Leaving a dog home alone for prolonged periods is, of course, not good. However, with that being said, most pets can handle being alone for some time without issue.
However, many dogs cannot handle being alone, like new dogs and puppies.
Separation anxiety can occur when you go out and leave your dog behind. Your dog becomes anxious and fearful, most likely believing that you’re not going to return.
For this reason, you might consider getting a pet camera that allows you to keep an eye on your dog to make sure they’re OK.
In addition, a good pet camera will have two-way audio so you can talk to your dog so it can hear your voice.
Most people assume that this is beneficial for dogs with separation anxiety. However, can pet cameras help with separation anxiety?
Do Pet Cameras Help with Separation Anxiety?
When people ask if pet cameras help with separation anxiety, they’re usually referring to their pet. However, many people don’t consider the human aspect, so we want to look at both.
For Dogs
A pet camera may or may not help with separation anxiety as far as your dog is concerned; it really depends on the dog itself. Honestly, there’s is no right or wrong answer.
On the one hand, being able to talk to your dog might calm them down. But, on the other hand, if they can hear your voice, it might provide enough relief from separation anxiety until you get home. Furthermore, some pet cameras also feature food dispensers to help calm your pet.
Whether or not hearing your voice is beneficial for your dog is highly questionable. For example, a dog could start looking for their owner after hearing their voice, making separation anxiety worse.
On the other hand, if your dog can’t find you, they might get even more anxious. As we said, this is kind of a trial-and-error situation. You won’t know which of these scenarios will occur until it happens.
For People
It might sound funny, but owners may suffer separation anxiety when they have to leave their pets alone all day. Some people may also have pets that are ill or have some kind of condition that requires monitoring.
In this way, a pet camera can help relieve your own separation anxiety. It can give you peace of mind and let you know your pet is alright.
How to Help a Dog with Separation Anxiety
So, a pet camera may or may not help with separation anxiety. However, as far as dogs are concerned, you can do other things to help relieve this separation anxiety.
1. Separation Anxiety Training
Perhaps the best thing you can do is provide separation anxiety training for your pet. This is a lengthy and challenging process, but it is the best way to deal with this.
We recommend looking into separation anxiety training, which involves leaving for only a few minutes and then gradually leaving for more extended periods until the separation anxiety is gone. Of course, there is more to it than that, but these are the basics.
2. Creating a Safe Space
Something that often helps relieve separation anxiety in pets is a safe space. This is where crate training can come in handy. A crate isn’t a punishment but rather a safe space for your pet. It’s a place where they can feel safe and at home.
Animals such as dogs often feel at home when they have a small and enclosed space to be inside of. This is why they like their dog houses so much.
3. Have Plenty of Toys and Activities
Boredom can be a factor. Therefore, an excellent way to help relieve separation anxiety is to make sure your pet keeps busy. You should leave them with toys and activities to keep them occupied, such as puzzle toys where they are challenged.
These puzzle toys can keep your pet busy for hours. Something that might also help is leaving your dog a blanket with your smell on it. This will remind your dog of you and can provide some comfort.
4. Radios and TVs Might Help
Although it’s not a proven fact, some people note that their pets seem to feel more comfortable when they can hear the radio or TV in the background.
Conclusion
There are various things you can do to combat separation anxiety in pets. However, pet cameras may help, or they might not. As mentioned before, whether or not a pet camera will help with separation anxiety will depend on the specific pet itself.