Do you ever wonder what your dog does alone while we’re out? Dogs are curious creatures, and their day can be a whirlwind of activities (and mischief!) or hours of snoozing. Here are the various things your dog might be doing when you leave the house.
1. The Excited Welcome Home Committee
As soon as you leave, your dog might sit by the window or gate, waiting for your return. The moment they hear your car, it’s most likely a full-on tail-wagging, barking celebration! This reaction shows just how much they love your company and how happy they are that you’re home.
2. A Nap is Always on the Agenda
After the excitement of your departure, many dogs settle in for a good snooze. Dogs spend a significant part of their day sleeping—up to 18 hours! So, it’s not surprising that they curl up and dream, whether it’s on their favourite bed or in a nice sunny patch.

3. Exploration and Adventure
Some dogs take the opportunity to explore their surroundings. They investigate every nook and cranny of the house or yard, sniffing around for interesting scents. Some might even try to sneak into areas where they aren’t usually allowed!
4. The Great Chew-a-thon
If your dog is a chewer, you could come home to find their favourite toys—or perhaps something of yours —chewed up. Dogs often resort to chewing as a way to relieve boredom or anxiety. If your dog is a chewer it’s a good idea to provide plenty of durable toys to keep their teeth busy!
5. Window Watching is What Many Dogs Do Alone
Many dogs take up the role of “guard” while you’re out, keeping an eye on the world through the window or fence. They might bark at passing cars, people, or other animals, giving them a chance to feel like they’re doing their bit to guard your home for you.

6. Unplanned Shenanigans
Some dogs just can’t resist a little mischief. What some dogs do alone ranges from digging through the trash to moving their favourite blanket to an unconventional spot. Dogs are naturally curious and sometimes can’t help getting up to mischief when left alone. Setting up a camera can help you catch these funny (or not so funny) moments!
7. Training Time
If you’ve left them with puzzle toys or training tasks, they might spend some time engaged in these activities. Some dogs thrive on mental stimulation and will work hard to figure out how to get their treats, making the time pass more quickly.
Conclusion On What Dogs Do Alone
While we can never truly know what goes on in our dog’s mind when we’re away, it’s clear they lead lives full of emotion and activity. Whether they’re snoozing, exploring, or getting into mischief, our dogs find ways to fill in their time until we return. So, the next time you leave home, remember that your furry friend is possibly having a mini-adventure of their own—waiting patiently for the moment they can greet you with all the love in their hearts.
Need your dog minded when you go away?
We have many carefully-screened, fully supported dog minders on board. They all mind dogs for the love of the dogs. To save you lots of time and stress of finding the perfect dog minder we do the matching for you. Click here to see more information.
Images by
Alana Jordan from Pixabay, Radovan Zierik from Pixabay, Amit Karkare from Pixabay
Scroll down to subscribe to our emails with interesting information about dogs. (Don’t worry, we promise not to flood your Inbox with too many emails.)