Home Alone
It really disrupts everyday life when the dog cannot be left alone. Therefore, it is worth training this thoroughly from the beginning. Important: Do not take it for granted that being left alone is a given, warns dog training consultant Holger Schüler.
Dogs feel most comfortable when they are safe in their social group. That is completely normal, and that is exactly why they are such great companions. Getting a dog just to leave it alone for 10 hours every day or to keep it alone in a kennel is, in my opinion, simply wrong.
However, it is certainly possible and sensible to train your dog to be able to stay alone for several hours without stress and fear. It is not even particularly difficult - but unfortunately you can make serious mistakes.
Mistake number 1: Leaving him alone too soon and too suddenly. Please don't just try to see how long you can stay away before the dog starts barking or howling! Every time you push the dog beyond its limits, you make the problem worse. Conversely, you should practice so that you always come back before the dog even starts to get worried. This may mean that you only leave the apartment for a few seconds at the beginning, perhaps without even closing the door. And most importantly: leaving the apartment should not be the first step!
That would be:
Mistake number 2: Neglecting the preliminary exercises. A dog that won't stay alone in a room while you are in the next room will obviously not cope when you leave the house. So first you have to practice at home that the dog stays in its basket and that it doesn't follow you everywhere you go. It should just be quiet and relaxed in the house and not be constantly entertained.
Mistake number 3: Exciting the dog too much. Of course, the dog should be kept busy before it has to be left alone. But keeping it busy doesn't just mean making it physically tired, but above all mentally challenging it. It's also important that the dog sees the apartment as a quiet zone. So wild games belong outside. And if your dog freaks out when you come back, try to ignore the greeting drama. If you join in, the dog will stay in a nervous waiting position the whole time instead of sleeping through the time it is alone.
For the same reason, it doesn't make sense to try to keep your dog busy with all kinds of distractions when you're away. You don't want him to play, or even guard the garden (unless you want a watchdog), you just want him to sleep. On the contrary, limit his freedom of movement a little - for example, to one room and the hallway. That way, the dog will feel less like he has to look after the whole apartment.
Mistake number 4: Irregularity. During the training phase, you should practice regularly. Entertaining your dog around the clock for days while you are on holiday and then suddenly leaving him alone will not work. Practice every day!
Dogs sleep up to 16 hours a day. If you are thorough and careful, your dog will be happy to use being alone as an opportunity to rest. However, if you rush things and overwhelm the dog, he may develop a real panic attack - which is very difficult to overcome.
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