A dog alone in the house - training to be alone. How and what to keep your dog occupied for long hours What you will need

When getting a puppy, many owners have no idea what awaits them, and sometimes they simply hope for a miracle, each time being surprised by chewed shoes, overturned flower pots and torn sofa cushions. I will not hide that quite recently I was one of those naive people.

I've had the cutest Labrador puppy for four months now, and all this time my house has looked like a dump, in the literal sense of the word. I love my pet very much, so I tolerate all his pranks, but for days on end one thought bothers me: what to do with the dog at home so that he doesn’t destroy everything to smithereens?

What do we expect from dogs and what actually happens?

When we were offered to adopt a Labrador puppy, I agreed immediately after seeing his sweet, good-natured and well-mannered mother. I was carrying this “cute”, who was only 30 days old, and was touched. Such a quiet, calm honey. Sweetie licked my hands, gave me a funny smack, and fell asleep right in my arms. The husband suggested naming the “cute” Ares, in honor of one of the ancient gods. I just forgot to explain that this character was responsible for wars and destruction)))

And how right he was! Our Ares would definitely take first place in the destroyer competition! And he showed his character exactly 3 days later, when, having acclimatized after the move and separation from his family, he began his dirty work.

The first thing he did was tore his pillow to shreds, the diaper we tried to put on him and the box from which we wanted to make him a house. And he not only tore it up, but scattered the pieces throughout all the rooms. The next day he began chewing on the fabric arm of the sofa and the bottom bookshelf. A week later, he somehow got hold of my book and tore out all the pages from it. Then it got worse... Chewed steps on a wooden staircase, kitchen stools, all the shoes he could get... books, magazines, food bowls, including cat ones... Now you can’t list everything, I’ll only say one thing - he helped us get rid of from trash. I threw out all the flowers that stood below the high window sill, long, already boring curtains, old shoes that I couldn’t put my hand on “what if they would come in handy”... and many, many unnecessary things...

Now I remember what I was thinking about when I agreed to get a puppy: I saw a big, beautiful, and lazy dog ​​who brings slippers on command, eats little and entertains guests by performing various tricks. What did I get? Still a small, hyperactive, energetic dog who sleeps little and is constantly creating something. Do you think this only happened to me? Check out the Internet! All puppies, and even adult dogs, behave equally!

How I tried to deal with it

Our Ares Yurievich Gerasimov was caught at the crime scene). Well, okay, the food, but why did you chew the sofa?)))

This is where the fun begins. If I dealt with one problem called “puddles and poop” quite quickly by teaching the dog to ask to go outside (I’ll talk about this in a separate article - it will be useful for many), then the second problem - the ability to destroy things was ineradicable. So, more about what I tried.

• I bought some anti-chewing spray. . Such sprinklers are sold in all large stores where there are departments for pet products. The inside of the bottle is terribly smelly - there is no other way to say it, the liquid is stinking. When I, happy and contented, sprayed it on the stairs, all family members immediately ran outside. And a neighbor who stopped by on business decided that we had a dead body buried somewhere. What about the puppy? For the first 20 minutes he sniffed, sneezed and winced funny. I really didn’t bite, but as soon as the rubbish wore off, everything started all over again.
• Sprinkled with pepper . In fact, this should not be done, since substances that irritate the mucous membranes are very harmful to a dog’s sense of smell. But I was so sorry for the new sofa that I decided to take a risk. The dog did not touch the covered area, gnawed a hole and pulled out the stuffing 20 centimeters from the “powder”.
• Sprayed with bleaching liquid . It contains chlorine, and dogs hate the smell of chlorine. My dog ​​gave up - he didn’t chew anything, but everywhere where I poured the solution there were disgusting white spots, and it was impossible to live at home due to the terrible smell of bleach. In general, this option doesn’t work either.
• I also built barricades so that the puppy cannot get into other rooms. But it was in vain - the cunning and inventive dog, possessing a completely plump figure, managed to get through even the crack. And if this failed, he leaned with his whole body, strained, but managed to move suitcases, boxes and even an overturned table!

I searched all the forums, re-read all the sites, and came to the conclusion that we cannot defeat the instinct of destruction in dogs unless we come up with something more interesting for them to do than gnawing, tearing and breaking. So, I finally began to think, not how to protect things, but what I could do to keep the dog busy so that it wouldn’t ruin the whole house to the ground.

What to do with your dog at home

Someone is also lucky with a pet!

