Leaving a Dog at Home
Ever considered leaving your pup at home but at the same time, you feel uncomfortable doing so? Or maybe you are wondering what is an acceptable amount of time to leave your pup at home? Today we will help you with this issue and I hope you find the content in this blog useful!
Understanding the Evolution of Dogs
Dogs evolved from grey wolves and dogs were selected for various physical traits such as color, ear shape, ear length, paw size, tail shapes, coat thickness, fur length, size, etc. Not only that, but dogs are also selected for their behavior as well. One behavior we will focus on today is how social the dog can be. Dogs that were shown to become more attached to their owners were selected for as it could raise the dog’s price and thus making the dog more desirable than a less social one. In other words, dogs were selected for the “hypersociability” gene.
The “Hypersociability” Gene’s Link to Separation Anxiety
The “hypersociability” gene is what causes your pup to actively seek out a human’s presence. But what this also means is that if your pup is deprived of contact, this can cause separation anxiety to develop. This is why many young dogs show symptoms of separation anxiety which can cause loneliness, stress, welfare, and increased levels of cortisol in the blood. Most commonly, the onset of separation anxiety begins before the age of two, are especially often seen in young dogs who were rehomed multiple times, and usually goes away in the dog’s mid to later years after they realized they have a permanent home. Separation anxiety can also change your pup’s behavior which can be seen if your pup is constantly following the owner around, if there is increased vocalization, self-destructive behavior, chewing, biting, pacing, frantic attempts to escape, salivation, vomiting, lack of appetite for no medical reason, and an exaggerated greeting when their owner returns.
How long is too long for my pup to be alone at home?
Currently, there is no agreed set amount of time that is considered to be too long for your pup to be alone at home. But trainers and veterinarians alike seem to agree that the best time amount of time to leave your dog alone at home in reality is as little as possible. If you are planning on leaving your dog at home for a while, please do not put your pup in a dog crate. A dog crate is very cramped and can cause discomfort for your pup such as sore muscles and aching bones. If your pup is left in a crate for extended amounts of time too often, it can even cause bone deformities. If you must leave your dog at home, it is best to have your pup in a open area (as many dogs have claustrophobia) and put up a fence so they cannot wander around the house, or even better. Not have a fence.
Two Alternatives. . .
If you are going on a long trip and you are unable to take your pup with you, two great alternatives are to take your dog to doggie daycare where your pup can make friends with other dogs and ask some people you trust if they are willing to take care of your puppy while you are gone. These simple steps can help your pup develop their social skills which are very important for a dog -as not having social skills can cause your dog to become aggressive and territorial- and is also better for your dog’s mental health. As a bonus, you will not have to worry if your puppy is doing ok at home all by him/herself on your long trip because you know your pup is being taken care by people you can trust.
Personal Story: Leaving a Dog at Home Alone
[Note]: I will not be mentioning any names to protect the owner’s and the dog’s identity
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I have witnessed a few occasions where owners would leave their pup by themselves for very long, extended amounts of time. In fact, I witnessed one recently. Today (as I am writing this blog) I saw a dog and she was cooped up in a chicken pen at a house we rented out for spring break. The dog had shelter and plenty of food and water but the pup did not look happy. She looked dejected. I could tell that the dog was feeling very lonely, sad, and was desperately waiting for her owner to come back.
Personal Story: Leaving a Dog at Home Alone (Part 2)
The dog did not want to come out of her doggy house either and was laying on the floor every time I saw her. So I and Juju (my dog) visited her multiple times a day in hopes to help keep her company because who knows when was the last time she saw her family? After about six tries, she eventually came out of her doggy house and approached me (I did not want to touch her in case I scared her away). She and Juju sniffed each other’s faces and after that, the dog went back into her kennel. I felt happy but later heartbroken as I came to the realization that all the dog footprints from the backyard belonged to this very dog that was cooped up in the chicken pen. I saw the footprints all over the backyard: near the pool, on the trampoline, and everywhere on the cement. All of this made me realize how desperately this once energetic dog wants her owner to return so she can play with her family again. To have fun again.
Purpose of the Story
I want to share this story with you because I want to help spread the word of how bad leaving your pup at home for extended amounts of time really is and how doing so can negatively impact your dog’s quality of life. Dogs love their owners and will do anything for them and owners should do the same. In reality, our beloved dogs will not be with us forever so we should make our pup’s lives to the fullest it can ever be. Let’s not regret later on how we could have done better but rather ask ourselves right now what we can do better as dog owners.
I hope this blog helped you better understand your pup and also helped you understand why leaving your pup for extended amounts of time is not good for your pup’s health. Make sure to continue washing your hands thoroughly and also continue wearing masks. Even though more and more people are getting vaccinated everyday, that does not mean that they are immune to the virus but instead are resistant to it. This also means that those who are vaccinated can be carriers for the COVID-19 virus. Stay safe and thank you for reading.
CItations:
[1] Pierce, Jessica. “When Leaving a Dog Home Alone, How Long Is Too Long?” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 21 Feb. 2018, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/all-dogs-go-heaven/201802/when-leaving-dog-home-alone-how-long-is-too-long.
[2] “Separation Anxiety in Pets: Your Questions Answered - Veterinary Medicine at Illinois.” University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, vetmed.illinois.edu/pet_column/separation-anxiety-in-pets-faq/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIn%20dogs%2C%20the%20onset%20of,make%20them%20feel%20more%20vulnerable.%E2%80%9D.