Should You Leave a Light, Radio, or TV On For Your Dog While You're Gone?
While we may love to take our dogs with us when we leave our house (especially on fun hikes or vacations), there are times when our canine friends have to stay home. When that happens, we want to make sure that they have the best time they can by themselves.
Should You Leave a Light, Radio, or TV on For Your Dog While You’re Out of the House?
You never need to leave anything on for your dog while you’re gone, but many pet owners find that the sound of humans (even if they’re just on TV) can help to relax a dog who suffers from separation anxiety.
Separation anxiety is a condition where a dog experiences extreme distress when they are left behind by their owners. There are plenty of ways to mitigate symptoms and treat separation anxiety, with the noise of a TV or radio being one of them.
However, you shouldn’t feel obligated to leave anything on while your dog is home alone, especially when it’s so important to reduce energy waste. If you’re worried about your dog being bored while you’re out of the house, there are a few ways to keep your dog occupied in your absence:
- Give your dog new toys, especially ones that involve solving puzzles in return for treats
- Give your dog access outside with a pet door so that they have more space to roam and opportunities to entertain themself
- Exercise your dog before leaving so they can spend their alone time sleeping and resting
And if you’re wondering about leaving a light on– your dog doesn’t need it! They can see just find in the dark.
But if you’re worried about robberies, then keeping a light on by a window is a good way to trick any potential thieves into thinking you’re still home. And if not, then your dog can occupy themselves with scaring off any unwanted visitors!
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DOG PERSON🐶
Pets: I have a fluffy, 14 year old chow-collie mix with red fur named Rosso. He's very stubborn and has the standoffish personality of a cat.
Fun stuff: I am a hot chocolate connoisseur.
