Leaving your dog.

Avoiding your dog getting stressed when you leave.

With the Lockdown  restrictions coming to an end then leaving your dog at home more is going to be something that is going  to start happening.  Our dogs have got used to having us around the house most of the time or if you have a new dog or puppy they may have never known any different if you got them during lockdown.

This can cause us to be stressed and worry about whether they will be ok and you may find that  it may also stress your dog, if you don’t plan for leaving them in advance you can created yourself a problem. You want to set your dog up to succeed.

Stress when you are absent is most commonly referred to as Separation Anxiety is when your dog starts showing signs of stress when they  you are leaving them.  There are many different degrees of separation anxiety from mild where the dog may whine for a while to severe where they may cause them self harm.  If your dog shows severe signs then you should consult a qualified behaviourist.

Dogs are great at anticipating things, they pick up on predictors all the time. If you pick your car keys up do they get excited? If you put your coat on do they get excited?  Then your shoes?  …… these are all predictors to your dog that you are going somewhere and their stress levels will start to increase.

So helping your dog when you are leaving is key.

Try not to have a predictable routine every time you are going to leave the house so they are not so able to predict what is going on. Do the things that you do for going out, but actually don’t go out, so pick up the car keys, wander around and put them down.  Put on your coat and then take it off again etc.

Try not to make a big thing about leaving, lots of people over fuss their dogs and get them over excited before leaving which leaves them in a high arousal state when you walk out and close that door.  Avoid doing this, you don’t need to say goodbye to them and it just becomes another predictor to them.

Keep calm and don’t make a big deal about it.

Leave the dog somewhere where there will be few distractions and it will be calm. Leaving the radio on is also helpful as it also helps mask noise from outside in the environment. Give them something to occupy them a filled kong or a licki matt.

Leaving your dog with the run of the house or a big room can often work against you, as they have more opportunity to pace around and get themselves worked up.  If you are leaving them in a crate then you need to think of how long you can do this without the need for the dog to have a break.  This will depend on your dog’s breed, age and temperament.  IMPORTANT – if leaving them in a crate then make sure you have crate trained them to be happy in a crate otherwise you will introduce a whole set of different issues.

You can ask a neighbour to let you know if the dog is barking or whining  excessively when you start back to work.

You may need to organise getting a dog walker in or having family members or friends pop in to let them out for a comfort break.  Ensure that they understand about not making a big deal  about leaving and arriving too.

If you are leaving your dog in a crate or a room then give them something to occupy them when you go.  A filled Kong or a licki mat.  Build this up gradually, sometimes go out for a few minutes, sometimes go out and come straight back in, increase the duration, then reduce the time. If you are only using a crate or a room when you are leaving or going to bed, then they can start to associate this area with you leaving so you need to use it at other times throughout the day too, when you are around so the association is not that it is where they go to get left alone.

You need to start this process now, especially if you have concerns that your dog will get stressed and start helping the gradually get used to the idea. If the dog is fussing, then wait for some calm before entering the room.  If they remain calm then go in and reward them for the calmness they are showing you.

Think about the mental state of your dog when you are going to leave them.  A dog that has been exercised and done a few training activities to tire them out mentally as well a physically are more likely to settle and relax.  Don’t leave them immediately after a walk or training, give them some time to chill out a little before you go.

These days it’s easy to monitor how your dog is when you are out these days by getting a camera so you can watch what they are doing. This will give you peace of mind but will also help you identify what is going on if your dog is getting stressed.

When you return to your dog, it needs to be a non event.  When our dogs act all excited when we return if we usually reciprocate this with over lavish affections and excitement back to them then it becomes a big deal for them.

Remain calm and when your dog is calm then say hello and praise them in a calm manner.

If you have not been leaving your dog at all and they are always two steps behind you then you need to start some exercises where they get some time without your presence gradually.  Scatter some of their daily food allowance in the garden for them to find and when you feel it’s appropriate leave them outside to find the food and come back in, leave the door open so they can come and find you.  When you go to the toilet, scatter some food outside and let them clear that up while you do what you need to do without them coming in with you.  Invest in a stair gate so they can be in one room and you in another so they get used to the idea that presence doesn’t always mean access to you.  Give them a kong or chew to occupy them and help create calmness.

Hopefully, these tips will help you make leaving your dog less stressful for all of you.