6 Tips to Help Your Puppy Stay Calm When Home Alone

Life gets busy, and there will be moments when you need to leave your dog at home for a short time. While it can feel tough at first, helping your puppy learn to be alone early on will make it much easier for them to handle as they mature. Although dogs are a naturally social animal, training a puppy to be alone helps them remain calm when you need to leave them for short periods.

Knowing how to help your puppy stay calm when they’re home alone makes it easier for them to settle and prevents signs of boredom, frustration, or anxiousness. So, if you’re wondering how to train a puppy to be alone, these six steps will help guide you through the process!

Tip 1: Start Small

When you first start to leave your puppy alone, it’s important to make the time very short to start with, such as just leaving the room very briefly and then returning. You can then start building up the time gradually when you know your pup is coping with the current timespan. Keep practising this before you reach the point where you need to leave them for longer so that they understand you’ll always return.

Patience is vital when training a puppy to be alone. Take things slowly and try not to move up to longer times more quickly than your puppy is comfortable with. To help your puppy adjust, building in elements that are part of your leaving routine can be helpful, like putting on your shoes and then picking up your keys. But introduce each step gradually so your pup learns that these events mean you’re leaving, but that you’ll be back.

Try to build short periods of separation into your daily routine to get them used to this idea. You could leave them in one room while you sort their breakfast, or simply leave the room for a minute, then return. This will help them to build independence and learn to settle and relax for periods of time when they don’t have your attention.

Tip 2: Create a Safe Space

The process of learning how to train a puppy to be alone can be made easier by making a safe space for them. Creating a designated space for your puppy helps them feel more relaxed and less anxious when you’re not around.

By providing them with a familiar space, you create a calm zone where they can rest and feel secure, which helps make the transition to being alone less unpredictable and more manageable over time.

When training a puppy to be alone you can create a safe space by:

• Adding familiar items—include your pup’s belongings in this space, such as cozy comfy bed, water and a comforting toy.
• Plugging in an ADAPTIL Calm diffuser—this diffuser sends a pheromone signal to your pup like the one their mother would have produced, offering comfort and reassurance. It’s a great way to help them feel secure in this space at home in a way that only dogs can understand!
• Building positive associations—using positive reinforcement like giving them treats for choosing to use the space helps them view it as a place of comfort and reward.

Tip 3: Offer Distractions

To help your puppy build their confidence without your presence, offering distractions is an effective way to redirect their attention to something more engaging and enjoyable. Chews and enrichment feeders, such as filled chew toys, activity feeders and snuffle mats are a great way to give them something to do when your puppy is left alone.

These distractions can be helpful when your pup is learning and not already showing signs that they find being alone stressful. If your puppy is crying when they’re left alone, it may be a sign they find the situation stressful and are fearful. They might not feel comfortable interacting with food or other distractions as they normally would, or the distraction itself may have become a predictor of the scary time of being alone. If this is the case, be mindful not to force distractions on them, and seek advice from your vet or a qualified animal behaviourist on how best to support your pup.

Tip 4: Stay Consistent with Routines

Keeping a consistent routine while training a puppy to be alone helps them feel secure and calm. Puppies thrive on structure and knowing what to expect, so staying consistent allows them to avoid any unpredictability. Making the times that you leave a puppy alone consistent and predictable helps them to feel less anxious by making them aware of when you’re going to leave and that you’ll come back.

Here are a few routine habits that can help your puppy cope with spending time home alone:

• Exercise them before leaving—a long walk or a play session before you leave helps to reduce boredom and restlessness.
• Mental stimulation—leaving them with an activity or a puzzle toy gives them mental and physical stimulation to keep them entertained. Be mindful of how long the toy or chew lasts to ensure it remains engaging without causing frustration.
• Set feeding times—a regular feeding schedule creates a sense of stability so your pup knows what to expect.
• Background noise—some dogs find comfort in background noise such as music.

Tip 5: Keep Departures and Returns Calm

Avoiding big exits and entrances can be beneficial when training your puppy to be alone. Being calm around the time that you leave or return helps your puppy remain settled during the times they’re home alone. Overly dramatic goodbyes or greetings can feed into how your pup is feeling emotionally and make transitions more stressful.

To keep departures and returns calm you can try things such as a quiet greeting when you arrive back, followed by a closer interaction once they are calm, or having a routine for when you leave, which might include a goodbye and giving them a toy to provide a calm signal.

It’s important to not leave your pup home alone for longer than they can cope with. If needed, consider ways to ease this, such as having a friend, family member, or neighbour spend time with them, or exploring doggy day care options.

Tip 6: Provide Emotional Reassurance

If your puppy barks when you leave the room, house soils or chews items when they’re alone these can be signs of stress. If you notice these behaviours, it’s important not to punish your dog as this can worsen the situation and impact the bond you’re building with them.

Instead, find the good moments to reward and praise your pup, such as times when they are relaxed and calm. Offering calm reassurance helps your puppy learn which positive behaviours you want them to repeat and boosts their self-confidence. This helps them to understand your expectations and grow your bond together.

If your puppy struggles to be alone for more than a few minutes, or you notice signs that they’re not coping well, such as destructive behaviour or neighbours reporting that your puppy cries when left, seek advice from your vet. They can rule out any medical issues and refer you to an accredited behaviourist who can create a tailored plan to support your pup.

For more guidance on how to train a puppy to be home alone, keep exploring our ADAPTIL blogs online. And while you’re here, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tips and advice!