14 tips to keep your dog relaxed while you're away
Despite our best efforts to avoid leaving the house, we can’t spend all day at home with our furry companions. Leaving our dog alone at home, even if it's just for an hour, may be a challenging experience for both of you.
As a result, many canine companions experience distress when left alone.
Dogs suffering from separation anxiety may exhibit destructive behaviors, such as excessive chewing, barking, tearing up furniture, and digging.
Here we have compiled 14 ways to keep your dog from being restless while you are away!
Ensure that they have a good view.
Dogs often enjoy taking occasional excursions outside, but if they can't go out, a better option would be to give them a good vantage point. Look for a window in your home that looks out into an intriguing part of the yard or street. Place a fluffy pillow or dog chair in front of the window, so your dog is comfortable.
It's a great way to entertain your dog for hours!
You may also add a bird feeder near the window to help attract birds that can entertain your dog, but please make sure that your window is shut, especially if your dog has a high prey drive.
Provide plenty of toys and puzzles.
Give your dog a lot of options when it comes to toys. Having lots of your dog's chew toys and dental treats available can deter it from getting into mischief with its mouth. You may also include interactive toys and brain-stimulating toys.
Dog puzzle games often include hiding a treat inside a device the dog must operate to gain access to the reward. Try switching them out every few days to prevent her from becoming bored with her toys. This way, your pet's playthings will remain exciting and engaging.
If you leave your dog with a toy, it will be less anxious about being alone for extended periods of time. The second benefit is that it gives your dog something to satisfy its instinct to chew.
Hide dog food and treat containers.
Before heading out to work, leave some dog goodies hidden in strategic locations about the house, and your dog will happily spend the day sniffing around for treats. You can have them find the treats hidden in various puzzles to make it more challenging.
So they'll have to use their sense of smell to find the treat and their brains to figure out how to get at it. Your dog will like it as a small game. The result of your departure will be more beneficial than negative to them.
Set up a playpen for your dog.
A playpen is a great way to provide a small dog with a secure and safe area to run around when you're not around. Keeping your dog confined all day in a small place is not the best approach to ensure their relaxation; therefore, this is not the best option when you will be gone for more than a day.
Alternatively, you may dedicate an extra room as a playpen where you can install a pet door to separate the space. While preventing entrance, the gate will allow your dog to view the remainder of the house. Put all their favorite playthings inside, including some familiar toys for comfort.
Leave the TV or the radio on.
Dogs are easily startled, so stifling them in utter silence is not a smart idea. If you cannot provide your dog with a suitable lookout, you may wish to consider providing them with a television or radio.
A great place to begin is channels dedicated to canines. Your dog would love seeing other animals and hearing familiar sounds while you are away.
However, please remember that some canine companions aren't into watching television. As a caution, make sure your television is not easy to knock over since the dogs might get too excited and knock them down.
Give your dog a treat-dispensing toy.
Your dog will be occupied for quite some time as they learn how to retrieve the treats or kibble from treat-dispensing toys. Put some of your natural peanut butter or other goodies into the toy.
Most dogs are fascinated by the prospect of discovering every last bit of peanut butter hidden in a stuffable toy. Freezing the stuffed toys in ice adds a new level of difficulty that could entertain them for hours.
Set up a pet camera.
If you are uncomfortable leaving your dog behind, you can install a pet cam to keep tabs on your pet and ensure it's doing fine when you can't be there. Pet cams have revolutionized the way absentee pet owners keep tabs on their fur babies.
You can install the camera in the playground and monitor it from your mobile device occasionally. Some cameras can accept video and audio calls, so you can talk to your dogs to calm them down.
In addition to its incredible list of features, you can set it up so that you get notifications from your camera system if your dog starts barking excessively. Then, you may use the built-in communication functions to reassure them and reinforce teaching remotely.
Get another dog or pet.
Many canines feel safer and more at ease when they have a pal nearby. Getting a second pup is a huge commitment, but finding the proper companion for your fur baby can lead to a lasting bond. Leaving your dog at home with another dog requires some preparation, including socialization and training.
This strategy requires a substantial time and effort investment. But if you put in a lot of hours at work, this is a wise commitment to make to could be beneficial to everyone.
Dogs that live alone rarely get the chance to interact with other canines, so they are easily bored and may resort to risky actions.
Hire a pet sitter or dog walker
If you are away for an extended time, a dog walker or pet sitter can play with and exercise your pet in your absence. Dog walkers ensure that your dogs get the necessary exercise while you are away, allowing us to spend meaningful time with them when we return home.
It's a good idea to have someone check in on your dog periodically during the day to make sure it's comfortable and has access to food and water. This will also help your dog combat separation anxiety since they have someone to play with, even for several hours.
Make plans for a playdate with the neighbor's dogs.
Sharing playdate duties with dogs in the neighborhood is a terrific way to keep your pet socialized and active while you are away. During the day, everyone can take turns caring for a few canine companions.
Before attempting this, make sure your pets get along well and can have fun together. If you have a dog-friendly friend, relative, or neighbor with a dog, your dog is comfortable with; this is a terrific option.
Let them in with a key and have them hang out while you're gone!
Your dog would benefit from having a consistent routine to look out for while you're gone.
Leave your dog in doggy daycare or doggy hotel.
In addition to playing with other dogs and getting some exercise while you're at work, doggy daycare is a terrific location for your dog to make new friends. All good dog daycares have employees who have been educated on keeping your dog safe and active while you're away.
It would help if you visited a suitable facility in your neighborhood. Before leaving your furry friend for the day, make sure you receive recommendations and suggestions from other pet owners who have used the facility. However, this can be a bit costly but super convenient.
Leave plenty of drinking water.
A dog fountain can give a steady supply of clean water while picking your dog's attention, making it ideal for leaving your dog at home while you're at work. The soothing sound of running water from a fountain can distract many canine companions.
If your dog does not drink from the fountain, you should leave their regular water bowl out.
Leave a white noise machine on.
Rather than leaving the TV on, white noise can substitute. A white noise machine is designed to provide soothing sounds throughout a room or the entire house. The noise will drown out distracting background sounds, helping the dog relax.
In summary, dogs need something that can occupy their attention while you are away. It is best to have family members that stay home all the time so they won't be lonely; however, circumstances like that cannot be avoided. We hope a combination of these techniques can help you entertain your pup!
