For most of us, being away from our canine companions is tough going. While we'd love to be able to be with them 24/7, work, hobbies and other commitments can mean that sometimes our fur friends need to be left home alone.
While investing in a good quality dog bed and leaving behind one of the longest lasting dog chews or a few fun toys can certainly help make things easier on your pup, your dog may still experience a level of stress, anxiety and nervousness when they're separated from you.
Thankfully, expert dog trainer Miles Hamilton has a simple tip that you can start to use immediately that will help your dog to stay calm and relaxed whenever you're apart. You can watch his TikTok video in full below or keep reading for a summary of his key message.
@hamiltondogtraining ♬ original sound - Hamilton Dog Training
"My number one tip for dogs with separation anxiety is to get them used to being alone while you're home," explains Hamilton.
So, what exactly does this look like? Well, according to Hamilton it's all about your pup being able to hear you but not see you.
"If you're in the living room and you're doing work on your computer or you're watching TV, have the dog in a separate area where they can't see you but they know you're there."
Hamilton says that you might use a hallway or place them around the corner or in another room close by.
"If your dog is place board trained, you can have them on a place board away from you, or if they're not, you can have them in a crate. So you put the dog in a crate and they take naps away from you. They relax away from you. They know you're there but they're getting comfortable with the feeling of being away."
Separation anxiety and nervousness in dogs can leave you feeling trapped in your own home and is a challenging issue to deal with. For 1:1 support, guidance and advice we recommend speaking with your vet and reaching out to a professional dog trainer.
For more great training tips, check out our guides to how to crate train a dog and how to reduce separation anxiety in dogs.