“On the street it’s a completely different matter, there are so many interesting things around! You can gnaw branches, chew leaves, lick pebbles and lap up water from a puddle. What's at home? Homes are boring!” - this is what my favorite most likely thought, chewing on another slipper. So I decided to look for information about indoor games, but I didn’t really want to spend money on expensive dog toys, since they were needed to make up for the damage that had already been done. So, here's what my pet liked.

1. In which hand? We all remember the children's game with two fists, in one of which something was hidden. Why not offer it to your puppy to play with? This develops the dog’s sense of smell, makes the dog think and at the same time entertains the owners. So, we let the dog smell the sausage, saying “sniff”, then we hide the treat in one hand and give the command “look”. If the dog guesses correctly, we give away the treat. We gradually complicate the task by choosing products with a weak odor. This is Ares' favorite game: now he finds any tasty treat right away! And when he responds to the command “sniff” he immediately begins to move his nose. You can make the game more difficult by hiding food under one of several identical plates.
2. Mastering the stairs. Do you want to lose weight? I definitely need this, but I have no desire to go out and run outside - I can’t stand slush, and I’m also a lazy person. So I had to come up with the idea of ​​running up the stairs with the dog. Within a few days, Ares calmly overtook me, but after a few “up and down” spitting on my excess fat, he went to bed. He had no strength left for hooliganism.
3. Hide and seek . Another children's game that dogs love! Aren't they children? They are just as naive, kind and playful, so they can easily be invited to play “Khovanki”. The essence of the game is this: you hide, and then call the dog loudly. Repeat the call only if he is completely confused. If he finds it, give him something tasty. Dogs are always looking for something faster to “chew” something. Gradually lower your voice tone and shorten your sentences. By the way, this game may well help you out someday, for example, if you get lost in the forest.
4. “Well, get it” . This game has no price! She occupies the dog for an hour, or even two. Take some kind of hard box or plastic bottle, put something tasty and fragrant inside. Give it to your pet and enjoy the silence! My dog ​​cannot chew through a tightly packed plastic bottle of mineral water.
5. "Bubble" . This entertainment is as simple as it is free! Try to let bubble near the dog. This spectacle will amuse all family members, and the puppy will be completely tired.
6. “Chewing Bones” . I saw a bone in the store, made of I don’t know what, but the dog liked it. You need to give treats sometimes so that you don’t get bored. While he chews, the house is in perfect order.
7. Rubber toys - squeakers . They are inexpensive and sold everywhere. I bought 3 pieces - a hedgehog ball, a stick and a cloth animal of an unknown breed. Dogs enjoy playing with these toys. And they know for sure that these are their things. I was convinced of this when I moved the puppy to a new place, into a cooler room. While she was carrying the mattress, the dog tried to stuff all three toys into his mouth at the same time. In the end, I dragged them one by one myself.

What to do with your dog while he's home alone

To be honest, I haven’t found the answer to this question yet. The best thing I have come up with is to leave the dog alone for as little time as possible. short term, fastening on a leash. At the same time, I leave food, toys, old shoes, etc.

It seems to me that while the puppy is small, it is difficult to teach him to behave ideally. By the way, now I notice that Ares is showing less and less attention to our things, and is playing with his toys. Therefore, I hope that over time, everything will fall into place. I’ll definitely tell you what comes of it!

I love dogs! Alena Gerasimova

After all, when everyone is at home, she’s just a good girl! She gets the apartment dirty and damages the doors. Is this her revenge for being left alone at home or is she missing something? How to teach her to stay home alone? The behavior of dogs in the absence of their owners in the apartment is often destructive - howling, barking, damaged furniture and walls - all this upsets us, no matter how much we love our pet.

Do you remember the moment when an affectionate baby just appeared in your house? You took a week's leave from work in order to completely devote yourself to a new family member, from the first minutes of his appearance, the puppy was caressed and kissed, followed you around the entire apartment (just like now), and he sleeps next to the bed or on it. Then you have made a big mistake.

The basic habits of puppies are formed between the ages of one and 3 months.

You did not teach the puppy to be left alone and now that he has grown up, every time you leave is a huge stress for him. No, your dog is not taking revenge on you, he is simply in despair from his loneliness. For an animal, chewing is a kind of sedative, just like for people. chewing gum or cigarettes. And any punishment for damaged things is ineffective in this case. In dogs short memory and when you punish your dog for eating a shoe a few hours ago, he won’t understand it. For him, punishment will only be associated with your return. And next time, the stress will be even greater - not only is she left alone, she will also be punished upon the owner’s return.

The following tips will help teach your dog to stay home alone.

Give your dog a good walk before leaving home. Get busy with her active games. A tired dog has less energy for destructive activities. The lesson should last at least 20-30 minutes.

