The Home Alone Dog – Happy Hunting

Do you dare leave Mr. Goodpuppy loose and home alone? Do you worry that he will hunt your shoes or laundry or go grocery shopping on the counters? Does he have confinement or separation issues? If so, here are some things you can do to prepare him to be a real Mr. Goodpuppy when he’s home alone. First you must teach him to tolerate being separate from you. Then, you must teach him to hunt – using your ‘rules.’  And, lastly, you must gradually introduce him to being home alone. And, for best results, give him a job to do when you’re gone.

Separation Must Be Taught

In the wild, a dog never has to be alone. However, this is not true in domestication. Therefore, you must teach Mr. Goodpuppy to tolerate separation and confinement rather than just expecting him to quietly endure it.

In general, start at home by putting Mr. Goodpuppy in a situation where he can see you but not get to you as you wait nearby. This may be done by putting him on a leash that is anchored to the wall or a heavy piece of furniture, in a crate or in a room with a gate. Sit or stand, just out of reach but in sight. If he fusses, ignore him. But, when he sits or lies down, give him a treat.* Gradually stretch your distance from him and treat him if he stays sitting or lying down. Do this several times a day so that, eventually, Mr. Goodpuppy is able to tolerate being separate from you while you’re home and has learned to be a spectator and not a participant in what’s going on around him.

When you have done this much separation training at home, you’re ready to leave the house for short absences (seconds or minutes) and, over time, longer ones. If you practice absence training after all of Mr. Goodpuppy’s needs have been met (food, play, elimination, exercise), Mr. Goodpuppy will most likely be under the least amount of stress and better able to tolerate your leaving the house. That stress can be further reduced by giving him a job to do. But that, too, requires training when you’re home.

The At-Home Hunting Job

In the wild, dogs hunt for food for about two hours a day. In domestication, we give them their food, but they still have the drive to hunt. By giving Mr. Goodpuppy a job to do, we can channel that drive to fit our lifestyle. If he doesn’t’ have a job, he may become self employed and you will pay the price as he hunts your stuff, kills it and, sometimes guards it or gets you to chase him for it. So, it’s important for you to teach Mr. Goodpuppy the things you want him to hunt (the ‘legal’ objects) and, at the same time, provide him with the proper stimulation and interaction with you that he needs.

First, you need to give each of Mr. Goodpuppy’s toys a different name. Then teach him to play with his toys and retrieve them by name. Eventually, hide a toy and teach him to find (“hunt”) the specific toy you name.

You can make the hunt more interesting by using an interactive toy in which you put dog food or treats. (Using a different flavor food will make it seem like a treat while Mr. Goodpuppy still receives the nutrition he needs) Instruct Mr. Goodpuppy to ‘find it.” And, then let him get the treats or dog food out of it.

By teaching Mr. Goodpuppy to hunt his food/treat-filled toys, you are 1) defining the ‘legal’ objects he can hunt and 2) stimulating him to hunt them (If he gets them on his own, make sure you make a fuss about it and praise him for choosing the 'legal' toy). You are also redirecting his attention away from hunting your ‘illegal’ stuff.

Home Alone Gradually

You are now ready to combine Mr. Goodpuppy’s separation training and ‘legal’ hunting skills. At first, plan to be ‘away’ for only a short time and gradually stretch the away-time.  But, before you leave, stack all of Mr. Goodpuppy’s toys in a bucket, basket or some kind of container. Put some pieces of dog food and an interactive toy in the bottom. When you leave he will have several thing to keep him busy: 1) get his toys out of the container. 2) get the treats from the bottom and 3) get the food out of the interactive toys.

Hunting’s Secondary Benefits

Even though your main goal is to teach Mr. Goodpuppy to be non-destructive when he’s home alone, you get secondary benefits even when you are home. When you send him for his toys to bring back, you are going to have a very busy and happy puppy. He will be getting time with you (bonding) and proper stimulation that uses his seemingly boundless energy.  And without much effort on your part, you can keep him occupied while you are busy doing other things.

The Happy Ending

Imagine this. You prepare Mr. Goodpuppy’s stash of toys before you leave the house, confident that he feels secure and that he has a non-destructive job to do.  When you come home, Mr. Goodpuppy is glad to see you and you are glad to see that all of your belongings have been ignored by Mr. GP.  You might then choose to set up the stash again or hide his toys so that you can read, watch TV, play with the children, cook, or whatever. Maybe, on his own, Mr. GP will start hunting in his toy box again. If not, you can send him to find the new treats you have hidden for him. You get a chance to do the things you need or want to do while he is doing what he needs and wants to do.  And, your dog thinks you are the super person who is playing with him. He's thrilled because he is having contact with you, receiving praise from you and being stimulated by you. Aren't you terrific! And you’re happy with your dog whether you’re home, or whether he’s home alone.

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*Clicker training works best at this point but cannot be dealt with well in this brief article.