Transitioning to being Home Alone

As September creeps upon us and things slowly have been returning to more of a “pre covid” normal, many dogs will soon be returning to days spent without their humans around or experiencing this for the first time. Adults are returning to work, summer vacation and days off are coming to an end, and children are returning to the classroom for another year of learning. With this happening some dogs will experience stress and some may show signs of Separation Anxiety. Hopefully they do not have a wild time like Kevin in the classic Home Alone. 

---

There are things all dog owners can do to help their puppies and older dogs be more comfortable with being on their own. 

• One of the first BIG things we recommend with ANY dog (this is huge to start with puppies) is getting our dogs USED to spending time on their own. This means, as much as we want our dogs around, they shouldn’t be glued to our sides 24-7. This can be done by having them be outside on their own (if this is safe), being in a separate room, or being in their crate. 
  
  • Some dogs aren't comfortable in a crate so if you can create a “pup proof” room they can safely hang out in or have an x-pen these are good options as well. A secured room can be even more comforting for your dog as they can have their bed, toys, and possibly a safe chew in there with them while you are away.
    
• Crate training can be super helpful as it gives our dogs a safe space that they are comfortable in. 
  
  • An important note about crate training is to make it a happy place for the dog. A great way to acclimate them to their crate and make it a good place is to feed them their meals in a crate. Like us, dogs should rest after a meal, and being crated is an excellent way to do that. If they excitedly go in the crate, are rewarded with their meal, then expected to chill quietly in there until you let them out, this is easier for them when a crate is a good place. Sometimes it can take a VERY long time for dogs to change their 
    
• Avoiding patterns - dogs learn patterns and for dogs that may be stressed with their humans leaving the “morning routine” can become a trigger. By switching up the order in which we do things we can help to promote calmer mindsets. 
  
  • Also, make sure that you are not making a big deal of leaving or coming home. We never want to make our dogs think “oh something unpleasant is coming, mom seems really upset” by lots of fussing before we go. We also don’t want to promote craziness when we get home, in effect making it seem like “oh you poor dog, being alone all day was bad and now I am home, and it’s the greatest time ever”. Unfortunately, our energy and how we react can actually create a dog with separation anxiety. Dogs are amazing creatures that are very in tune with their humans. They will feed off of our attitude towards things so it is important our own attitudes demonstrate how we want our dogs to behave or feel. 
    
• Provide something that smells like us, such as a blanket or an old sweatshirt.
  
• Leave for short periods of time vs whole days to start with when possible. 
  

While these tips are not magical cures they are small things owners can do to try and help their dog’s mental health and stress levels. If you are suffering with a dog that already has Separation Anxiety these tips are great starting points but please understand that something like this requires work and patience.