Tips if Your Dog Spends A Lot of Time Alone
Being left home alone for long periods of time can cause a dog to develop aggressive or destructive behavior and even depression or stress. If your dog spends a long time home alone, perhaps it’s due to some change in your lifestyle. So, in today’s article you can learn about some tips to make their time alone more enjoyable.
Does Your Dog Spend A Lot of Time Alone?
Perhaps after getting your dog and you didn’t think he would spend much time alone. However, due to some changes of your lifestyle, such as a new job, your dog is spending a lot more time without any company.
It’s quite normal for dogs to start behaving different than they did before such as feeling distressed or stress out. If these behaviors continue, then the best thing to do is to talk your dog’s vet. However, there are a number of things that you can do to make your dog feel better when he is left home alone.
Ask Someone to Visit
We all know someone who has a lot of free time during the day. So, you can leave them a pair of keys to your house and ask him/her to visit your dog from time to time. They could just simply be there for a few minutes to pet your dog or he/she could even take your dog out for a walk.
It’s quite unlikely that you’ll find someone to do this everyday, but if he/she is able to do it a few times a week, your dog’s loneliness will be much more bearable.
Don’t Always Leave Them The Same Toys
Dogs get bored very quickly with their toys. So, if you leave them alone with the same toys all the time, this will quickly stop serving any purpose at all.
To prevent them from getting bored, everyday you could leave out two or three toys for your dog. This way you can swap them around and they’ll seem to be new. If you don’t already have one, buy them a Kong. It’ll stimulate their mind and entertain them for hours trying to get a reward.
Don’t Make Them Feel Like They’re In A Cage
Some people leave their dogs at home in one room with all the doors closed. This can make them feel cooped-up and it’s no good for their mood.
Leave the doors open and remove anything they might damage. Open the curtains and even the windows. If you have a balcony or a closed patio, let them go outside. This will also make their time alone more pleasant.
Put Music On
You probably already know that music has some great benefits for pets. There are even music channels dedicated especially for them. It’s the same with television. There’s Dog TV where they can watch other dogs and activities that will keep them entertained for hours.
The sound of the radio or television doesn’t need to be very loud. A simple murmur will be enough to fill the house and make your dog feel less alone and more relaxed. Try it out!
Stimulate Their Sense of Smell
When dogs smell something, they won’t stop until they’ve worked out exactly what it is. If you hide some pieces of food in different corners of the house, your dog will be kept entertained trying to find them. Don’t make it too difficult. Put them under some cardboard boxes, or inside an old sock. You dog will have a great time and remain entertained!
You know what food or treats your dog likes the most, so give them a well-earned reward for spending so much time alone at home.
Get Another Pet
If you think that this situation is going to be indefinite, and your dog is going to continue being left home alone for quite a while, maybe you could consider getting another pet. It could be another dog, a cat, a rabbit, or a hamster. It just needs to be one that could get along well with your dog.
Think about what would be most appropriate and properly introduce them to each other. They’ll surely become great friends and this will help them both be calmer while you’re out of the house.