A student emailed me recently saying that she and some colleagues were wondering how to help their dogs cope with home-alone time on holiday. Great question!

To avoid my answer being too long, I’m going to divide my answer into three parts:

• my first blog was about dogs with SA and can be accessed here,
• my second blog was about using the Promise wherever you are,
• and this third blog will be about dogs who don’t necessarily have SA at home, but may still struggle when suddenly in a new environment.

Dogs in foreign environments

It’s wonderful that more and more people are thinking about how to make things as easy as possible for their dogs when they go on holiday.

If your dog is fine alone at home, can they automatically stay alone on holiday? Well, it all depends on the individual dog. Feeling safe is very dependent on the environment and on an individual dog’s confidence, experience and skills. Some dogs will be able to generalise their skill of staying alone at home to another place, and some will struggle.

On arrival at your destination, I would support the dog in exploring the new space (just as I would do when moving house, by the way).

Before bringing my dog in, I always put objects they know in each room they’ll have access to: e.g. beds, blankets, familiar toys…. Dogs use objects to orientate and some like to regard a room first from the safety of their familiar bed or blanket before they get up and have a sniff around. Finding objects they know can be very reassuring for them, and you’ll see their pleasure in recognising things they know.

Keeping your routine and rituals as close to those you use at home minimises unpredictability for your dog. We all feel safer if we can be sure of the outcome of an event (in this case that the caregiver will reliably come back.)

Rituals are very helpful in making the dog feel that their routine is familiar and safe, so everything which can stay constant for the dog will no doubt be a help.

Don’t take anything for granted. Check carefully how your dog is doing via a camera. I read recently there are now hotels which have streaming camera services to watch your dog while you’re out! A positive sign of increasing awareness about dog’s needs in this context.

Keep the times short and easy the first few times. We can only build on successes.

Sometimes the best-laid plans will still not be enough, however much care we take. There will always be some dogs who can’t feel comfortable in a strange place at such short notice.

Every dog is different so, when making holiday plans, I would definitely think about having a plan B to suit my individual dog should they not cope well in another place.

Here are some questions to ask in advance:

1. What options are available to me if my dog doesn’t feel safe alone?
2. Can I pre-arrange to meet a recommended dog sitter?
3. Could I plan my holiday so I don’t have to leave my dog alone if I discover they can’t cope?
4. Are there dog-friendly restaurants (if my dog is able to cope with that scenario) where my dog will have plenty of space, peace and quiet, and also shade?
5. Or would it be wiser to choose a place where there are self-catering facilities so I don’t have to go out and eat all the time?

I am wishing you and your dog a great and relaxed vacation!