When leaving, do not make stormy farewell scenes, and when you come home, do not communicate with the dog until it calms down.

The next one is very important point in training to be alone, this is to confuse your pet and not let him understand that you are leaving. Dogs are very smart and observant, and our Shar-Peis especially, and you've probably noticed that they start to get nervous as soon as you start getting ready. Your task is to confuse the dog and change your behavior in such a way that it would be almost impossible for him to understand that you are leaving home. For example, a dog reacts to your changing clothes. Change your clothes several times during the day, but stay at home. Does your dog get excited when you take the keys? Take them several times during the day and sit down to watch TV. And so on. Analyze your behavior and make your departure unpredictable.

By the way, if the dog becomes nervous and shows signs of anxiety, under no circumstances should you try to calm him down. All your dog will understand is your worried tone and this will only strengthen his belief that things will soon get worse. You should speak in a calm, cheerful tone, without excessive emotionality. You can gently pat or stroke your pet's chest. It is on the chest, and not on the tummy, tail and other erogenous zones of the dog, by stimulating which you only increase tension, while your task is to relax the dog.

Use the calming remark “I'll be back soon” only in cases where you are sure that you will return within the period of time that your dog can calmly endure. To do this, leave the house more often and return after a short period of time. You will teach the animal that you can return at any time, and the severity of the experience will subside.

If you have a good relationship with your neighbors, ask one of them to come regularly to check on your bored friend.

Sometimes, namely in cases where the dog is not fixated on the owner, but is simply afraid to be left alone, the appearance of a second animal in the house helps a lot. The neighbor's Doberman, whose owner likes to "walk" at night, kept the entire entrance from sleeping with his howling. The howling problem was solved instantly as soon as he got a cat as a companion. However, if you decide to get a second pet, it is ideal to “borrow” it from friends for a few days to see if it helps your dog.

The next tip for calming an anxious dog is to use a dog pheromone-releasing fumigator. Large pet stores (in Moscow, for example, the Beethoven chain) sell D.A.P. Dog Appeasing Pheromone Pheromone for dogs (diffuser + bottle). This fumigator releases pheromones that imitate the pheromone of the mammary glands of lactating bitches. These pheromones have a calming effect on animals, creating a feeling of security in them.

If, despite your efforts, the problem is resolved natural methods If it doesn’t work, you can resort to medication. They will be discussed in the next article.

Several recipes for the Kong toy:

1.Ingredients: 1 egg, some vegetables, any low-fat cheese.
Beat the egg. Place the vegetables in the Kong, top with the egg and add some cheese slices. 20 sec. Microwave and you're done. Refrigerate before use.

2. Ingredients: Fillet lean fish, a couple of spoons of plain yogurt without additives, a little grated carrots. Stuff a Kong with this and freeze. Both tasty and healthy.

3.The simplest option: mix the food you usually feed your dog with processed cheese; the cheese will stick the pieces of food together like cement.

Do you have a dog? Do you love her, but don't always have free time to play with her?

There are several possible solutions.

The essence of the solution comes down to giving the dog something interesting that it can do on its own, without your participation for some time.

Moreover, this something should be interesting to the dog. What is always interesting to your pet?

That’s right, yummy 🙂 (I don’t take into account your suggestion to take a walk or go somewhere by car).

So, the basis is a tasty treat that your dog loves.

Ours loves rye crackers. I dry them especially for him. Every time I buy brown bread, I cut pieces with a crust and put them in a small outlet. This is how pieces of bread turn into treats for dogs in a few days :)

When Temka was a puppy, we tried to buy him ready-made treats, but he refused to eat them, and in the end everything was sent as a treat to the yard dogs.

What will you need?

• Yummy (I have a cracker).
• Any magazine (the thicker, the longer it will last).
• An old letter envelope or newspaper.
• Any string (I have a rag torn in half and tied.

Please note that all of this is used once. Then all this will be torn into small pieces by the dog and thrown away.

What can you use instead?

In our house, since Tyomka appeared, no paper containers are simply thrown away.

At first, all this goes to the dog as entertainment :)

Boxes for medicines, toothpaste, tea. Egg cartons. Advertising magazines (as in the photo). Letter envelopes (at work I use large A4 envelopes).

How to make a disposable dog toy?

All! Ready!

So what to do with your dog at home?

We take the prepared toy and give it to the dog. But, not right away, but first by teasing her a little and provoking her. 🙂

If your pet is not familiar with such fun, wrap the treat in front of him, showing him the treat first. Dogs are smart, he will understand that he needs to get to the treat.

