Door is a Bore: Helping Dogs Feel Safe When Home Alone

While some dogs are perfectly content to nap and relax when home alone, others find the experience genuinely frightening. For these dogs, separation from their people isn’t just unsettling—it can lead to significant emotional distress.

What is Separation Anxiety?

Separation anxiety is a condition in which a dog becomes highly distressed when left alone. This can present in a variety of behaviours, including:

• Barking or howling for extended periods

• Sitting or lying by the door, unmoving for hours

• Drooling excessively or foaming at the mouth

• Chewing or destroying furniture and household items

• Toileting indoors despite being house-trained

• Pacing or spinning in circles

• Attempting to escape and wandering the neighbourhood

These behaviours aren’t your dog being “naughty”—they’re signs of a dog struggling to cope with being alone.

What Causes Separation Anxiety?

There’s no single cause of separation anxiety, and it often varies from dog to dog. Some common triggers include:

• Change in environment: Moving to a new home can unsettle a dog, especially if it’s their first major transition.

• Change in ownership: Being surrendered to a shelter, rehomed, or adopted can leave a dog feeling insecure.

• Change in routine: A sudden shift—such as a guardian returning to full-time work after working from home—can result in long absences that the dog isn't prepared for.

It’s important to remember that what causes anxiety in one dog may have no effect on another. Each dog has their own emotional threshold and coping strategies.

How Can We Help?

If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and help is available. At Sit Stay Play, our experienced trainers work with you and your dog to build confidence, reduce anxiety, and create a calm home-alone routine.

Here are a few first steps:

• Record your dog while you're away: Technology makes it easy to observe your dog when home alone. Watching the footage can help identify which behaviours they’re exhibiting and how long they persist.

• Practice short absences: Start with just 60 seconds away. Return calmly and reinforce the idea that you always come back. Gradually build up to longer absences as your dog gains confidence.

• Track progress: Every dog is different. Some do better in the mornings than evenings, or may cope with 30 minutes but not an hour. We use custom tracking spreadsheets with our clients to monitor and adjust the plan as needed.

• Break the pattern: Dogs are highly observant. Something as simple as picking up your keys or walking to the door can trigger anxiety. Try mixing up your routine—grab the door handle and then sit back down. This helps teach your dog that these cues don’t always mean you’re leaving.

• Play some classical music / white noise: This will help to make noises such as dog’s barking or people going past the house less noticeable for your dog

• Try an Adaptil Collar: Adaptil collars release calming pheromones to help calm your dog when they start to feel distressed.

Recognise these behaviours in your dog?The good news is, separation anxiety can be improved with the right support. At Sit Stay Play, our goal is to help your dog feel safe, relaxed, and confident at home—even when you're not there. Contact us today for tailored support that fits your routine and your dog’s individual needs.