Introducing A New Adult Dog To Alone Time - Do's And Don'ts
The Do’s and Don’ts to Helping your New Dog Prepare for Successful Alone Time
First, congratulations on your new companion!
For a dog, especially an adult dog, going to a new home, family and routine is a big transition and your new companion will need your help, time and patience to acclimate to new surroundings. You will likely see a lot of behavior changes in the days, weeks and even months after you bring a new dog home as they acclimate to their new environment, begin to feel secure and safe and develop bonds with you and your family. Part of this routine will probably include you leaving them home alone from time to time. It’s important to note that many dogs may experience some degree of difficulty when left alone, especially in the first few weeks, and it’s not always easy to determine how serious the problem may be when they are so new to your home and family. As a certified separation anxiety specialist I often help people navigate this topic.
It’s important to not rush alone time for your new best friend. Many dogs may be working through emotional challenges from their previous life. Being relinquished to a shelter, loss of family or other circumstances that could lead to stress when all alone. Just simply moving from place to place can be enough to cause dogs to feel uncertain about their new surroundings. This can be exacerbated if you attempt to leave them alone day one or even in the first week.
One of the very best ways to set your dog for success when you are away is to arrange for a very brief absence in the first few weeks after bringing them home, this will help determine their comfort level. Here are some tips for a successful transition:
Observe your dog using video in real-time is key to understanding how they handle being alone. Use any free video program on a laptop or tablet. Set up the recording on your device and watch from smartphone (apps such as ZOOM, Google Meet or FaceTime work well). If you have home security cameras this works perfectly too!
Keep the initial absence short (just a few minutes), and note behavior
If you see that your dog is showing signs of stress return immediately. Signs of stress may include (but are not limited to): pacing, panting, vocalizing, drooling, scratching/pawing at the door, etc.
You can try again another day, but keep the time shorter, if they began to worry after 5 minutes, just step out for 1 minute, this will help them understand that leaving might happen but not for too long.
If your dog appears to be comfortable and not too concerned with a brief absence, gradually start increasing the time you are away over the coming days and weeks and work up to running short errands. *But continue to monitor via video for the first month or longer!
If you plan to use a crate or confinement area, be sure that your dog is happy and relaxed in this space before you try to leave them alone. A stronger crate is not the answer! Work on crate training outside of alone time before attempting to leave your dog alone in a crate.
Some dogs love their crates and can be safely left alone in them, but they need to be properly trained to do so, it is not a natural instinct for all dogs.
A dog who experiences stress when left alone will not be calmer just because they are in a crate. This can actually exacerbate discomfort and cause confinement anxiety. Proper training is crucial! Don’t force crate training.
If you need help with crate or confinement training, contact a positive reinforcement-based trainer who can guide you through the process.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do: Start with short absences and build up time gradually as long as your dog is not stressed.
Don’t: Scold or punish your dog for doing something you don’t approve of while you are out. He is not misbehaving or acting out of spite. He is having a panic attack.
Do: Exercise with your dog and provide daily enrichment. Treat dispensing toys, or fun things to chew on, sniffy walks, training games etc are essential parts of a meeting your dogs needs. Providing affection and attention does not cause separation anxiety.
Don’t: Use equipment that might be painful or scary for your dog. Equipment such as e-collars or bark collars will only mask the symptoms of anxiety and can increase your dog’s fear.
Do: Utilize a reliable pet care /pet sitter when you need to be away for any amount of time longer than your dog is comfortable. Ask for help from family and friends as you navigate your new routine.
Don’t: Leave your dog alone in a crate if he hasn’t been conditioned to love his crate.
Do: Take notes on behavior in case you need help in the future
Don’t: Leave your dog alone for any longer than he is comfortable. He will not just “get over it”. Your dog is panicking and needs help.
What should you do if your dog is showing signs of stress when you leave him alone?
If your dog does not seem to be comfortable with the short absences that you are practicing over the span of a couple of weeks or you are unable to increase the time you are gone without them showing signs of distress, contact your veterinarian and Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer for help!
Write down your observations to help your vet and/or trainer understand what your dog is experiencing when left alone.
Visit www.acanineaffinity.com and watch my free webinar to learn more about separation related behavior problems.
Contact me to set up an assessment: www.acanineaffinity.com
As much as possible, eliminate alone time. The more a dog is left alone in panic and distress the longer it can take to help them learn to feel safe when alone.
Studies have shown that 80% of dogs with separation anxiety do improve with proper treatment.
Here is a comprehensive list of CSAT’s: https://malenademartini.com/about/meet-your-team/
Have a new puppy? The process is very similar, just taking into account things like potty needs, where the puppy will be safely and time constraints.. I’ll be posting more on that soon. Did you know I also work with puppies on more than just separation anxiety?
Have a great week
Melissa