wide Range of Toys for Him- shop for toys for large dog breeds here.
- Make Use of a Soothing Music
- Invest in an Interactive Pet Camera
Working Full-Time and Owning a Bullmastiff
If you live all by yourself and you’re thinking of getting a Bullmastiff to accompany you, you might be concerned about whether it is possible to be a dog owner who has a full-time job. The good news is, yes you can! Here are some things that can help you in your journey:
- Hire a Pet-Sitter. Affordable and convenient, a pet-sitter can give your Bullmastiff that attention he’d need from a human.
- Hire a Dog Walker. If you can’t take your dog out for a walk due to an emergency, a dog-walker can save the day for you!
- Visit Him During Lunch Break. If you can, you can resort to going home every lunch. You can bond even for a short time.
- Enroll Him at a Doggy Daycare. Let your trained Bullmastiff have some fun by spending time with other dogs while you’re away!
- Work From Home. If allowed, working from home is a convenient setup both for you and your dog. If the opportunity arrives, grab it!
- Ask Friends or Family to Come Visit. A friend or a family member who has an available time of at least 15-30 minutes can make your Bullmastiff happy.
