Training dogs to be left alone
All dogs love company and can get anxious when left alone. However, you can train your dog to be left alone. Here’s what you need to know.
How long can you leave a dog alone?
A common question that dog owners ask is how long can a dog be left alone? Puppies cannot cope with being left alone and need someone to be with them all the time in the early months. As dogs are social animals they don’t like to be on their own for long and can easily become anxious. This is called separation anxiety.
With adult dogs, it is not recommended to leave them alone for more than four hours. However, it takes time and patience to train a dog to build-up to the point where they can be left for this amount of time.
If you work, you may want to consider using a dog walker, a dog sitter or taking your dog to doggy day care. This means that your dog will have company during the day and you’ll have peace of mind that your dog isn’t feeling anxious or bored at home.
How to train a dog to be alone in the house
Leaving your dog alone at home for the first time will be hard for you and them. Build up to this gradually so that your dog gets used to being apart from you.
Before you try leaving your dog alone at home, start by helping them to get used to you not being in the same room in the house. This should be for short amounts to begin with, gradually increasing the time as your dog adjusts to being away from you. Choose times when your puppy is more likely to be relaxed, and make sure they have had enough physical and mental exercise and have been to the toilet before being left. Give them an interactive feeding toy – a Kong or a puzzle feeder – to enjoy before settling down for a nice nap.
Remember, practice and patience are key. Spending time to train a dog to be left alone is much easier than treating a dog with separation anxiety.
Why do dogs tear things up when left alone?
Quite often dog owners don’t realise that their dog is feeling anxious when home alone. The most common signs that your dog is feeling unhappy when alone in the house, includes:
- Barking and howling – if you are away from the house you may not be aware that your dog is barking or howling, but your neighbours will!
- Chewing and destroying items in the house, including furniture
- Weeing or pooing in the house
Unfortunately, once a dog develops separation-related behaviours it can often require the help of a professional dog behaviourist for help. You can prevent problems by training your dog to be left alone.
How can a Puppy School tutor help?
There are a number of reasons why a puppy may display unwanted behaviour when left alone. They may toilet because they are not fully house trained, they may become destructive because they are bored or they may be frustrated when placed behind a barrier and cannot get to things they would like. If you are experiencing any of these issues with your puppy, please get in touch with your local Puppy School tutor to find out how they can help you further.
Find your local Puppy School tutor
If none of our Puppy School tutors are local to you, we recommend contacting an Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) registered Animal Training Instructor for further help and advice.
Need more help?
Isolation distress will continue into adulthood unless the problem is successfully treated. And there are other reasons why a puppy (especially older puppies) may exhibit distress when left alone. They may feel insecure and anxious, they may be concerned that something scary is about to happen (common in puppies who have had a frightening or painful experience when previously left alone) or they may be displaying territorial behaviour (usually starts around 7-8 months).
In these cases it is best to seek professional help fast. We recommend contacting an Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist when further advice and support is needed.
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