How to leave your dog at home unattended
Many people cannot think about leaving their pets unattended at home. Many will worry about their dogs escaping, getting too hot, or even shredding their new sofa among other issues. While it is perfectly normal to worry, you shouldn’t worry too much about your pet. All you need to do is ensure he/she has enough food, water, fun things to do while alone, and most importantly, gets plenty of exercises. Although it might take some time for the dog to get used to the situation, he/she will eventually work out what is going on.
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The pet shouldn’t, however, be left for more than 4 hours consecutively. Although this might be impossible for some, there are times when you will be held up making it hard to come back on time. Outlined below are ten things you ought to do to ensure your dog is happy even when you aren’t around.
1. Ensure the dog gets enough exercise before you leave.
Dogs too need plenty of exercises to remain healthy. For this reason, you need to walk your dog for at least 30 minutes every day. Walking the dog leaves him/her tired, a factor that makes it settle down or even sleep for the better part of the day. Arthritic or older dogs may not, however, need such long walks to tire.
2. Make their stay alone worthwhile and fun.
Dogs will want to rip things apart for fun. That said, leaving stacks of cardboard boxes around their bed should give them something to tear apart. Make the experience more fun by hiding little treats between the stacks. This should encourage the dog to keep searching for treats inside the piles, hence pass the time actively and without turning to your new sofa.
3. Stuff wet and dry food inside a Kong toy.
You can even seal it with Kong stuffing or peanut butter. The dog will find it fun extracting the contents. You could also freeze the contents so that they last much longer.
4. Make a satisfying breakfast for the dog if leaving early in the morning.
You can throw kibble on the floor or stuff the food in a puzzle toy.
5. Leave a basket of fun toys for the dog.
Some dogs love playing by themselves. For such a case, leave a basket of special fun toys for the dog to play with. Just be sure to change the toys to avoid monotony.
6. Have a friend walk the dog while you are away.
There are instances when you have to leave the dog for more than 4 hours. When this happens, you need to have that one friend, or neighbor, who can take your dog for a walk. This should, however, be someone the dog is comfortable around.
7. Invest in an Adaptil Diffuser.
This is recommended for dogs that seem too stressed each time you have to leave. Having an Adaptil Diffuser in their room will however help calm the dog down. The diffuser contains pheromones that help pets keep calm
8. Leave the radio on.
As amusing as it might sound, dogs too do love some good music. Listening to good music is calming to dogs. Just be sure only classical music will be playing on the radio.
9. Encourage the dog to stay calm.
Dogs are undoubtedly loyal, and will always be delighted when you come back. Most of them will jump on you and keep bouncing as a sign of happiness and appreciation. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t give him/her too much attention the first few minutes after arriving. Wait until the dog is relaxed and sitting next to you to show it such attention. This trains the dog to learn to remain calm.
10. Spend time with your pet.
Spending more time with your dog will help strengthen the bond. That said, take time to play with the dog, go for long walks, or even go hunting together. You can also start training him/her new tricks. This way, the pet will grow to be happier and more confident even while you aren’t around.