In the video, I’m filming with one hand and playing with the dog with the other, so everything isn’t so active :)

What then?

And then you can calmly go about your business, because your dog will be busy with a very important matter :)

True, then you have to sweep 😉

Safety precautions

The main commandment of an animal owner is to do no harm.

• Do not use plastic and polyethylene packaging in the manufacture of disposable toys. Broken and swallowed plastic will cause a lot of trouble. And polyethylene... The neighbors' dog died, as it turned out later, after eating polyethylene.
• Also, do not use silk or other strong ropes - the dog may cut himself with them.
• Medicine boxes with a strong smell will not bring pleasure to your dog. The dog must smell the treat)

Health to you and your pets! (If you have them :)

Do you have a very energetic dog who just doesn't know where to put his energy? Do you feel guilty when you leave your dog alone at home while you go to work all day? Finding interesting activities for your dog may seem like enough. challenging task. In reality, there are many entertainment options that will make your dog work both mind and body. Choosing a type of activity for your pet that will keep him busy for long hours is not so difficult: it can be a game, interesting communication or learning commands.

Steps

Entertainment for dogs at home

Find a friend for your dog. Dogs love to play with each other. Together they will have fun for hours, sniffing, chasing around the house and tumbling on the sofa.

• Make sure your new pet gets along with your old one. Some animal shelters may allow you to adopt your pet for a trial period before you commit to permanent adoption. Consider the trial period to test your pets' compatibility.
• Ensure that your new pet receives all necessary vaccinations and vaccinations. Unless you spay or neuter your pets, they must both be the same gender.
• Instead of a dog, you can get another pet, for example, a cat or a dwarf pig. Both a cat and a pig can be excellent companions for a dog, giving it lasting friendship. However, as with a second dog, your new pets must be vaccinated and vaccinated.

1. Turn on the TV for your dog. Dogs have excellent eyesight and are interested in moving images. If your TV channels include Animal Planet, Nat Geo, or a similar channel with a lot of programs about pets and other animals, then your dog will definitely like it.

   • Not all dog breeds are interested in watching TV. But if your dog enjoys watching TV (terriers and bichon frizes especially enjoy it), this will provide him with hours of fun.

2. Give the dog a toy. There are a wide variety of toys for dogs that can provide them with hours of entertainment. The specific type of toy that is appropriate depends on your dog's preferences. If you are unable to keep your dog occupied with one toy, try offering him another.

   • Dogs can spend hours playing with chewable toys. A toy like this will provide your dog with a lot of entertainment, whether it is made in the form of a simple piece of thick rope with knots at the ends or in the form of a sewn textile toy with a squeaker inside.
   • Dog bones made from rawhide are also very interesting for pets. A dog can chew on such a bone all day long.
   • Balls and rolling toys are also a great source of entertainment; dogs can have fun chasing these toys for hours.

3. Play tug of war with your dog. This type entertainment can become in a great way burning off the accumulated energy in a dog that has been waiting for your return all day. Choose a soft toy made from fleece or rope to play with, something that can be safely held in both hands and mouth.

   Play hide and seek with your dog. Just like people, dogs are very curious and tend to become anxious if they don't see you for a while. You can use this innate feature for great play with your pet.

   • Hide in an accessible place, such as behind a closet, under a bed, behind a sofa or other large piece of furniture.
   • Wait for the dog to find you.
   • You can speed up the search process by holding a treat in your hand. Its smell will serve as a clue to the dog and a good reward for your detection.
   • When the dog finds you, start the game again. Hide in different places so that the dog doesn’t get bored and has to think a little.

4. Play fetch. This game is classic dog fun. Take a stuffed toy, a stick, a frisbee or a tennis ball and throw it as far as possible so that the dog runs after it. When the dog picks up the toy and happily returns to your feet with it, throw it again! Such a game can continue indefinitely.

   • It is better to play fetch in a fenced area, for example in your yard or in a special dog park.
   • Don't play fetch near the road or on a busy street with a lot of people. An unsuccessful throw or bounce of a toy can lead to the dog rushing after it under a car or at someone’s feet.

5. Make your dog chase the laser dot. A simple laser pointer can "drive a dog crazy." Take a pointer and shine the laser at the place where the dog can notice the appearance of a luminous dot. You may need to get your dog's attention by pointing to the dot yourself and asking admiringly, "Hey! Look, what's that?" When the dog notices the luminous dot, it will begin to chase it. As soon as it approaches the point, move it to the side about 1-1.5 m to another visible place. Your dog can happily play this simple game for hours.

   Make it difficult for your dog. As your dog becomes more adept at extracting treats from the puzzle toy, start filling it with larger and larger treat pieces to make them harder to get out.

