Leaving the dog alone at home is often a necessity dictated by work commitments or the hustle and bustle of daily life. In any case, one shouldn’t feel guilty about it, and it’s good to know strategies to prevent the four-legged friend from suffering from loneliness or separation anxiety.
In fact, only by educating them properly can you avoid discomfort and negative emotions that they might display, such as crying, barking, causing damage at home, or even self-harming or falling into depression.
An excellent additional help could also be the use of a GPS Tracker to always make sure that everything goes smoothly.
Tips for getting the dog used to being alone at home
If the dog is still a puppy or not accustomed to being alone, it’s advisable to avoid leaving them alone for too many hours right from the start – they would suffer from it – and gradually acclimate them to separation.
To avoid this situation and the complications it can generate, you could, for example, turn to someone you trust (like a reliable family member or a dog sitter) who can keep them company during the day and take them for a walk.
Furthermore, to get the dog used to staying alone at home and to keep them happy even when you’re away, you should:
- Make sure they lack nothing: The dog needs fresh water, food, and a bed to rest (consider getting an automatic dry food dispenser and a water fountain, for instance).
- Give them access to a designated area for their needs in case of necessity.
- Provide them with chew toys as they should prefer them to shoes, furniture, and other items in the house.
- Leave lights, TV, or radio on to create some background noise (smart appliances are very useful in such cases).
- Remove anything poisonous or dangerous.
- Consider installing a Wi-Fi security camera to monitor what your four-legged friend is up to when you’re not there.
However, remember that leaving the dog alone at home for more than 8 hours a day is strongly discouraged.
It’s much better to occasionally go out with the peace of mind provided by a GPS tracker for dogs like Kippy EVO.