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When Left Alone, Your Pet Dog Will Get Bored!

Leaving your dog alone while you go to work for the day does not make you a bad person!  

Nor does it mean you are irresponsible if you leave your pet alone because you have a day trip planned!

They do not have to go everywhere with you, and they are a very resilient animal!

The one thing to be aware of though, is that they will get bored if left alone for too long.  Remember, they are a social animal.

So what is wrong with them getting bored?

Well for one thing, they will dig up your lawn, or chew on furniture and other items in order to entertain themselves.  They don't mean to be naughty.....  It's just in their nature.  That's all.

Most dogs learn to cope with being alone for extended periods of time however there is a limit.

The dangers of leaving them too long is three fold:

1. They will teach themselves bad habits.  This includes scratching themselves, chewing on things you care about, running back and forth on the same track near your fence for hours wrecking your lawn. etc.....
2. They can annoy your neighbours.  This includes howling and/or barking incessantly.  They do this to try and talk to other dogs in the neighbourhood....  but that doesn't help your neighbours who might be at home.  If they become incessant with their barking you can be sure that you will get a note from your local council which can lead to fines and other unnecessary hassles you don't need.
3. They can hurt themselves.  If you are not there to look after them, and they get sick or incur an injury, they will needlessly suffer for longer. Plus, the damage could be magnified because you aren't there to assist immediately.  This means Vet Bills!!!   

With these things in mind, and accepting the inevitability that they will be left alone at some point, there are actions that can be taken to minimise their loneliness and to stimulate their minds.

Firstly, you can hide some pet treats around your yard......  A variety of long lasting Dog Chews and easy to eat Dog Treats are recommended.

By doing this, you will be giving them something to do.  Your puppy will spend hours searching for these tantalising goodies and then when they find them, enjoy the chewing experience.....  Essentially they enjoy the achievement of finding something good..... we all love this experience!

A mix of Long Lasting and Easy to eat is a great combination because it gives them different sensations and keeps the activity of searching going for longer.

• Long Lasting Dog Treats include:
  • Cow Hoof
  • Kangaroo Tail
  • Beef Tendon
  • Goat Horn
  • Fish Hide To name just a few (Check Out our store for more options like these)......

• Easy To Eat Pet Treats Include:
  • Dental Bones
  • Doggy Donuts
  • Vegie Tubes Etc......

Secondly, you can give them a boredom busting toy for them to play with.  

Huds and Toke have some of these but you can find these toys in many places.  These items are specifically designed to keep your puppy entertained for extended periods and are well worth exploring.

• Frisbee
• Tennis Ball
• Treat Ball
  • Put small Dog Training Treats in these so they play with them to get access to the Doggy Treats.
  • Such as Micro Bones
  • Little Bites

Thirdly, you should leave them an item of your clothing you don't need.  

By doing this, they have your scent near them to comfort themselves when they sleep, or feel anxious, because of thunder or other unusual noises etc...

Basically, the scent of their master, or family, reassures them.

• Old Shoe
• Old Sock
• Old Shirt

Of course, you can try to manage your day where you pop back in briefly for a quick check up, and cuddle of course....  This could be in your lunchtime?

The bottom line is that dogs are social animals, however they are very resilient for short periods on their own, and can adapt very well.  

They will sleep for a lot of the day and then find something to do when not asleep... Whether it is destructive or not is up to you.

Just make sure they have access to plenty of water whilst you are away....

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or want to discuss how to prevent your puppy from getting bored.

Thank-you for your support.  We truly appreciate it.

Keep sending your photos in of your pets and tag our socials and we'll endeavour to give you a shout-out.

Please contact us if you have any questions.

All the best from the team @ Huds and Toke.

@Hudsandtoke

#Hudsandtokefamily