Having a dog in the home sometimes means that you are going to deal with a variety of problems. As a matter of fact, those issues may creep up on you and before you know it, you are chasing the issues rather than taking the time to enjoy your relationship with the dog. One of the problems that can occur takes place when you are away, and this can be a serious problem.
If there is one thing that you should know about dogs, it’s the fact that they are a pack animal. Most of us would agree with that statement but do we really understand what it means? You are a part of the pack and when you’re gone, your dog is going to miss you. Many times, they will misbehave while you are gone because they do not have that interaction and they are just acting out as a result.
Sometimes, the problem may display itself through rather destructive behavior. It is unfortunate, but far too many dog owners have come home after being gone for work or some other reason and when they walked in, it looks like a bomb exploded. Couches have been totally obliterated in just a few hours and I’ve even seen videos of dogs that chewed almost the entire way through a door. This type of behavior is not only destructive, it is something that needs to stop.
Obviously, you are not able to stay home with the dog all of the time and most of us have to be gone at least a few hours every day to work. Giving the dog something to do while you’re gone may be what is necessary to keep the behavioral problems at bay. Perhaps you could give them a new toy that they enjoy chewing on or you could have somebody drop in on them if possible.
Crate training the dog may help to reduce many of the behavioral problems that you experience while you are gone. It can be difficult to train a dog to go in a crate but it is something that can be beneficial for the long-term. Most dogs grow to appreciate the private space that they have when they are in their crate and they will even readily go into it when told to do so. That being said, there are some dogs that may even injure themselves trying to get out of the crate when they are left at home by themselves.
The bottom line is, many dogs are going to miss you while you are gone and they will go through some type of separation anxiety. Regardless of whether they are little or big, you could end up coming home to a mess or they may exhibit other behaviors, such as barking or going to the bathroom in the house. These are issues that can be rooted out but it is going to take consistent training on your part. It is all a part of dog ownership, and one that we can successfully overcome.
