Does your dog grieve or freak out when you leave him alone?
It would be great if our dogs could go everywhere with us, but the reality is we all have a million things that demand our attention in places they can’t go. For dogs who have separation anxiety, this can mean the lonely pup barks all day or chews and destroys your house.
You can help your dog handle the time by himself with a few strategies that will teach him that being alone isn’t the end of the world!
- Dogs sleep after they eat, so feed him his largest meal of the day before you leave the house.
- Give him a special chew toy packed with some goodies that he only gets to use during his alone time.
- Don’t overdo your hellos and goodbyes — he’ll never learn that the in-and-out is no big deal if you make a production out of every time you’re away from house.
Remember, if your dog does destroy something when you’re out, don’t punish him! He won’t connect his behavior with his punishment and will only become more stressed and anxious.
