Dog parents probably wish to take their dogs everywhere but it is neither practical nor feasible to take them to work, social events, restaurants, or office meetings. Therefore, you will have to leave your dog at home alone or maybe ask someone to take care of your dog.
If unfortunately, no one is available to take care of your dog, your next question should be, Can I leave my dog home alone?
In actuality, the answer to this question is neither a YES nor a NO but rather, it entirely depends on the type of breed your dog has, its age, and its physical and mental needs.
Here’s what you should do if you are leaving your dog home alone:
Train Your Dog To Be Alone At The Home
When you bring your new companion home since you should train it to tolerate loneliness for a certain time. Begin with a short period of leaving, then gradually increase it to a lengthy period that will help teach your dog that being alone isn’t so bad. Some breeds are prone to separation anxiety such as a Bichon Frise, Cavapoochon, Vizsla, and many others, and such breeds needed to be trained for being alone.
If you can’t manage your time to train your dogs, you should hire an expert dog trainer, such as New York Dog Nanny.
Provide Clean & Protected Space
It’s your responsibility to give your dog a safe and clean space before leaving the house. As you know, some dogs feel safe in their crate while others do not. It is not important whether your dog is left in an open space or not but the essential takeaway is to make sure there is no presence of any toxic food, harmful items, or other things that can harm your dog.
Availability of Water
Regardless of whether it is winter or summer, if you are leaving your dog home alone, make sure they have easy and free access to clean water. Lack of water intake may cause dehydration in your fur babies which can further lead to some life-threatening scenarios.
Play Background Sound/Voices
Thanks to Science and Technology, various apps and television programs have been scientifically created to help relax your dog. When leaving your dog home alone, take help from such apps that can give your dog a feeling of family.
Provide Your Dog with Chewable Toys
These toys will help to entertain them and alleviate their bordom. What’s new these days for dog at home entertainment? Snuffle mats, kongs, rolling up hand towels and putting treats/kibble inside. So, try to leave your dog along with a couple of their favorite chew toys.
Never Hug and Kiss Your Dog Before Leaving Them Alone
Hugging and kissing your dog before leaving the house can cause your dog to become anxious especially if you feel bad about leaving them. The dog will sense your feelings and become worried. Don’t let our fur baby feel that it is time for you to leave him/her for a certain time.
Schedule a Long Walk
An exhausted dog is the happier dog and it will prefer to sleep because of tiredness. It is a good tactic to plan a long walk before leaving your dog alone. So, a long walk, some mental stimulation activities, and physical activities would be a perfect combo.
Never Leave Your Dog Alone for a Long Time
No one understands your dog’s limitations better than you because leaving the dog for many hours varies from dog to dog.
Generally, dogs do not mind being left alone for a few hours, but if you are going for a prolonged period, you must hire either a professional pet sitter or dog nanny.
Installing CCTV Cameras
Keeping an eye on your dog is also possible from anywhere. There are smart CCTV cameras that are accessible through smartphone apps and you can literally see them 24/7.
Conclusion
These were the ways that could be helpful for you if you are leaving your dog home alone for a limited time. If you feel, training your puppy would be a headache for you because of your tough routine, you should get your puppy trained by a professional trainer.
So, if you are in NYC and looking for a professional dog trainer, look no further as New York Dog Nanny is well experienced in pet care needs as well as dog needs as a holistic dog trainer. Not only this, New York Dog Nanny’s blog offers hacks on how to find a variety of other dog-oriented services including pet care, dog breed profiles, pet loss therapy, and many more.
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