The dog days of summer are coming to a close and many people are heading back to work and school. For some dogs, that means that they will be home alone after having the family regularly around them for the past couple of months. This can be a difficult adjustment, so t’s important to properly prepare your dog for spending time alone at home. Make it a priority that your dog’s needs are met to ensure this new routine does not cause your furry friend undue stress and unhappiness.

Does my dog have separation anxiety?

A lot of canine behaviour gets tagged with the dreaded separation anxiety label. There are many canine behaviours that we find problematic that occur exclusively in the owner’s absence. If they do not seem to be anxiety-based and are relatively easy to manage and modify, such as chewing or getting into the garbage, we should call them separation-related behaviours. “Anxiety” is the anticipation of unknown or imagined future dangers. With separation anxiety, your dog anticipates bad things happening because you aren’t there. They will exhibit extreme behaviours in terms of vocalization and destruction, especially of confinement structures, self-harm and house soiling by a house-trained dog. Such behaviours require the intervention of a qualified behaviour consultant with training in separation anxiety (CSAT). 

How to prepare your dog for being alone

Some dogs will adjust to the new routine with little issue, especially if they’ve done it before and they are confident and well-adjusted. Others may find the change stressful, especially if they have little experience with being left alone or have had any negative experiences such as being abandoned.  Puppies are at the greatest risk for separation-related behaviours when they are subjected to a sudden transition to a home-alone lifestyle.  It’s important to take the time to prepare your dog or puppy for this change in their schedule to help avoid undue stress. 

Here are some tips to help your dog make the adjustment to being home alone:

• Go gradually – Start off easy with a 5-10 minute absence. Gradually extend your absences as your dog demonstrates that they are able to relax and settle during your absence.
• Use technology to monitor – With today’s easy access to technology, it’s fairly simple to determine whether your dog or puppy gets upset when left alone. Set up a cellphone or laptop computer to record video or, better yet, use an app to link a camera to your phone so you can see what your dog does in your absence. Be sure to come back at the first signs of anxiety (pacing, panting, whining, barking, howling, digging at doors or windows) as you don’t want their stress levels to rise.
• Make sure all their needs are met – Your dog should be fed, watered and physically and mentally well exercised before being left alone. A good walk with lots of opportunities to sniff and explore, or playing a game with rules such as fetch or tug, paired with a training session that reviews some known behaviours are great ways to satisfy your dog’s needs for mental and physical exercise.

Crating

If you plan to crate your dog when they are left home alone, be sure to habituate your dog to the crate well in advance so that they consider this space a safe and comfortable place to rest. As a general Rule of Thumb, a dog should not be enclosed in a crate for more than one hour per their month of age to a maximum of five hours. Personally, I would never routinely leave a dog crated for that long. Remember, a dog is an intelligent, active animal. It’s cruel to leave them unattended with no socialization or mental stimulation for prolonged periods on a regular basis.

How long can a dog be alone?

How long your dog can be left alone is very much dependent on a dog’s age, temperament and energy level. Many dogs will cope with this isolation because they have no choice, but does that mean they should?Most adult dogs should be allowed to relieve themselves about 3-5 times a day. They might be able to hold their bladders for longer, but that isn’t necessarily healthy for them. 

Bodily functions aside, dogs are social animals and need opportunities to interact with people several times each day, and sometimes with other dogs if they enjoy their company. Puppies especially need more social interaction than adult dogs if they are to grow to be behaviourally and mentally sound adults.

Alternatives to leaving your dog home alone

Daycare – If your dog gets along well with most other dogs, attending doggie daycare a couple days per week can help meet their social and physical needs. Make sure, however, that the daycare is clean and managed by well-qualified staff who are experienced in managing safe interactions between the dogs and use positive, fear-free handling methods. It’s also important to ask the daycare about scheduled rest periods for the dogs. Dogs need their naps. Playing all day with their doggie friends will result in overtired dogs who may suffer behaviourally and physically from lack of rest.

Dog walker – Having someone come to take your dog out for a walk part way though the day can help relieve your dog’s boredom, loneliness and inactivity. Be sure to do your research in finding a service that is qualified and reputable. Steer away from those who walk more than 3-4 dogs in one outing. The site rover.com matches families with dogs in need of care services with freelance providers. Users are able to choose care providers according to their location, experience, price and availability.

Home for lunch – if you live close enough to your work place, consider coming home on your lunch break to let the dog out and spend some time together.

Take your dog to work – Since the pandemic, in an effort to retain workers, more companies are allowing employees to bring their pets to the workplace. You won’t know if you don’t ask. If you get a positive answer, be sure to work out logistics of how you can care for your dog at work and what behaviours you need to train to ensure your dog will be a great work buddy.

Day training – If your dog is in need of training, you can hire a qualified dog trainer to come to your house to train your dog while you are at work. This will give your dog needed social interaction as well as mental and physical stimulation to break up the monotony of being home alone. You also get the added benefit of having a professional address some of your dog’s behaviour issues. This is especially beneficial for young dogs and puppies.

Dog sitter – Ask a friend, neighbour or family member if they would be willing to care for your dog while you are away at work. Retirees are often prime candidates for this position. Make sure they have some experience with caring for dogs and/or will follow your instructions and treat your dog with care.

Having a pet requires dedication and taking responsibility for your pet’s health, safety and well-being. They are not machines that we can simply turn on and enjoy when we are home and turn off when we leave. Many dogs manage to adapt to less-than-ideal lifestyles living with humans although this isn’t necessarily good for their mental and physical health. Spending the time, money and effort to ensure your dog is prepared for  being left alone, as well as minimizing their time in isolation, will help give them the quality of life they deserve.