If you have a dog at least once in your life, I am sure that you also experienced people asking you how much time you spend with your dog. Well, everyone knows a dog as a social animal and man’s best friend. However, it is not possible to spend all of our time with them, since we also have work, obligations, family, friends, school, and other commitments in life.
Leaving our dogs at home alone is one of the hottest issues for us as dog parents. Because of our engagement in other social activities, we are not at home for several hours per week. With the poor quality of care and training, some dogs feel abandoned and unwanted when their owners leave for long every day. Some dogs suffer from isolation distress.
In this article, I will help other dog parents like you in dealing with leaving your pet at home alone. I will also share the situation with you through your pet’s eyes. Hopefully, this article will help you deal with your time away with your dear pet.
Before I discuss, I just want to ask you this: How much time do you leave your dog at home alone? Do you think he is still doing fine? These questions are the things that you should ask yourself to avoid any problems with your dog’s mental and physical health. With proper knowledge and care, your dog will remain fine even if you leave him for 12 hours.
How Can You Train Your Dog to Stay at Home Alone for 12 Hours?
A proper training based on experts is an effective way to teach your dog how to enjoy at home alone without being stressed. However, making time for research is essential in dog training. For that reason, I researched the internet and share everything I learned in this article. You no longer have to worry since the following information directly came from experts. I made sure that your dogs will remain in good hands.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to leave a dog alone for 12 hours.
Step 1. Try to leave the house and check your pet’s reaction.
Wear your shoes while your dog is watching. If you are ready, go to the exit. If your dog seems panicking, continue to the exit and ignore it. Repeat this scenario at least three times a day or until he gets used to it. Reward him every time he does not follow you outside.
Step 2. Give him a lot of free time.
Leaving your dog alone for twelve hours means that he will spend his time seeing no one close. In that case, try not to play and interact with your dog all the time. Leave and give him his own free time so he can learn how to be alone and feel fine, at the same time.
Step 3. Provide him several pet toys.
When you are planning to be away for twelve hours, leave something fun that will keep your dear pet busy and entertained. You can buy him dry dog food. It will push your dog to think about how to get the food out. There are also some safe puzzle pet toys on the market today. It proves these toys to get a dog’s attention longer than any pet toy. Please take note to avoid any toys that can be chewed or swallowed apart. These toys can give your dog breathing problems.
Step 4. Give him a nice bed.
Before leaving, make sure that your dog will still have a refreshing place to rest or sleep. A comfortable bed can relax both his body and mind. You can also leave his favorite toy at his bedside. A nice place to sleep will keep your dog away from being bored and having unwanted behaviors while you are away.
Make sure that your dog’s space for sleep is secured and spacious. Check if his bed is under a roof so he will remain dry when unexpected bad weather occurred.
Step 5. Maintain a routine.
One of the effective tips on how to leave a dog alone for 12 hours is by sticking to your routine. Consistent times for walk, play, and meals will train your dog to get used to being alone for as long as twelve hours. If you leave, do not make him feel that I will go you for a long time. Some trainers suggest not to become too affectionate since it will make your dog panicked and worried.
You can also visit this YouTube video from relaxing my Dog’s channel to learn more on how to leave a dog alone for 12 hours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO9Qhci4XY0
How to Leave Your Dog Happy Even When You Are Away?
Even if your dog loves spending most of his time with you, he can still enjoy his time alone when you have trained him well. As I have said earlier, give him enough room with no fanfare, but only toys, enough water, and a comfortable bed. These things will relax his mind and leave him well-cared while you are gone.
Here are some things that will leave your dog happy alone.
Give your dog enough time to pee and poop. Do not force him. Once he has released his pee and poop on his own, your pet will have a lighter feeling before you leave.
Open some curtains. Let your dog see what is happening outside. Your little friend loves and enjoys seeing the outside world. He can see people walking, kids playing, or teenagers riding bicycles. Therefore, open curtains will give him a positive ambiance while you are away.
Give him a nice long walk. Take him to a park or garden where he can play. Based on research, enough exercise in the morning will help your fur baby to feel happy for the entire day, even if he is alone.
Conclusion
Training our fur babies to fit on our lifestyle is essential. They give us an unmeasurable amount of joy. Therefore, they deserve to always feel happy and relaxed with or without their owners. A healthy and caring relationship with our dogs gives them peace of mind that they will always be safe in your place.
So, have you tried these pieces of advice? I hope you learned something from my article. Let me know your experiences! I would love to know them.
Related Topic: Homemade vs Commercial: Is It Cheaper to Make Your Own Dog Food?
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