What Breeds of Dog Won't Get Separation Anxiety When Left Home Alone?
One of the questions often asked by working folk who are thinking whether to get a dog is which types of dog are most fitted to being left home alone. But is this the right question to be asking and will this approach guarantee you don't get a dog which will suffer with separation anxiety?
Viewpoints seem to differ widely, on the one hand there are folks that will tell you that whatever the sort, it is not appropriate to leave a dog home alone throughout the day because they're all pack animals, while on the other hand folk will tell you that a contented, healthy, well-trained dog of any breed should be okay.
What is clear is that it's not easy to generalize about breeds as there are often exceptions. On one internet site I saw the advice that an Italian Greyhound would adapt well to being left alone and on another it was noted as a breed that would be very poorly suited. On a forum someone was advising against ever leaving Collies alone as they were too high energy, and yet a dog owner on the same forum claimed she left her Collie for 8 hours a day and it had not been an issue.
You will find that most dog breed guides give you general traits of the dog breed considered the standard of what the breed should be, and while this is beneficial, it is not any guarantee of how your individual dog will be.
Consider a Dog's Personality, Energy Levels and Age
All dogs have different temperaments even inside the same litter. So maybe searching for a dog with a calm temperament of whatever breed you have an interest in, is a more appropriate place to start. If you are considering a rescue dog, ensure you ask the staff at the centre as they are going to be very mindful of the dog's nature.
A dog's energy levels might also affect how well a dog can be left alone. Lower energy dogs are usually happy to sleep for hours, while high energy dogs that are looking for more activity might get up to a lot more mischief when left to look after themselves.
Age is another factor that might affect how well a dog adapts to being left alone. Young puppies aren't acceptable to be left all alone for long periods of time and even toilet trained puppies can't hold on for much longer than one or two hours. Again, a rescue dog might be a suitable place to discover a dog that's beyond this young dog stage. Older dogs (over 3 years of age) are frequently thought to be more settled and less prone to be stressed about being left alone.
Training to Stop Dog Separation Anxiety
Outside the factors discussed above, the training you do with your dog might be the largest determining factor in how well they accept being left at home alone.
One area of training considered vital is demonstrating to your dog that you're the pack leader, as it is thought that a large amount of anxiety is caused by a dog believing that they are leader of the pack and so accountable for the safeness of the rest of their pack.
The results of this is that when you leave them home alone they panic about where you have vanished to and may cause big damage attempting to get out so that they can come and find you.
Crate training can also be handy as using a crate can give dogs a sense of security while you are out. It not only keeps a dog out of danger, it provides peace of mind for the owner and acts as a den for a dog. Remember to introduce your dog to a crate gradually and slowly build up the time they spend in it alone.
Whatever breed you select and whatever path you take to leaving your dog home alone, remember that each dog has their own character, and while there are steps you can take in general for any dog, there can also be specific training you must do to help the dog you choose be unaffected when left home alone.
Viewpoints seem to differ widely, on the one hand there are folks that will tell you that whatever the sort, it is not appropriate to leave a dog home alone throughout the day because they're all pack animals, while on the other hand folk will tell you that a contented, healthy, well-trained dog of any breed should be okay.
What is clear is that it's not easy to generalize about breeds as there are often exceptions. On one internet site I saw the advice that an Italian Greyhound would adapt well to being left alone and on another it was noted as a breed that would be very poorly suited. On a forum someone was advising against ever leaving Collies alone as they were too high energy, and yet a dog owner on the same forum claimed she left her Collie for 8 hours a day and it had not been an issue.
You will find that most dog breed guides give you general traits of the dog breed considered the standard of what the breed should be, and while this is beneficial, it is not any guarantee of how your individual dog will be.
Consider a Dog's Personality, Energy Levels and Age
All dogs have different temperaments even inside the same litter. So maybe searching for a dog with a calm temperament of whatever breed you have an interest in, is a more appropriate place to start. If you are considering a rescue dog, ensure you ask the staff at the centre as they are going to be very mindful of the dog's nature.
A dog's energy levels might also affect how well a dog can be left alone. Lower energy dogs are usually happy to sleep for hours, while high energy dogs that are looking for more activity might get up to a lot more mischief when left to look after themselves.
Age is another factor that might affect how well a dog adapts to being left alone. Young puppies aren't acceptable to be left all alone for long periods of time and even toilet trained puppies can't hold on for much longer than one or two hours. Again, a rescue dog might be a suitable place to discover a dog that's beyond this young dog stage. Older dogs (over 3 years of age) are frequently thought to be more settled and less prone to be stressed about being left alone.
Training to Stop Dog Separation Anxiety
Outside the factors discussed above, the training you do with your dog might be the largest determining factor in how well they accept being left at home alone.
One area of training considered vital is demonstrating to your dog that you're the pack leader, as it is thought that a large amount of anxiety is caused by a dog believing that they are leader of the pack and so accountable for the safeness of the rest of their pack.
The results of this is that when you leave them home alone they panic about where you have vanished to and may cause big damage attempting to get out so that they can come and find you.
Crate training can also be handy as using a crate can give dogs a sense of security while you are out. It not only keeps a dog out of danger, it provides peace of mind for the owner and acts as a den for a dog. Remember to introduce your dog to a crate gradually and slowly build up the time they spend in it alone.
Whatever breed you select and whatever path you take to leaving your dog home alone, remember that each dog has their own character, and while there are steps you can take in general for any dog, there can also be specific training you must do to help the dog you choose be unaffected when left home alone.
About the Author:
Author Venice Marriott is a writer, dog owner and runs a website, which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with behaviour problems created by dog anxiety. Get more information about dogs that can be left alone when you visit the site.