About the Author: Nettie Finley, the Professional Dog Trainer at MyPetDoggie. Specializing in behavior rehabilitation, Nettie leads our team with her effective training techniques. As a certified canine behaviorist, she brings transformative change to challenging behavior cases. Her experience and expertise elevate our content, providing practical, insightful training advice for our readers. Also, she loves her Cavapoo!
Are you a dog owner like me? And you are worried about how to keep your dog from being bored when home alone? Then put all your worries aside, because I got some amazing ideas to keep your dog happy and entertained while you’re away. Dogs also need amusement, when you are away. Adopting a pet is easy, but when it comes to taking care, many people fail.
Understanding the instincts and mood of your dog is necessary. To prevent any odd behavior of dogs, keep them engaged with different activities. If you leave them alone without any sort of engagement, it will create a depressed environment for them. They will become prey to anxiety and stress. To deal with such a situation, it becomes essential to deal with those hours of loneliness.
So, How to Keep A Dog From Being Bored When Home Alone?
Now, you might be thinking about what kind of activities could be helpful. That’s why I came up with this guide full of enchanting tips.
These ideas will definitely ease your problem. Implement these tips and ideas and see how your dog will grow and glow with you. Come and explore these much-needed tricks. Also, don’t forget to share with other dog owners who are worried about their fluffy pups
First: Interactive Toys
When looking for something entertaining, interactive toys are amazing boredom busters for dogs. If someone is not around to play with them or keep them busy, interactive toys can act as playmates for them. Treat-dispensing balls, frisco or puzzle feeders are some of the great options for them to have a good time alone. These toys can keep your dog engaged physically as well as mentally.
Second: Rotate Toys
Playing with the same toys can also be a bore for your dog. The tip is to rotate toys regularly. Being human, we also get bored by the same thing and we love it if someone surprises us. Trust me, our dogs love surprises too. That’s why I brought out a new toy for a better chance. It helps my dog to discover brand-new adventures.
Third: Hire a Dog Walker
Sometimes, I have a busy schedule. I don’t get enough time to take my pup for a walk. Just like me, my dog also needs to be physically active. Fresh air is also necessary for my pup.To cope up with such a situation, I hire a dog walker. Dogs love to go out for walks and meet new friends. It keeps them socially involved. My dog always feels happy and mentally active after a walk.
Fourth: Adopt a New Family Member
Get your dog a furry brother, sister or friend in your house. I noticed my dog was feeling alone, sitting in corners and not eating anything. I got the idea to get a friend for my doggy. So, I adopted another cute pup for him. Surprisingly, my dog’s mood got much better than before. I watch him wrestling, playing, and sharing food with the new fellow.
Fifth: Make an Ice Cube Filled with Treats
When summer approaches, it becomes necessary to keep your dog cool. I’ve discovered a new hack to deal with such hot days. Fill and freeze the ice cube tray with some delicious treats or chicken broth. Before leaving, I give those cubes to my dog. It keeps him entertained and cool. Frozen treats like this keep my dog happy, chill and entertained.
Sixth: Hide food games around the house
My mom used to play tricks on me, in my childhood. She used to hide my favorite food in different spots of the house. I used to get happy every time I found them. I use this same trick with my dog too. It’s a fun treasure hunt for him. Dogs’ smelling sense is very sharp and they love to use it. This activity keeps their brain and nose busy to find the hidden treats.
Seventh: Turn on your TV and Let your Dog Watch Dog Channel
Some dogs love to watch TV and luckily my dog is one of them. Watching the dog channel is one of my favorite things for my dog. He loves to watch his other furry fellow. It creates a sense of connection for him with other fellows. That’s why I leave the TV or radio on, before going out. Some soothing music or human voices help my dog to get away from the loneliness in my absence. They feel like someone is around them.
Eighth: Interactive Games Before Leaving
Another amazing trick is to play some interactive games before heading out. Dogs love when their owner plays with them. I do play sessions with my dog and play games that he loves. This makes him tired. So, most of the time he prefers to relax after playing games while I’m away.
Ninth: Create a Safe Space
Everyone wants to have a safe and comfortable space, dogs want this too. A comfy corner with their bed is the best idea. I have put some toys in the comfy space of my dog. It’s like a cozy area where my dog prefers to sit and relax when he’s tired. You can customize the corner according to your dog’s mood or needs.
Tenth: Scent Enrichment
All over the world, dogs are being used for their sniffing instincts. Their sharp sense of smell is one of their abilities. To keep this going on, leave some treats around that smell like yum. Otherwise, I use different scented toys or my old clothes that smell like me. My dog keeps sniffing and enjoying this activity. Every time, he finds something, he feels very happy.
Eleventh: Doggy daycare
To keep my dog mentally stimulated and socially active, I enrolled my dog in doggy daycare. He plays with other dogs and gets involved in many activities. Social interactions with other dogs work like therapy for them. Doggy daycare or going to a dog park helps a lot in the interactions. I leave my dog to play games in the park, run, and chase his other furry fellows. Such interactions leave a lasting and good impact on my dog.
