How to Leave Your Dog Home Alone

It’s not easy for a dog owner to take their dog home alone when you know they will have a difficult time. It may be separation anxiety, loneliness, or panic, but dogs can have all sorts of reactions when seeing their owners go.

Many pet owners feel guilt about leaving. That said, there are things you can do to help your dog. These things can potentially slowly cure the underlying cause of what’s making your dog panic when you aren’t there. Here is your guide to how to leave your dog home alone.

Make Sure They Have a Comfy Bed

A dog should have a comfy bed, couch, or a dog den to relax in when no one’s around. Most dogs enjoy taking up space on a sofa, chair, or wherever their owner sits. This is par for the course.

Leave Them with an Old Item of Clothing

Another comfort for a nervous dog is leaving behind an old clothing item that smells like you. Put them with their things on your bed. This can help your dog feel safe and relaxed.

Introduce Time Apart Slowly

Use a baby gate at home or separate them from you by shutting the door to introduce time apart. Then, make short five or ten-minute trips, where you leave your residence and return, demonstrating to your dog that they can be all right on their own.

Reward Them with a Treat

Slowly increase the time you leave them alone, eventually expanding to 20, 30, 40, and 60 minutes. Always reward them with a treat when you return to training them. This associates absence with something positive and reduces anxiety.

Ensure They Have Food and Water

A dog should always be supervised with enough food and water to last the entire day. Keep a full inventory of dog food in your home. If there’s a delay in getting back to your home, your dog should still have enough supplies to last him for hours more.

Crate Training: Pros and Cons

Putting a dog in its crate can calm it, but it should not be kept for an extended period. A dog in a crate should also have a cool breeze in summer to avoid overheating, the crate should be appropriately sized for them, and a trip should not last longer than four hours.

Provide Mentally Stimulating Toys

Treat puzzles and similar toys to stimulate your dog’s brain. Consider filling a Kong toy with treats or giving your dog their favourite toy you keep hidden before you go. This will surely get your dog excited and interested in the toy in front of them, distracting them from your absence.

Leave Some Noise in the Room

Many dog owners leave the TV, radio, or music on. This gives your dog the sense that someone’s home and distracts the ear. It’s also a way to make them feel safe and relaxed. There’s no silence in the house when their owner is there, so leaving a TV on or listening to music eases the transition for many dogs.

Take Your Dog Outside Before You Leave

If your dog is older or needs to relieve itself more often than average, take it outside briefly before you leave. This will allow it to burn off energy, tire itself out, pee, and do business without worrying about holding it in.

Make Your Exit And Entrance Uneventful

Leave and return quickly and calmly without making it seem like a big deal. This way, your dog will understand that leaving is no big fuss. You may even want to introduce a phrase, such as “see you soon,” to make it feel more routine.

Get Some Interaction When You Go Home

Every dog’s needs related to daily exercise and interaction with their owner are different. Think about how your dog likes to spend time with you. It might be a few hours curled up in bed, on the couch in front of the TV, or stepping out for a walk. Ensure you give that to them when you return after a long absence.

Don’t Punish Your Dog for Bad Behaviour

Dogs self-soothe or cope with separation anxiety by chewing and clawing stuff around the house and barking or howling. If you punish a dog, it will not register in their brain what they’re being punished for, and it will not curb their separation anxiety.

Consider Another Pet

If your dog gets along with other dogs, purchase a second dog to keep them company. This works for some dogs, but for others, you may have both dogs struggling with the same anxiety.