I Feel Guilty My Dog Is Bored

I Feel Guilty My Dog Is Bored

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Dogs often become bored in the absence of their beloved owner. This boredom might potentially lead them towards anxiety and stress. In such cases, owners might feel guilty their dog is bored. In that case, the owners find themselves stressing out and regretting why they didn’t spend extra time with their furry companion. Owners get exhausted from digging out ways to eradicate their dog’s boredom by spending extra hours with him, either by playing or training. However, staying near them isn’t the best way to eradicate their anxiety. There are many other ways through which your dog won’t feel bored in your absence, and thus, you also won’t feel guilty anymore.

How to Determine If My Furry Kid Is Bored?

There are some usual symptoms in dogs usually observed which represent anxiety or boredom in dogs. These unusual behaviors in your dog clearly state that he is either bored or suffers from anxiety. Here are a few such indications:

  • The habit of running away
  • Pacing
  • Trying to escape or run
  • Chewing and biting up everything
  • Increased excitement
  • Barking loudly and steadily
  • Scratching the walls and the furniture
  • Destroying the soft toys
  • Increased licking
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Attempt of digging

What Happens If My Dog Is Bored?

Excessive boredom in your dog might make him anxious, aggressive and tense. Thus he will typically start barking, digging and acting hostile. In easier words, if your dog remains bored for the lion’s share of time, he will sort out his way of recreating. For example, chewing and licking everything or destroying your newly bought carpet by chewing might be his type of recreation. They might also find their personal fun chewing up your shoes, pillows and stuffed toys. That’s why; professionals suggest keeping your dog confined in any specific place so that he doesn’t get an extra place to roam around. Again, you can keep him in a crate or a playpen in your absence.

Confining your four-legged companion in his crate meanwhile you are out for work might keep him restricted. But this confinement in the crate might instead increase his anxiety and stress. That’s why; keeping your dog in the crate for extended hours isn’t recommended. Instead, you can keep him in a playpen with lots of indestructible toys, treats and chews. Long-lasting chews will keep him busy and, at the same time, will eradicate his boredom.

What Are The Utmost Solutions When My Furry Buddy Is Bored?

Playing with your dog might help him eradicate boredom, for instance. But that’s, of course, not the utmost solution. You must train your dog first, so he doesn’t get bored in your absence. And thus, there will be no more reasons for your guilt because your dog is bored. If you are at home, you can simply apply some tricks to overcome this boredom condition:

  • Playing mind-engaging games with your canine so that he becomes mentally relieved and jolly.
  • You can play some types of interactive games in which your dog remains actively participating.
  • You can go on a jolly and relieving long walk with your pup. Maybe you can take him to a different route for extra fun. Introduction to a new waking place will make him excited and happy.
  • You can give him extra playing time or take him to a swimming schedule. However, the main objective is to tire him so that he doesn’t have any energy left to bore or get anxious. If he is too tired, he prefers sleeping instead of destroying anything.
  • Or you can simply give him training so that he can enjoy himself even in your absence.

How Can I Prevent Feeling the Guilt For My Dog?

As a sincere dog owner, you feel guilty about yourself because of observing your dog getting anxious and bored. As pet parents, seeing your dog bored or sad is unexpected. In such cases, owners feel guilty because of considering themselves unable to help with their dog’s distress. The best way to solve this problem is to give your dog the necessary training so that he doesn’t get bored and you no longer feel guilty for your dog. Some ways to help you feel less guilty might include the followings:

  • You can keep your dog enclosed in a playpen where he can freely move and walk around.
  • You can leave your dog with indestructible toys when you are not at home. He will remain busy with the indestructible toy and will not suffer from separation anxiety.
  • Or you can give him heavy exercise so that he becomes tired and keeps on sleeping the entire time you are not at home.
  • You can keep some long-lasting chews inside his playpen before you leave. In this way, he will remain busy chewing them and will cause no trouble to you.
  • Finally, you can also stay connected with your dog through various devices, like a Dog camera with voice exchangeability, a treat dispenser and more. If your dog can communicate with you, he won’t suffer from separation anxiety, and thus he won’t be bored.
My Dog Seems To Be Bored, But He Won't Prefers Playing With Toys.

Maybe your dog is bored after playing with toys from his childhood. It’s common for humans to become bored with the same toy. It may be likely that he wants new toys to play with. Indeed, a new and interesting toy will make him happy. Another reason behind this problem might be his toy is broken or damaged somehow. In such cases, he requires an indestructible toy. He also needs some chewable toys.

Moreover, you can also get your dog engaged in an interactive game, or you can take the help of interactive games. These games and toys help him to relieve mental stress. Last but not least, your dog might refuse to play with toys because he is hungry. Whatever it is, your main objective is to cheer up your dog so that he doesn’t get bored or stressed out.

How to Avoid the Dog Getting Bored?

The best way to prevent your dog from getting bored is to give him proper training first. The perfect kind of training can make your dog well-prepared for every moment. In this way, he will always remain engaged in some type of work and will not bother or disturb you by getting anxious or bored. Again, you can tire him up before leaving him isolated at home. If done so, your dog will prefer sleeping over getting bored. Or you can simply leave your dog inside a playpen with lots of chews and toys.

Wrapping It Up

In most cases, Owners are found to feel guilty when their dog is bored. Well, that, of course, should not be the cause of your stress. Boredom and separation anxiety are common in dogs. But, multifarious other strategies are there to resolve them. For example, getting an anxiety vest might help your dog relieve stress in your absence. However, many other ticks and tricks mentioned above remove this boredom in dogs.