How can you tell if your dog is having issues when home alone?
Since you are not there, how can you know what happens? Ask your neighbours, they might hear some whining or barking. Check for evidence of scratch marks near the door, damaged items (such as shoes or furniture) or house soiling. It can be hard to tell if your dog doesn’t settle, paces or drools however, so investing in a camera (a ‘doggy cam’!) can let you see what your dog does do.
If you think your dog may be having problems being left alone fill out this quick survey “How stressed is your dog home alone”. This will give you an idea about how difficult your dog finds time on their own and advice depending on your situation.
When can you start to leave your dog on their own?
It depends on your dog and its age and character. There are a number of things you can do to help your dog cope with being home alone and it is important to prepare your dog from puppyhood. To understand more about when and how to do this, read our article When can I start leaving my dog home alone? The tips will help you get ready for the first time you need to leave your dog.
How much time can you leave a dog alone for?
It depends how old your dog is, the younger they are the less time they can be left by themselves. Our article How long can you leave a dog home alone answers this question. You will also find advice on how to help your dog feel comfortable when they are left on their own.
Leaving your dog alone for the first time
You might have been able to be with your dog constantly so far but now have to leave them alone at times. What are the first steps you should follow to enable your dog to be comfortable at home by themselves? To help you on this we have an article with 10 tips to leaving your dog alone for the first time. We know it is difficult to leave your furry friend behind so these tips will help you feel more confident about leaving them on their own.
Read this now to prepare, as dogs need to learn that being alone is a normal part of life and not a time to be unsettled.
So what can you do?
- Prepare for your absence by giving your dog plenty of exercise before to help them settle
- A chew, food-releasing toy and the TV/radio on can provide distraction during your time away
- Plug in an ADAPTIL Calm Home Diffuser to release “appeasing messages” that will help your dog stay calm
- Prepare so that you can leave quickly, quietly and calmly without fuss
- On your return greet your dog in a friendly, low-key and predictable way and reward your dog when they settle down and are calm. Do not ignore them if they are distressed
- Don’t punish your dog for any damage, noise or mess in your absence
Using an ADAPTIL Calm Home Diffuser or ADAPTIL On-The-Go Collar will help your dog feel calm and relaxed when you are away.
ADAPTIL Calm helps dogs feel calm and relaxed in stressful situations such as being left home alone. In a study ADAPTIL Calm Home Diffuser reduced the signs of separation-related problems after just one month (when combined with advice from a behaviourist)
Every dog is different and for dogs that are struggling with being left alone (or those dogs that have had problems in the past and need to be left alone again) we recommend speaking to a qualified behaviourist or your vet for management and treatment advice.