Attending training classes

1. Select the training courses you need. There are two options for training dogs: the first is when you give the dog to the appropriate organization for a while to be trained; and the second is when you yourself attend training classes with your dog. In both cases, the dog will pass the necessary training and will acquire good "manners". The main difference in training is that in the first case, your dog will live in a training organization, and in the second, it will come with you to classes during the day.

   • The choice of a specific training option is largely determined by how much the dog’s behavior needs correction. If your dog needs serious correction, he may do better if he is separated from you for a few days for training. If your dog doesn't need major corrections, he'll probably be better off going to training classes with you.
   • If your main motivation for enrolling in a dog training class is to provide your dog with a few hours of fun activities, then daytime training classes will be your best option.

Excessively active dogs is not uncommon now, and if you are lucky enough to become the owner of a restless pet, read this article carefully.

There are two reasons why dogs become overly active:

1. attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (disease);
2. wrong mode day and nutrition.

The first reason, i.e. neurotic disorder, is rare in dogs. Most dogs that are attributed to hyperactivity are completely healthy animals suffering from lack of exercise and exercise.

There are certain symptoms that may indicate the disease. Watch your fidget:

1. obsessive movements (chasing the tail, spinning in place);
2. rapid breathing and shortness of breath;
3. constant wandering around the apartment;
4. unfocused gaze and more.

If you think that your dog's restlessness is due to... abnormal causes, take her to the veterinarian for an examination, they will prescribe you some medications and recommend a diet.

But anyway, mental disorders They are rare in dogs, and you will have to invest a lot of time and effort into retraining your pet.

1. Diet. Nutrition can have a very significant effect on a dog's behavior. A lack of the amino acid tryptophan in the body is directly related to changes in behavior (it is responsible for the production of serotonin). If your pet is on dry food, buy vitamins separately, add to the diet foods containing large quantities tryptophan: raw seaweed, cabbage (broccoli, Chinese cabbage, cabbage), beans, bananas, melon, cottage cheese, processed cheese, etc.).
Reviewing your diet is the first thing you will need to do to correct your behavior.

2. Daily routine. Try to always feed your dog and walk it at the same time. A clear routine balances the dog and gives it a feeling of calm and confidence. The animal feels much more comfortable psychologically when it knows that now you will have dinner, then go for a walk, then feed it.

3. Physical activity. The problem of excessive activity lies in the excess energy that the dog does not have time to lose during morning and evening walks. The state of frustration forces the animal to seek a way out by destroying things, incessant barking and howling, and frantic activity on the street. Increase the duration of walking to at least one hour in the evening and half an hour in the morning. At the same time, the walk itself should be measured and long walk or a leisurely run. Spend the first 20 minutes playing with other dogs and toys, then put him on a leash and begin a long exercise. In the summer, teach your pet to bike rides - this is especially good at tiring dogs out, and is useful for you and not so tiring.

4. Playing with a toy (puller, grip, ball). The process of playing very well discharges the dog, exhausting it emotionally and physically. The main thing is not to overdo it and not put the dog into a hysterical state from which it is difficult to get him out of it. In fact, if you have a breed that is initially easily excitable and energetic (Australian Shepherd, Border Collie, Labrador, Jack Russell, Belgian Shepherd and many others), then it is better to learn the correct game from an instructor who has experience working with such dogs. You need to play with these dogs extremely professionally, understand well the line between excitement and hysteria, and be able to calm the animal down. Playing with them is difficult, but necessary. After 10-15 minutes of proper play, the dog becomes calmer and noticeably more manageable.

Every week introduce a new command, but be careful, if the dog cannot cope with the amount of work already proposed, then introducing new rules will only give cause for stress. After three months, having more or less studied the obedience course, find some specialized courses for dogs in your city. For example, agility, frisbee dog, tracking and search work, sampling of things and people, etc. I do not recommend placing a dog on protective guard duty; this may aggravate the problem.

Having started practicing discipline, the dog will completely gain the meaning of life and become happy. This will also be useful for you, communicating with dog trainers, seeing new training methods, you will better understand your dog and its needs. Most of all, I recommend the disciplines of active canine sports (agility, frisbee), since dogs of this type work there, and they will help you more quickly.

How should your normal walk go?

10 minutes for toileting, 15 minutes for playing with dog friends, 20 minutes for training and playing with a toy, and another 30 minutes for a long calming walk. You will see how tired the dog is after obedience training. A few minutes every day of training will really exhaust a dog.

Ekaterina Titova (Doggy Center instructor)