Feel Guilty When Your Dog is Home Alone?

If you ever feel guilty about leaving your dog home alone, you are not alone. 

I used to feel this way all the time- and Lulu goes most places with me. I would see on the cameras that she would sit by the door waiting for me, and it made me sad. Sometimes she would even get into stuff like the trash and would shred toys. It was clear she was bored, which made me feel even worse.

First, remember that dogs live in the moment, and while it’s normal to feel guilty, there are a few quick things you can do to help your dog be happier in your absence

First, take your dog for a sniffing walk before you leave so they use their senses and burn off some mental energy. Even for just a few minutes can be beneficial, but creating this routine will help establish consistency for your dog.

Next, leave your dog with enrichment toys that they have already gotten used to. For example, snuffle mats and lick mats- both of which are easy to set up beforehand and leave out, but also give some size appropriate enrichment toys a try.

The idea here is to use high value enough treats that it will encourage them to use the toys while you’re gone. This also creates a positive association with you being away- sort of like when my mom would leave little gifts for me to open when she went away for work.

Creating a special area and bed, perhaps with a t-shirt or blanket that smells like you, is a great way to create a safe space for them.

Hiring a dog walker to visit your dogs while you’re out can make your time away easier on everyone. I even hired one just to come and sit with my older dog for a couple of hours when I would be out for the entire night. This provided me with the peace of mind knowing someone was checking on her and gave her a familiar person to pet her and spend time with her so her routine wasn't disrupted.

And of course, if you’re anything like me, investing in a high quality pet camera to monitor your pets while you’re out- although I’ll warn you that sometimes that’s not always the best choice to make you feel not guilty.