Leaving dog alone at home: tips

One of the main “fears” of pet owners, when they decide to  adopt  a dog or a cat, is what to do when they have to leave it alone , inside the house. This aspect greatly affects the choice to welcome a four-legged friend, but there are several ways to solve the problem. Everything is, from the first months of life, in the ability of the owner to get the dog used to being alone. In respect, in this article we will show you 6 really effective useful tips .

How to get your dog used to being alone?

Some animals, for reasons of work and  daily routine  , unfortunately end up spending many hours alone . They may come to feel abandoned, suffer from stress, or become victims of dangerous separation anxiety . During the time they are left without company, they often cry, bark and assume destructive attitudes , biting and scratching objects or furniture.

First, you need to understand that dogs are social animals and need to be surrounded by people or other animals at all times. Obviously, only a few lucky ones can avoid going to work and spend the whole day with their four-legged friend. However, there are methods that will allow you to accustom the dog to being alone, without him suffering excessively:

1. Get used to it from a puppy

As soon as he arrives at your home, you must immediately teach the dog to be alone . In the beginning, it will be for a short interval (5 minutes) and, slowly, this interval will be increased to a few hours. The animal will gradually get used to your absence and above all will have the certainty that you will return to him.

Many people adopt a pet during the holidays . In addition to enjoying the well-deserved days of leisure, they will accustom the animal to the fact that the owner will not always be by his side.

2. A fair amount of physical activity

Often your dog’s aggressive behavior is more the result of poor exercise than mere loneliness. A good tip is to get up about half an hour earlier and walk the animal. Let him play, run, in short, get tired . Once back home, while you are leaving for work, he is most likely to prefer to take a nap.

The important thing is that you burn a large part of the energy accumulated during the night . After walking and running, your best friend will be in a calm state and is likely to decide to spend a few hours in perfect  relaxation .

3. Avoid haste

In order to get your dog used to being alone in the house, you also need to pay attention to your habits. If you wake up early , you won’t have enough time to be with the animal or you risk arriving late. The secret is to make it clear that being away from home is like a game and that, upon your return, you will be able to reward the animal adequately.

Also, we recommend that in the 15 minutes before you leave, you don’t interact with him, so that he can calm down and get ready to be alone. If you play with him, make fun of him or talk to him, it will be more difficult for him to accept the detachment .

This element is very important: do not overdo the greetings . A  too long goodbye can be understood by your dog as  goodbye . We know it’s not easy, but it’s better to close the door and go out less emotionally.

4. Leave food and toys behind

Just when you leave the house, we advise you to feed him . So he will have something to do and afterwards, to digest well, he will lie down to rest . It is very useful to leave your favorite objects and toys close to him, so that he can bite them and entertain himself during the hours when you are not there.

5. Tidy house and music on

Be careful that there are no potentially dangerous or valuable objects within the reach of the animal. He may decide to play them or break them out of simple curiosity. Close the windows and doors to the balcony and remove the laundry and other clothes left on the floor. If you have a garden with a swimming pool, make sure that the animal remains closed inside the house. He’ll be safer here.

To prevent your pet from feeling lonely and sad, it’s a good idea to leave the radio or television on. This is a simple trick that will allow you to fill the silence of the house. Compared to music, dogs prefer instrumental pieces (voiceless). And if you have digital terrestrial, there is a  channel dedicated to dogs , called Dog TV which broadcasts programs designed just for them.

6. A room all to himself

Finally, you can choose to leave it in a small room, without accessing other spaces in the house, such as the kitchen. Remember to include all his personal items (bowls with food and water, toys, favorite bed and blanket…) in order to create a familiar environment . In this space the dog can move freely and play, without entering other areas of the house that could be dangerous.

What to do if your dog is alone all day

Do you work too much and spend many hours away from home? Do you feel guilty for leaving your furry friend without company, but you don’t know where to recover the time to devote to him? Starting from the basis that quality is usually better than quantity, we suggest what you can do if your dog is alone all day .

How to gratify your dog when he is alone in the house for many hours

Unless your four-legged friend is sick or depressed, he’ll party you every time you get home . Although the best thing to do would be to not pay special attention to him until he calms down, you will have to reward him for all the time he has been alone.

Regarding this aspect, keep in mind that, even if a single minute can be precious for you, you will have to take care of your pet daily, even if only for a moment . In what ways?

  • Pampering him.
  • By offering him various intelligence games.
  • Cooking him some special recipe from time to time, or buying him some special delicacy in a pet shop.
  • Walking with him in a very relaxed way, letting him explore and interact freely with other dogs .
  • Strengthening some educational rules, especially those relating to objects in the house that must not bite .

If you are very busy and do not have enough time, keep in mind that, in any case, you will have to find a moment to dedicate to your friend who has been alone all day.

Aim for the best for your dog, in the category of possible

In any case, the ideal would be for your pet to spend little time alone . In fact, you know that boredom or anxiety can lead to deleterious behaviors.

Therefore it would be good to be able to count on the help of some family member or friend who comes to your home to give him some company when you are too absent.

However, whether or not you can rely on someone to assist you, it is recommended that the animal take a walk, play and / or exercise  sufficiently before setting out for your daily activities . This will cause him to become tired and relaxed, staying asleep for most of the time you spend outside the home.

Also, before going out, check that the dog has:

  • Some toys of his interest, something he can entertain himself with.
  • Comfortable, ventilated and quiet spaces where you can play and rest.
  • Enough fresh water.

What else can you do to reward him after he’s alone all day?

Undoubtedly, however, the best thing you could do to avoid loneliness for your friend is to just adopt another dog . Sharing his time with a specimen of his own species will allow him to be happier in your absence, as they will make each other great company.

While this is a decision that requires consideration of aspects such as available space, expenses and more, if it is within your means, have no doubt: do it!

It will take you a little more work initially, but it will be worth it . Very soon you will receive a double and your conscience will be calmer affection, knowing that your furry friend is with another dear companion of games .

Ask your vet for help in adopting another dog

If you decide to get another dog, ask your veterinarian to advise you on the best solution according to the characteristics of your four-legged friend.

Keep in mind that the idea is to solve a problem, not create new ones . It is therefore important to choose the new member of the family correctly, to avoid possible conflicts between dogs.

The vet will surely be able to advise you adequately on characteristics such as size , breed, character and age of the animal.

With little time but with extreme responsibility

In any case, what you must never forget is that, if you have decided to take a pet, you must show yourself responsible towards it, in various respects .

It is not enough just to feed him, take him to the vet and let him leave the house for 5 minutes, just enough time to do his own needs. Even if you have little time available, you must show your affection and stimulate him with games and exercises for the body and mind.

Your furry friend will be able to appreciate the time you can devote to him, as much or as little, but as long as you show him genuine affection and never forget to caress him .

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