Printable Alone Time Checklist for Dogs

Back to home Home Printable Checklists Alone time Printable Alone Time Checklist for Dogs Being alone is a skill, not a default setting. Build it in seconds and minutes, and never test a full workday to "see how it goes". Print / Save as PDF Which alone time approach fits your dog? Three quick questions and you'll get the method, reward strategy and session shape that fit your breed and what's actually driving the behaviour. Find your approach 1 / 3 What breed is your dog? Border Collie Train the reasoning first Golden Retriever Lead with empathy and communication German Shepherd Give the dog a job and a clear structure Labrador Retriever Train impulse control as its own skill Other / mixed breed A general cognitive approach that works with any dog Alone time checklist Rest and separation both have to be trained. Dogs that never learn an off switch stay in a low-grade state of arousal, and arousal is what turns an empty house into chewing, barking and pacing. Set up before day one Create one comfortable settle spot away from the front door and windows Set up a camera or phone so you can watch what actually happens when you leave Decide the departure routine and keep it identical and boring — no emotional goodbyes Prepare a licking or chewing outlet to give at the moment you leave Every day 3 x settle reps: reward relaxed lying on the mat between activities Practise 5-10 "fake" departures — pick up keys, open the door, come back, no fuss Give the dog at least one nap window in a quiet room, undisturbed Front-load a problem-solving session before any real departure Return calmly: greet only once the dog has four feet on the floor Graded absence plan Week 1: absences of 5-30 seconds, always returning before any whining starts Week 2: 1-5 minutes, in random order (short, long, short) so length stays unpredictable Week 3: 5-20 minutes; review camera footage before extending Week 4: 20-60 minutes; only extend after 3 calm sessions at the current length Never extend after a session with whining, pacing, drooling or barking — repeat that length instead Troubleshooting checks Distress in the first 3 minutes every time? That's separation-related distress — stop full-day absences and get professional help Dog won't eat the departure chew? The absence is already too long or too sudden Barking starts only after 30 minutes? Add a mid-day break or dog walker Escaping the crate or injuring themselves? Stop crating immediately and use a safe room while you get help Want this tailored to your breed? Border Collie checklist pack Golden Retriever checklist pack German Sheph

erd checklist pack Labrador Retriever checklist pack Other checklists Potty training Leash training Barking Recall Chewing Based on the work of Dr. Brian Hare & Vanessa Woods Every Dognition guide, assessment, and blog post is grounded in the research and methodologies of Dr. Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods at the Duke Canine Cognition Center. Their work established that "smart" isn't one number — dogs think across five distinct cognitive dimensions, and the best training matches the method to the mind. Book · 2013 The Genius of Dogs How dogs are smarter than you think — the founding text on canine cognitive science. Read more Book · 2024 Puppy Kindergarten The Duke Puppy Kindergarten study — how the first 16 weeks shape a dog for life (as covered by The New York Times). Read the NYT feature