Twelfth: Training Sessions
Dogs keep you safe if they sense any danger. Helping them learn new things also keeps them physically active. Being at one place, and repeating the same things can be boring. So, I teach my dog new tricks and commands. Learning new tricks helps my dog to show off his skills and he feels happy when I appreciate him. This also strengthens my bond with him.
Thirteenth: Window Views
Having a window and watching outside is a good time for humans. Whenever I used to look out through the window, my dog accompanied me. This made me realize that my dog loves to watch the outside world through the window. The outside world including other furry fellows passing by or birds flying in the air keeps him enchanted. Now, I give him time for this activity. Sometimes, I join him and we both have a good time together.
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Are dogs bored when home alone?
Being alone at home for a long time can cause frustration and behavioral issues in dogs. Just like us, dogs are also social animals. To survive, they need to go out, interact with others, and do some physical activity or tricks that keep them busy. If you are left alone without anything entertaining or let it be your cellphone, will you be happy? I know the answer is no!
So, how can dogs not get bored while being alone without any interaction? I initially ignored this thing when I adopted a dog. But after some time, I noticed some behavioral changes in my dog. This made me think about coming up with such tricks that will help my dog to keep busy, even when I’m not with him. Now my dog is happy and physically active.
Do Dogs Miss Their Owners When Home Alone?
Owners are like parents or companions for dogs. Dogs form a strong bond and connection with their owner. Their absence for a long time can irritate dogs. They miss the sense of presence and connection. Whenever I come home after a long time, my dog comes running to me. He feels happy to see me.
This shows how much he missed me. If I have to go out for an extensive time period, I leave my old clothes and some of my old stuff with him. This helps him to feel my presence, when I am not there.
Try and understand how your dog reacts and don’t let him suffer from separation. As soon as you are back, try to spend more and more time with him. Play with him, take him out for a walk to assure him that you care about him.
FAQs
Do I need to entertain my dog all day?
No, you don’t need to entertain your dog all day. They like to have physical activities but dogs also need to have moments of relaxation. Neither you nor they can be involved in entertaining activities all day long.
Do dogs get stressed when alone?
If left alone for a long period of time, then yes, they can get stressed. If you have to be out for a long time, it is preferable to hire a dog walker or leave them at the doggy daycare.So, they don’t stress out in your absence.
How long can a dog be left alone?
This varies on dog’s age, breed, and ability to be alone. But it is not good to leave them alone for a long time. Try to be with them more or leave them with some interactive activities to keep them busy.
How do I teach my dog to enjoy alone time?
Teaching your dog to enjoy alone time requires a lot of patience and enthusiasm. Start by giving him short intervals of alone time, watching him from a distance, and observing his behavior. Then gradually, leave him with something for his entertainment. This will help him to learn to spend time alone.
Do dogs prefer to live alone?
Dogs are social animals. They do not prefer to live alone. They need companionship, and mental and physical activities to keep them engaged.
How do you know if your dog is depressed?
Dogs’ odd behavior like barking excessively and without any reason, chewing, digging etc. will help you to know that your dog is frustrated and needs some attention. Consult with any vet or specialist, if this happens.
How many hours of attention do dogs need?
There is no specific hour count to know this. It varies from dog to dog. If you want to know this then observe your dog’s behavior when he’s with you. Also, observe how he reacts when you go home after a long time.
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Summary
We, as humans, can’t stand the idea of being alone or getting bored. We always look for interesting and amusing ideas and activities to keep ourselves busy. We adopt pets like dogs and cats. Pets are a good company to keep. But it becomes very important to take good care of the pet being adopted. Providing shelter, and food and taking care of their health is a basic necessity.
It is very important to understand that when you bring home a socially active animal, you have to take care of the environment you are going to provide him. Being involved with the activity of your dog is the key to keeping them happy. Try to learn the behavior of your dog. Is he comfortable being alone for a long time or not? Is he acting normal after spending too much time alone? You’ll probably get your answer just by his behavior. Most certainly, the answer would be no.
Excessive barking, digging, and roaming insanely here and there are a few signs that your dog needs your attention. I noticed this when I used to be out for a long time, my dog was stressed out because of this. His behavior made me worry about him. Then gradually, I started spending my time with him. I learned his behavior and his needs. I didn’t let him be stressed. I consulted a vet and he helped me a lot.
Now, I keep using different techniques for his amusement. Adopt a new furry fellow or keep him involved in sniffing activities. Don’t let him get dull and lazy, teach him new tricks and have an interactive training session with him. If too busy to take him for a walk, then hire him a dog walker or leave him in doggy daycare. And if going out for a short time, then let him rest on the couch and let him watch the dog channel. I hope these amazing ideas will keep your dog active, entertained, and happy.
