Being a pet parent isn’t always easy, especially if you have to work fulltime. Asking yourself ‘how do I leave my dog home alone?’ or similar questions can leave you feeling wracked with guilt, unsure, uncertain, hesitant and a myriad of other doubts.
Dogs are social animals. Therefore, you may feel guilty if you leave your dog by himself or herself during the day. How a pet dog responds to being alone may be based on his or her breed and temperament.
While some dogs are laid back about the process and wait patiently for your return, other dogs may develop behavioural problems such as separation anxiety. In turn, they may direct their nervousness and fear to destructive activities. In turn, you can return home to a house that looks as if it was ransacked by criminals.
Table of Contents
Making Your Pet Feel More Comfortable and Confident
If you are a pet parent, it can indeed be difficult to leave your beloved pooch by himself or herself. He or she may feel totally sad and miserable when you are away. However, you can find ways to alleviate your pet’s feelings and make him or her feel more comfortable and confident. So, how do I leave my dog home alone?
How About Buying a Swaddle Jacket?
One of the best ways to uplift your pet in this respect is to provide him or her comforting items. For example, some pet owners provide a swaddle jacket or anti-anxiety coat for their dogs. Others keep the dog in a crate to get him or her used to the idea. If you choose a swaddle jacket, these coats or wraps may be referred to as calming coats or anxiety jackets. Some are featured as dog vests.
You can find a variety of these types of doggie garments on sites online, especially Amazon. You can choose from sizes for all types of breeds. If you have a medium-sized dog, a jacket or vest is made for dogs that are about 20 to 50 pounds and have a chest size of 18 inches to 26 inches. Most of the jackets, coats, or vests are easy to place on your dog or remove.
The anxiety jacket or vest is designed to create a comfortable and snug fit that reduces an animal’s anxiety response to noise. Usually made of a practical fabric, most of the swaddle jackets will not collect hair. You can find a variety of styles, sizes, and designs that are machine washable.
Anxiety jackets help to relieve anxiety in dogs during storms, firework displays, parent separation, travel and other anxieties your pooch may suffer with and often negates the need for medication.
Have You Considered Calming Drops or Treats?
Naturally, when choosing this type of apparel, you can supplement its calming effect with certain medications. For example, you can buy calming drops for dogs to relieve anxiety. Also, calming treats are featured for the same purpose. Both of these items are either produced solely with hemp oil or have hemp oil infused in the ingredients.
The whole idea is to make an anxious dog feel relaxed enough so that he or she will not destroy your upholstery or drapes. Calming treats are normally meat-flavoured and feature all-natural ingredients such as chamomile, valerian root, l-tryptophan, and ginger root. The treats are made to be safe and mild and can relieve anxiety in various stressful situations. You can even take the treats with you when you walk your dog in the park. That way, he or she will not get rambunctious if he or she sees other people.
Dog Crates Create a Sense of Safety & Security
You can get your pet used to the idea of crate training. Dog Crates are available that you can take with you or use at home to keep your dog under control. Just make sure that you choose a crate that is sturdy. Do not choose it simply for its aesthetics. While some brands may look appealing with your home’s décor, they can also be flimsy if you have a stronger, bigger, or more active dog. A swaddle jacket or crate, when used correctly, can give your beloved pet a feeling of safety and security.
Turning a dog crate into a safe haven to help your furry friend feel secure:
● All dogs deserve comfortable and soft bedding for warmth and security
● Fun, safe chew toys will keep your pooch occupied
● Keep the crate out of direct sunlight and draughts
● A cover over part of the crate can reduce anxiety in nervous dogs, helping them to feel more secure
● Use a clip-on water bowl that can’t be tipped over to ensure your pet has access to clean fresh water
Toys that Fight Boredom or Encourage Play
You can revive the spirits of your heartbroken dog by providing him or her with some entertainment while you are away. For example, toys are featured for boredom or to stimulate play. Find a toy that your dog can use on his or her own. For instance, flying discs and rope toys are items that you can use while you are engaged in play with your pet.
For home use, you need to review dog chew toys, plush toys, and launchers. If you leave your dog home alone in the backyard during the day, adding an automatic ball launcher can offer your dog a fun way to play fetch on his or her own. This interactive toy permits your pet to fetch for hours on end. All you need to do is add a tennis ball and your pet is set to have lots of fun.
Usually, this type of device comes complete with three tennis balls that are non-abrasive in design and measure about 2.5 inches in diameter. You can use similarly sized balls as well. Just try to keep them from getting too wet or dirty as doing so can affect the launcher’s performance.
When you use this type of device, you usually will lock the distance to about ten feet. This is done with a button on the side of the device. Depending on how much room you have indoors for this type of activity, you can add the launcher inside too. When buying this type of entertainment device, read the user manual carefully and watch the video, both which are usually included with the product.
