Howling, chewing the door, mess when you get home? Why it happens, when to see the vet, and how to make time alone easier.
Most bulldogs who struggle home alone never learned that time alone is safe, have had a change in routine, or have nothing to do while you're out. Barking, chewing near doors, accidents and pacing while you're out can come from boredom, from not knowing how to settle alone, or from real distress, which is a matter for your vet or a qualified behaviourist. Start with four things: a walk and toilet stop before you leave, a long-lasting food toy, short practice absences, and a camera to see what really happens.
Sound familiar?
Some dogs show nothing obvious at all. They lie still but tense, or pant and pace, and you only find out when you film them.
The University of Bristol's behaviour clinic says one of the most common causes in adult dogs is that they never learned, as puppies, that being alone is safe. The distress a puppy shows when left simply carries on into adulthood.
RSPCA Australia notes that changed routines can be stressful, and that many dogs struggle the first time they spend a full day alone. Going back to the office after working from home, a new job or new hours can all set it off.
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) says dogs can become lonely and bored when left alone for long periods. A dog with nothing to do may chew or dig. RSPCA Queensland points out that boredom can look very similar to separation distress, which is one reason a vet should help work out which it is.
The Bristol clinic notes that a dog can link being alone with a frightening event, such as a loud noise. Storms, fireworks or building work next door can all play a part.
RSPCA UK says underlying health issues can cause or worsen separation-related behaviour. A dog that suddenly starts having accidents or acting differently may have a medical reason, which is why the vet comes first.
Scolding a dog for a mess they made hours earlier doesn't teach them anything. The Bristol clinic says it can make them more worried about being alone and about you coming home. The Ohio State University vet centre is clear that these behaviours are not spiteful.
Real separation-related distress is a behaviour problem that needs a vet, who may refer you to a qualified veterinary behaviourist. Toys and routines are not a treatment for it. Watch for:
If you see any of these, call your vet.
Routine matters more than any product, and for a bulldog that includes a cool, shaded room while you're out. Exercise, a toilet stop, short absences built up slowly, and someone to break up a long day will do more than anything we sell. What these products can do is give your dog something to work on and a familiar place to rest. Here's what we use with our own dogs.
Home alone
$117.95
See what's insideYou'll find everything for this problem on our Home alone page.
One safety point first. The AVA says toys left with an unsupervised dog must be safe and nothing should be left out that could become a choking hazard. Try any new toy while you're home and watching before you leave your dog alone with it.
The Aroma Dog Fleece Security Blanket 30cm ($23.95) is a small fleece blanket that goes in your dog's usual bed or resting place. The RSPCA's training plan for being left alone starts with your dog settling in their bed, so a soft, familiar item there makes the bed an obvious place to go. It's a blanket, not a chew toy, so take it away if your dog starts tearing at it.
Both RSPCA Australia and RSPCA UK suggest a long-lasting food toy when you go out, and the AVA suggests serving most of a dog's food in puzzle feeders. The JW Treat Puzzle Tumbler ($29.95) has an internal maze, so your dog has to nudge and roll it to work the treats out. The Scream Treat Dispensing Tyre Chew Toy, Green ($45.95) can be packed with food, and your dog chews and plays with it to get it out. If your dog leaves these untouched while you're out, note it: the RSPCA lists refusing food toys when alone as a sign of distress.
Small pieces of the All Barks Australian Natural Beef Dog Treat Sticks 110g ($30.95) fit inside both toys above. The RSPCA reminds owners to count any treats as part of the daily food allowance, so take some out of breakfast or dinner.
The Home Alone Bundle ($117.95) puts the blanket together with a puzzle and a chew in one order. The blanket goes in their resting spot, and the puzzle and chew give them something to work on.
If chewing and boredom are the bigger issue, our Bored and chewing things page has more treat toys and chews. If your dog has more energy than their morning walk uses up, see Needs to burn energy.
RSPCA UK recommends no more than four hours for an adult dog, and much less for puppies. For a full workday, plan a midday visit, a dog walker or daycare.
No. Ohio State University's vet centre says separation behaviours are not retaliatory or spiteful. The Bristol clinic notes that dogs don't know these behaviours are wrong.
No. Punishing a dog after the fact doesn't reduce the problem and often makes them more worried about being left and about you coming home.
It may not be interesting enough, or it may be a sign of distress. RSPCA UK lists refusing food or food toys when alone as one of the signs, so film a departure and talk to your vet.
The AVA says a quiet TV or radio in the background might be worth trying if your dog barks when alone. RSPCA UK also suggests it to cover outside noise.
Keep goodbyes short and low-key. Ohio State says talking to your dog as you leave has been seen to increase distress, and RSPCA Australia suggests not responding to attention-seeking in the lead-up to leaving.
They can look the same, which is why RSPCA Queensland says your vet should be the one to tell them apart. Video of your dog while you're out is the most useful thing to bring.
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