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Independence TrainingDogs with separation anxiety are often referred to as “velcro dogs” because they follow their owners everywhere. It is also advisable that you learn the signs of your dog’s anxiety (whining, trembling, not eating, panting, pacing, ears back etc.). Many dog owners might see all of the steps involved in crate training and will decide that they won’t teach that to their dog. They might choose to leave their dog home alone and without a crate, or they will force their dog into their crate even if the dog isn’t comfortable with that. These actions can lead to significant behavioral issues that will frustrate you and your dog. I have had dogs that were easy to crate train and who did fine with being alone.
Instead, give them something constructive to do whenever they’re in confinement. A perfect activity is chewing on a chew toy stuffed with food. Toys such as Kongs are excellent for this purpose because the food coming out of the toy will reinforce the chewing behavior. In time, you will end up with a chew toy addict who would rather chomp on their toys than the baseboards. One of the essential things I like to remind pet parents is to ensure that their dog is trained to be left alone before they ever leave their dog alone.
How to Train Your Dog to Stay Home Alone
Remember that dogs are pack animals and being left alone is hard for them. In addition to this program, there are other things you can do to build your dog’s confidence. A basic obedience class can be beneficial even if your dog is already trained, because they can learn how to handle new situations, and gain confidence in you as the "pack leader". Leave and come back about a dozen times the first day, increasing the amount of time your are gone each time you leave. If you come home and your dog is exhibiting anxious behavior, cut the time in half, then increase it again once the anxious behavior disappears.
Training your dog simply requires an investment of time, patience and of course a reward. Download this e-book to learn strategies that will make your treat training more effective. The AKC is here to help owners with questions and concerns about COVID-19 and dogs. Find answers to your questions, plus at-home activity ideas, training tips, educational resources, and more on our Coping With COVID-19 hub. When my pup was approximately three months till when he clocked 6 months, I trained him to stay alone for up to 4 hours every day. Training my dog early on paid o he got used to the fact that I’ll always come back for him.
Tips for Leaving Your New Dog Home Alone
Finally, consider providing your puppy with a physical or mental workout before you leave them alone. A walk, energetic playtime, or even a training session can all leave your puppy tired. Just be sure that you do the same activities at other times too. If your dog only gets that sort of attention right before you leave them alone, they’ll realize it means you’re about to go. So, rather than lying down for a nap, they might worry about your absence.
Other cases, however, may require extensive desensitization to the rituals of leaving the house. More severe cases may require doggy daycare five days a week. A holistic veterinarian can provide medication for the most severe cases. A quality doggy daycare offers a much-needed outlet for high-energy dogs.
How to Run With a Dog Safely
When looking for a particular breed, the information on that breed standard will often mention that so and so is not a good breed to be left alone for long periods. I am in favour of always having two dogs, instead of just one, it eliminates much of what causes anxiety, which is loneliness. Yes, it’s fun to take your dog along, on camping trips, road trips, a trip to the store, visiting Grandma etc. What are you teaching your dog though, when you take him everywhere you go?
Training your dog to be alone will often involve a crate, especially for young puppies who may have problems holding their bladder or want to explore by chewing household items. Start training your dog to enjoy their crate by setting it up in a common area of the house. Let your dog explore the crate on their own terms, sniffing and only entering if and when they wish. You can try fostering other dogs until you are sure that your dog will do well with a sibling dog.
How to Know Your Maltipoo is Suffering from Separation Anxiety or Loneliness?
You should not need to medicate your dog every time that you leave the house. If this is occurring, you may want to seek professional help training your dog to be home alone. Be sure to try different treats and toys until you find one that occupies your dog for long periods or makes them tired.
When you’re trying to get out the door in the morning is no time to play games. As suggested with crate training, toss a cookie into his “day room,” and encourage him to go after it. Tell him he’s a good dog, and follow up with a small training treat. Do not encourage him to come out – If he stays in there after you’ve moved the gate, that’s a good sign that he is at ease in there. By taking the time to teach your dog that being alone is nothing to stress out about, you'll be saving your pup from unnecessary stress or anxiety later in life.
Please share your experiences and stories, your opinions and feedback about this blog, or what you've learned that you'd like to share with others. When she's not geeking out about dogs, you can find her reading, hiking with her two Cardigan Welsh Corgis, or paddleboarding. Within a few days of practicing, they caught on that the faster they settled down, the sooner I would say hi! Not only did this prevent jumping on me at the door, but it also created a much more settled arrival routine and saved me from tripping over my two Corgis underfoot. The next step might include all of the steps above, but now you open the door, step outside, close the door behind you, and then immediately re-enter.
Basically, get rid of absolutely everything your dog could get into while you're gone. A good room to choose might be one with an easy-to-clean floor, such as tile. Leave water and chew toys so he doesn't get bored, and lay out newspapers or puppy pads on the floor in case of accidents. If your new dog is a puppy, accidents are bound to happen. Leave him alone in the room for a few minutes at a time until he gets used to the idea, then slowly increase the amount of time he's alone. As he starts to adapt to this room, and you feel comfortable with his behavior, you can start to expand his access to more of the home when you're away.
Use a white noise machine or turn on calming music while your dog is in their playpen area to mask outdoor noises that can startle them or trigger barking. Make sure you don’t go straight in with leaving him all day alone. Start by leaving him for just a few minutes, then the next day a little longer, and so on until he’s used to being left alone for a while. A new toy or two could also do the job of keeping him occupied when you first start leaving him. Toys will help put him at ease and leave him feeling content when you leave him alone.
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