Calming a Home Alone Dog's Anxiety: Effective Tips

While it's generally best to avoid leaving your dog home alone for extended periods, if they're trained to be alone for short intervals each day from a young age, they're more likely to grow accustomed to brief periods of solitude during certain times of the day. Here are some tips for when you need to leave your furry friend alone:

How can you help a puppy or a new pet dog get used to being alone?

Start with short periods of solitude, even if you don't plan on leaving them alone for long. You'll inevitably need to go out, and if your dog isn't prepared for this, it can lead to stress and anxiety. Teach them that being home alone isn't可怕的 (frightening) but rather a time for relaxation and enjoyment.

First, decide on a comfortable spot for your dog to be alone. Some people prefer to keep their dogs in a specific room or kitchen, as it's easier to clean up any messes. However, be cautious of the mistake of only allowing them into these areas when you're about to leave, as this can make them associate these spaces with loneliness or isolation. These places should be a place of comfort and relaxation, not just a temporary holding area.

Prepare these areas in advance:

Using a dog gate is often better than a closed door, as it makes the dog feel less isolated. Your dog can still see, smell, and hear you through the gate. The key is to train them to be comfortable with a physical distance from you, even when you're at home. Place a dog bed, water, and a chew toy in the room where you'll be leaving them. Playing a soft radio station can create a soothing background noise, which can help many dogs stay calm. The radio can also help mask outdoor noises that might startle your dog, like sudden loud sounds. Talk radio is often preferable to music stations. Having an item of your clothing nearby can also boost their sense of security. Products like Adaptil can also help calm and relax your dog.

Training:

Start by randomly placing your dog behind the dog gate, giving them treats and keeping them engaged. For example, you can use a Kong toy filled with snacks and close the gate while you go about your business, staying within their sight and hearing range, especially for younger dogs or new pets. After a few minutes, open the gate. Ideally, you want them to feel relaxed and still enjoy their snack, at which point you can let them decide whether to stay or go.

If your dog is not comfortable with the dog gate, you might need to sit with them in the room without interacting. This teaches them to be calm and content in your presence without the need for constant interaction. Then, you can start trying to close the gate.

Over the next few days, gradually increase the time your dog spends behind the gate until they are relaxed even when they can't see you. Gradually build up to 30 minutes of solitude.

Once your dog is becoming more comfortable, start leaving them alone for short periods at home.

Prepare their alone room as described earlier, and once they're happily snacking, you can leave.

Return a few minutes later (before they start to show signs of anxiety). If your dog handles your absence well, great! Repeat this training a few times a day.

Gradually increase the duration of your absence to about 30 minutes, repeating this process for several days.

If your dog shows any signs of distress, pause or step back to a previous stage to help them feel more at ease.

Some dogs adapt quickly, while others may take more time. If your dog becomes anxious when you pick up your keys or put on a coat, you may need to slow down the training. Regularly placing them behind the gate while you engage in these activities can help them get used to them. Remember, it may take several days of training.

Once they're accustomed to these scenarios and sounds, start with short periods of leaving the house.

Keep your greeting and volume consistent when you return home, even if they've chewed up something or had an accident indoors. Understand that punishment is not helpful; be patient and go back to the previous training stage.

If you need to be away from your dog for several hours, make sure they've had their daily exercise and a bathroom break. Some dogs may benefit from a small meal to help them relax and feel sleepy.

Why do some dogs become restless when left alone?

There are many reasons, but here are some common ones:

They have never been left alone or separated from someone.

There are things in the house or outdoors that scare them. This could be daily occurrences like the mailman delivering letters, or onetime events like a particularly loud thunderstorm; dogs feel vulnerable when alone, so they can develop a fear of certain things, especially if they're easily nervous.

Another pet companion has passed away, often a dog or cat they were very close to, leaving them feeling abandoned.

Boredom—this is more common in young, energetic dogs. Without enough exercise, they may find their own ways to "exercise," such as chewing on furniture legs or rummaging through the trash.

Especially in the first few weeks after adoption, dogs may be very anxious due to their experiences in shelters or the stress of a new home.

Signs of a dog that cannot handle being alone:

Dogs that struggle with solitude often exhibit the following behaviors:

They become extremely upset when you leave, especially in the first 15 minutes. They may show signs of fear: increased heart rate, rapid breathing, drooling, and even urination. They may follow you around, paw at doors, chew door frames, scratch the carpet, or jump around looking for an exit. Some dogs may bark loudly, whine, or howl to get you to return.

After this chaos, they may settle down and start chewing on items that smell like you, breaking them into pieces and forming them into balls around themselves, as if creating a protective barrier.

When you return, they may be overly excited, possibly even having an accident due to the anxiety, or they may have drooled excessively.

When you're at home, your dog may want to follow you everywhere and become anxious when you seem like you're about to leave.

Why is punishment ineffective?

When you come home to a mess or upset neighbors, it's natural to feel disappointed or angry. Dogs can pick up on your emotions and may exhibit "appeasement behaviors" such as lowering their ears, cowering, and tucking their tails between their legs. Some may look away or squint as if they're feeling guilty or ingratiating.

These appeasement behaviors are often misinterpreted as guilt, leading owners to believe their dogs are deliberately misbehaving. Unfortunately, dogs often get punished for behaviors that are not meant as revenge but are simply a response to the owner's disappointment or anger. Some dogs may even exhibit these behaviors before they anticipate being scolded because they've been punished before.

Punishment is not effective after you return home. Dogs can only associate punishment with the behavior they're being punished for at the time, so they can't connect your scolding with the actions they took hours earlier.

Punishment not only doesn't help but can make the situation worse. Your dog may not be able to handle solitude and will also worry about being punished when you return, leading to more destructive behavior.

How to help a dog that cannot handle solitude:

If your dog is extremely uncomfortable being alone indoors, it's best to consult a professional. Each situation is unique, so there is no onesizefitsall advice.