Write a commentI hate to be a kill-joy, but the reality is that we are mid-way through summer.
Long days of lounging around the house or enjoying ourselves poolside in the back yard will quickly fade as we prepare for the change of season. Fall brings with it cooler shorter days, the return to school, less free time and tighter schedules. It is easy for us to see the changes coming and to begin our own preparation for the fall season. But, our dogs who live in the present, cannot read the "Back-to-School" ads nor did they fill in the registration forms for the after school or fall sports activities.
Taking time now to prepare your dog for the long days of isolation come September will pay big dividends in the end for both of you.
Here are five things you can do now to teach your dog that being alone is OK:
1. Identify a safe area in the house for your dog to be left during your absence. I recommend all puppies, "new" dogs or young dogs be crated during alone time. If your dog is properly crate trained, he will feel safe in his spot and learn to relax during the times he is left alone.
2. If your dog is currently never left alone, start to build some alone time into their day. Do this gradually (30 seconds to a minute to start) and slowly increase the time your dog spends by alone.
3. Stuff a Kong™ and leave it with your dog each time you leave the house (as with any new toy supervise your dog's interactions with it several times before you make the decision that the toy is safe to leave with them when unsupervised). When you return, the Kong™ can be picked up, washed and stuffed so its ready for the next outing. If your dog is possessive of its belongings wait for the dog to go outside before removing the kong from his crate or alone area. Seek the assistance of a qualified trainer if your dog shows any signs of resource guarding.
4. Act matter-of-fact about your leaving and returning. Your departure and return should both be kept low-key. If you make a big deal of either of these events, you will cause your dog more anxiety than is necessary.
5. Take note of your routine as you prepare to depart; do you always, take the keys from the rack, pickup your purse and then put on your shoes? CHANGE your routine or better yet, go through your routine and then DON'T leave. Go sit down and read the newspaper or pay a bill. You dog watches you all day long, we are their reality show, he knows your routine better than you do. If your dog is anxious about your departure, you will note how he starts to get anxious as you go through your routine.
Our dogs prefer to be with us, so we need to spend time teaching them that is safe and OK for them to be alone at times. If your fall schedule includes any period of time beyond four-five hours maximum for crating or being left alone, you should think about having a good friend or neighbor stop by to give your dog a potty break and short play session (puppies and older dogs will need to let out more often). Introduce your dog to them now and practice this while you are at home first.
Enjoy the rest of your summer, but, keep in mind it has to end and having your dog prepared for the change will keep everyone happy and safe!
Train responsibly!
