Q: Does my dog miss me when I’m at work and what can I do about it?
A: This depends on the individual dog, the relationship you have, the circumstances, whether there are other people or other dogs at home when you are at work, whether there is activity in the home during the day, and so on.
Many dogs are left alone all day with no human interaction and nothing to do to alleviate boredom. Behaviour problems often develop from this lack of human interaction and stimulation.
Dogs are social animals and need to spend time with their human ‘pack’. Unfortunately, due to our busy lives, this isn’t always easy to achieve, but there are some ways of providing stimulation when you’re not at home, so your dog will miss you less.
Consider walking your dog before leaving for work or look into a dog walker who can take your dog out while you’re at work. A dog who has just had a walk will often settle and be content until you come home.
Look into a reputable doggy day-care, even if it’s only for a couple of days a week.
Provide something for your dog to do – a digging pit filled with interesting treasures if your dog enjoys digging, interactive food toys, or ice cream containers filled with frozen water with treats or toys inside them on hot days.
Hiding food in the garden instead of feeding from a bowl is another way to keep your dog busy.
There are websites and Facebook groups that provide information and ideas on canine enrichment activities that will give you many more ideas.
Well done on thinking about this and considering how to help your dog miss you less!
Alyson Kingsley-Hall, behaviourist
