If you leave your dog on their own for long periods with nothing to do they are bound to get frustrated and bored. When dogs get bored they find ways to keep themselves occupied, like chewing on the sofa or digging for treasure in your bins. If you don't want your dog to get destructive, or most importantly be unhappy when they are home alone then get inventive and give them things to do. If your dog gets anxious when you leave then get them into the habit of realising you leaving is not the end of the world. For example, you can get their toys out before you leave and leave them with their absolute favourite toy while you are out. The main thing you can do is not leave them for too long in the first place. If you must to leave them for a few hours here are a few things to keep them entertained. Kongs are fantastic for keep your dog entertained. Fill a Kong with the tastiest treats you can find (as long as they are safe to be consumed while you are not present) and let your dog enjoy chewing away at their Kong when they are on their own. Television/radioAlthough this won't give them anything to do, turning on the television or radio so that they have some noise in the background can be comforting. ToysFind some that keep your dog busy for more than 30 seconds. It might take a while to find a toy that they are really interested in. Try different toys to see what type of toys get them excited and then when you go out leave them with a selection of the best ones. Any toys that keep their brains occupied for a short amount of time are a good choice. However, make sure you only leave them with toys that are safe while they are not supervised. Drop in visitsGet a friend, family member or neighbour to pop in and spend some time with your dog while you are out. Even if they just pop in for ten minutes and play with them briefly it will help to keep your dog entertained for a while and break up the time they are on their own. Free run of the gardenIf it's safe to do so and you have a secure, enclosed garden that your dog cannot escape from then let them have free run of the garden. This gives them the opportunity to get some fresh air and stretch their legs when they want to. It also gives them a larger space to enjoy while they are on their own.