Making a Selection for Dog Toys
When making a selection for a dog toy or entertainment device, review the items that are featured by their ratings and their price. Prices for toys range from under £15 to as much as £200 or above. You can also find a listing of sellers on websites such as Amazon.
You may also be interested in a Treat Dispenser Toy for your pet. These dispensers can keep your pooch occupied for hours, even once the contents have all been eaten. Treat dispensers can be used indoors and outdoors; add calming treats to keep your dog calm, relaxed and stress-free. Puzzle toys are designed to develop your dog’s IQ and provide treats as well. Most dogs find these products great fun.
Monitor Your Pet Easily with a Pet Surveillance Camera
Consider buying a surveillance camera while you are away. With these products, you can soothe your pet as well with your voice. In addition, you can keep track of what he or she is doing while you are away or at work. One of the bestsellers today connects with your smartphone and enables you to monitor your pet with a wide-angle view, either day or night. The camera sends alerts to your smartphone when barking is noted.
By using the camera, you can find out exactly what is going on at your home with more assurance. You can also talk to your pet to calm him or her if he or she is barking or noticeably upset. What is great about this type of product is that is features pet recognition technology so you can receive dog activity alerts, dog selfie alerts, and person alerts.
This is a simple product to set up and initiate as you only need to plug the pet camera into a power outlet using a USB cord. Next, download an app that connects to your home’s Wi-Fi system. Voila! You can monitor your pet and keep him or her calmer day or night.
Now that you know the items you can use to ease the tension of being alone, you need to learn more about how time can affect your pet’s demeanour if he is left alone. For example, an adult dog should never be left by himself or herself for over four hours. If your pet has access to food and water or has a place where he or she can potty, you can extend the time to eight hours – no more.
Are You Leaving Your Dog Alone at Night?
You also have to consider how a dog may be affected if he or she is left alone overnight. If you are working a night shift, you should be able to leave your dog at home overnight. A dog is not a nocturnal animal. Therefore, you do not have to worry if he or she is sufficiently occupied. On the other hand, you may have to worry a little about your cat. However, that being said, cats are more self-sufficient than dogs and generally get along fine when left by themselves, either day or night.
The only exception to the night-time scenario is if your dog suffers from night-time separation anxiety disorder. This condition normally surfaces if your dog becomes overly excited each time you close your bedroom door. When you understand the psychology of dog behaviour, it will be easier for you to learn what you will need to keep your dog engaged while you are away at work or shopping. Because dogs are pack animals, they enjoy socialisation. While you can leave treats with your dog or pup and provide them with an abundance of toys, he or she still needs your company to ultimately feel relaxed and comfortable.
Leaving Your Puppy by Himself or Herself
If you wonder “how do I leave my dog home alone?”, you can do so with a little effort and understanding. First, you need to note your pup’s age. Any puppy that is under six months old should not be left by himself or herself for over two hours.
In this case, you should consider having the dog registered in doggy day-care or retain the services of a pet sitter. At this point, your pup is not ready to be staying by itself for any long length of time. Again, it is the socialisation factor. Dogs are not happy if they cannot have the company of other humans or dogs.
When you do leave a puppy alone, make sure that he or she is left in a comfortable crate or a room that has been puppy-proofed. You will need to plan on buying a crate before you adopt your puppy.
This will assure your dog that he or she is loved and protected. As your pup develops, you can gradually increase the time that he or she is left alone. You will find that it is much easier to leave your young dog at home alone once he or she has had time to get used to the idea.
Breeds That Do Well by Themselves
If you have not yet adopted a dog, you should take note of the breeds that do not mind spending time by themselves. While each dog has its own personality, some breeds of dogs can cope with being alone better than others. Breeds that can be left alone for long time periods include dogs such as the French Bulldog, the Chihuahua, the Shar-Pei, the Basset Hound, the Chow Chow, the Boston Terrier, and the Japanese dog known as the Akita Inu. You will also find that bull terriers and pugs do well at being alone.
Even if your dog does not like the idea of being alone now, he or she can be trained and engaged so you will not experience behavioural problems or nervousness. You just need to know what products to select to ensure your dog’s happiness.
One of the best products to use is the aforementioned pet camera. By keeping track of your pet’s activities during the day and comforting him or her with your voice, he or she will feel closer to you and more self-assured. You just need to go online and review the product listings for yourself. Do all you can to ensure that your pet can handle being alone while you are travelling or away at work.
All products in this article can be found on amazon, any links which are clicked and subsequently purchased may provide us (bowwowtech.co.uk) with a small commission. Any commissions earned are reinvested to enable us to produce more articles and provide educational material to visitors to our site.
Bowwowtech.co.uk does not provide veterinary advice. Our aim is to provide the reader with information to enable them to make a good decision when making a purchase. All content is therefore for informational purposes only.