Home Alone: Is Your Dog Bored?
Do you ever wonder what your dog is up to when he is left home alone? In the advent of webcams, owners can now sneak a peek at their pets' activities. Some dogs cope with being home alone just fine, choosing to wile away the hours resting, gnawing a chew toy, and taking up a sentry post at the patio door to survey their property. Other dogs, however, experience boredom when they are left without the physical and mental stimulation that a person can provide. In the absence of a webcam, you are only likely to observe the visual evidence of boredom when you come home. Find out why boredom in dogs can be detrimental, whether or not your dog suffers from boredom, and what you can do to alleviate it.
Consequences of Boredom
When dogs experience profound boredom, they become frustrated. In their desperate search for something to do, they often engage in activities that result in home or property damage, medical problems, and loss of their homes when exasperated homeowners relinquish their destructive dogs to local shelters. Obsessive-compulsive behavior, such as incessantly licking and chewing their foreleg or constantly chasing and biting their tail, leads to infections that require veterinary care to resolve. Dietary indiscretions that result from chewing on foreign objects can lead to life-threatening bowel obstructions that require costly surgery.
Bored Dogs
Certain dogs are more likely to suffer from boredom than others. Be especially alert to signs of boredom if your canine companion happens to belong to the following breed groups:
- Herding breeds, such as border collies and German shepherds
- Sporting breeds, such as Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, Weimaraners, and English springer spaniels
Herding and sporting breeds have high levels of energy and intelligence, and because they were developed to perform tasks, they are always in need of something to do. They want to work, and they need to expel some of their pent up energy. Similarly, young dogs who exude energy and curiosity may also become bored when no one is around to play.
Signs of Boredom
If your dog is experiencing boredom when the family is at work and school, you will notice any of the following signs:
- Damage to household furnishings, curtains, or moldings
- Chewed up shoes, kids toys, and other household objects
- Torn carpets from excessive digging behavior
- Shredded papers
- Persistent hair loss or a lesion on one spot on the dog's body
Generally, if a dog has previously dabbled in a bad habit, such as chewing on a wooden table leg, boredom will exacerbate the habit.
Boredom vs. Anxiety
Coming home to destruction can also serve as evidence that your dog is suffering from separation anxiety rather than boredom, and it is important to determine which problem he is experiencing. Setting up a video camera in your home to film your dog after you leave the house can be helpful in making this determination. A bored dog will likely commence his destructive behaviors when he awakens from a nap and seeks out stimulation. If your dog has separation anxiety, he will demonstrate emotional signs, such as frantic barking, howling, or panicked behavior, as soon as you vacate your home, and destructive behavior may ensue immediately. Separation anxiety often requires veterinary intervention to help alleviate your dog's stress. If your dog is simply bored, there are things that you can do to stimulate his mind and body in order to eliminate his boredom.
Keep Him Busy to Banish Boredom
Teaching your dog to perform a few basic tasks, such as routinely fetching various household objects for you, around the home or enrolling him in a dog sport class, such as agility, will help him to feel utilized and give him a purpose. Other ways to curb boredom include the following:
- Tire your dog out daily with vigorous play and exercise sessions.
- Take your dog for walks, and vary the route and scenery as much as possible from one walk to the next.
- Provide puzzle toys, such as dog treat dispenser balls, for your dog to work out when you are not home.
- Hide treats around the house in places where your dog can access them when he finds them.
- Swap out his old toys frequently for new ones to keep them novel and interesting.
- Fill a Kong toy with peanut butter. Freeze the filled toy, and then offer it to your dog when you leave the house. This will keep him busy as he tries to lick out every last trace of the tasty treat.
- Consider enrolling your dog in a dog day care program where he will have the company of other dogs and humans to keep him stimulated.
The key to reducing your dog's boredom is to provide physical and mental stimulation when you are home as well as when he is left home alone. If you keep him busy before and after you leave the house, then he is more likely to welcome some naptime in your absence. For more information, talk to a professional like Oakton Animal Hospital.