Can you leave your dog on vacation?

Pets react to separation from a person in different ways. I remember two stories. Julia went to Bali to surf, and Bobby left her Jack Russell to her brother. While the owner was conquering the waves, her pet conquered new playgrounds and parks – and had a good time. When Julia returned, Bobby greeted her as if she had gone out to the store for 15 minutes. But it also happens differently.

Dima went mountain trekking, and Eli took his dachshund to his parents. He was about to make the long-awaited ascent, but Eli had other plans. She barked so loudly in her new apartment that the neighbors rebelled. And the parents were forced to ask their son to return for the dog.

How your dog will react to your departure is clearly shown by one factor. Pay attention to how your pet behaves when you are away on business for a few hours. If at this time the dog is calm, then she will survive your vacation calmly. The main thing is that in your absence they look after her and follow her usual daily routine.

If, after your departure, the pet smashes everything around and bursts into a plaintive howl, you will have to wait a little with the vacation.

Before planning trips, it’s important to train your dog for breakups. Otherwise, separation can become such a strong stress for her that she will regard any approach to the door as the end of the world. And he will do everything that the dog’s imagination is enough for, if only you stay with him forever – at least, he will gnaw all your shoes. Under stress, the dog’s behavior always worsens. To educate and, moreover, to punish a pet is useless and cruel.

To teach your dog to stay alone in an apartment, it is better to contact a dog behavior correction specialist. This will help save time and prevent mistakes that will have to be corrected later. And at the same time pump your knowledge in dog breeding.

Dogs have a more flexible psyche than humans, and easily adapt to new conditions. With the right upbringing, any dog ​​will calmly remain alone or be separated from the owner for a while.

There is no need to specially prepare the dog for departure. If she still doesn’t know how to stay at home alone, a farewell dinner will definitely not teach her this. And if she is calm about separation, then magnificent farewells are useless. Dogs love stability. It is better to behave as usual and follow the usual daily routine. If you go crazy with guilt and load your dog with toys a few days before leaving, he will understand that something is wrong, and he will also become nervous. Don’t torture yourself or your dog.

Leave the apartment as if you were going to the store, and not flying to drink smoothies on the beach.

On the day of departure, a proven tactic is to behave more reservedly with the dog than usual. Entrust feeding, walking, playing and other pleasant procedures to the person who will stay with the dog while you are away. So the pet will understand that he will be taken care of. He won’t be tempted to play Hachiko or act up. The longer you say goodbye to the dog, the more nervous it will be. So don’t delay. Say goodbye to the dog as always, give her the usual commands – and go!

It is not enough to go on vacation correctly – it is also important to return correctly. Even if you really want to bury your nose in a fluffy shoulder, hold your pet tighter and burst into tears of happiness – try to restrain yourself. Remember: it is desirable that the meeting turned out the same as usual. Imagine that you were not at home for only half an hour. Otherwise, the dog will quickly pick up your excitement, and for him it will be additional stress.

It is important for the dog to see the usual ritual of your return – so he will understand that his usual life has returned and his beloved stability has been restored.

I hope my recommendations make your vacation more enjoyable for you and your dog! In the next article, we will analyze 5 controversial options for where to leave the dog on vacation.