Teaching a dog to stay home alone

In short: Dogs are social animals and need to learn to be alone in small steps. With patience and a calm routine, most dogs can manage relaxed for a while without their people.

In more detail: How long a dog can be left alone depends on its age, character and training. Severe separation anxiety is a serious problem for which advice from a vet or a qualified dog trainer helps.

In detail

• Start small: At first, leave the room for just seconds and come back before the dog becomes restless; then increase the time slowly.
• Low-key goodbyes: Coming and going should be as casual as possible so that neither becomes an exciting event.
• Tire them out first: A walk with plenty of sniffing and a little activity before being left alone helps many dogs rest afterwards.
• A safe spot: A comfortable resting place with no dangerous objects within reach gives the dog calm and protects it from accidents.
• Chews: A suitable chew or a fillable toy can make the first minutes pleasant, but it should suit the dog and be safe.
• Warning signs: Constant barking or howling, destruction, house soiling or heavy panting can indicate stress or separation anxiety; a camera can help you observe the behaviour.
• No punishment: Scolding after you return does not help, because the dog does not understand the connection, and it can make the fear worse.
• Puppies and newcomers: Young dogs or dogs that have just moved in need especially small steps and should only be left alone very briefly at first.
• Realistic planning: Even a well-trained dog should not regularly be alone for many hours; dog sitters or friends can help (hund-erziehung-grundlagen, hundesport-und-beschaeftigung).