"My dog can't be left alone. He needs a doggy door or another dog to be with. When my aunt left him in her house while she went to a meeting, he ate the baseboard around the front door."
"My 7-week old puppy doesn't like being left alone. Would you be able to be with my pup at all times?"
Hmmm...... Really?! How do you think your dog got to be that way? Really?! A 7-week puppy doesn't like to be alone? Have you ever heard of weaning? What do you want to bet that one of these owners will be writing the other message in a year or few years from now?
These are two inquiries I've received recently on DogVacay -- the website I use to make my home available for doggy house-guests for other owners. I am eagerly learning more and more about dog behavior, puppy-rearing, training, and so on, so I need to remember that most people don't work so hard to understand dogs as I am doing. But I just marvel at the extent people will go to "care" for their dogs, and yet the lack of consideration to training or behavior modification.
Maybe it just seems obvious to me that puppies don't like being left alone. And that it's a learned skill that we can help them develop. This, really, I knew by the age of 10 or whenever we first brought home a puppy. (I always remember the travel alarm-clock we put in there with the pups to help them feel they weren't alone.)
Thing is, if you're going to have a dog in your home, you will want to help them become a part of the family, and that includes learning how to successfully navigate the rhythms of the household - including being left alone. I'm not saying you should just lock them up and go on your merry way -- but crate training is beloved by handlers and trainers, and things like kongs* were created for a reason! Ensuring that your puppy is coddled 24/7 is just not a workable answer (at least not for most of us). Please consult a trainer. There are loads of resources out there, and if your dog is suffering undue stress (and your home unnecessary damage!), how about start teaching your puppy that being alone is perfectly fine and can even have rewards. Or start teaching your older dog to feel more confident when alone. It may take some work and dedication -- but isn't it worth it?
*Kong is the band-name for a durable rubber chew toy with a cavity that can be stuffed with treats, which can keep dogs entertained for several minutes up to a few hours.
