Does your dog stress out, bark & howl or just get into everything when you leave? Perhaps you spend so much time with your dog and they are in shock when you do leave, maybe you are not the pack leader of a satisfied and content dog.

Most dogs that we spoil and love are the pack leaders of us emotional weaklings and the dog gets very upset when we leave. If we try to soothe and comfort them, it only gets worse.

Be strong and your dog will feed off your energy.

Tips for leaving your dog alone

• Don't make a big deal about leaving your dog 15 min before you go out and 15 min after you return.
• Train them to their kennel for nap time when you are at home so that separation from you becomes easier and they are less panicked.
• Use a crate or confine them to their safe area multiple times a day, even when you are at home.
  
• NEVER EVER let them loose in your house until they earn it, freedom is a privilege, not a right.
• Exercise your dog before you leave, even if it means waking up an extra 1/2 hr. It does not take long to give them a mental and physical work out before you feed them.
• Take your dog to visit the dog sitters, kennel, or vet before you need to leave them there for real. Let your dog know it is part of their safe places and it will make for an enjoyable stay.
• Boredom busting treat balls are a good way to occupy some of their time and energy. It also allows you to slip out the door unnoticed and when they are done they feel like a nap.
• DO NOT spend every moment with your dog when you are at home, it makes separation very hard on them.

A tired dog is a happy dog.

If your dog was rescued, or has some anxiety about being left alone, you must start off slowly and build success. Work on crate training and slowly increase the amount of time you leave them alone.

If you must leave them for long periods of time, or go to work before your conditioning is complete, you may need to hire a dog walker or take them to daycare until you are able to leave them alone for that length of time at home.