How to Prevent Boredom in Dogs Home Alone
I used to dread leaving my dog home alone. Every time I came back, I’d find chewed-up shoes, shredded pillows, or hear from the neighbors about barking while I was gone. It wasn’t that my dog was “bad” — she was bored. Once I learned how to use mental stimulation to keep her entertained while I was out, everything changed — for both of us.
In this post, I’ll show you exactly how I prevent boredom when my dog is home alone — and how you can too. If you want the full brain training program that worked for us, here’s my personal link:
Brain Training for Dogs — Click here to check it out
Table of Contents
Why Dogs Get Bored When Alone
Dogs are smart. They need things to do — and when we leave them alone without enough mental stimulation, they’ll often find their own “entertainment”:
- Barking or whining
- Chewing on furniture or shoes
- Digging or scratching
- Pacing or stress behaviors
The good news is — once you meet your dog’s mental needs, most of these problems disappear.
My Top Tips to Prevent Boredom at Home
1. Use Puzzle Toys and Feeders
I feed my dog through puzzle feeders instead of bowls. It turns meals into a fun challenge and keeps her occupied for a while.
2. Set Up Scent Games Before Leaving
Before I head out, I hide treats around the apartment or use a snuffle mat. This taps into my dog’s natural instincts and keeps her busy.
3. Rotate Toys
I rotate a small selection of interactive toys each day. Changing things up keeps her interested, instead of bored with the same old toys.
4. Short Brain Games Before Leaving
I do a quick brain training session before going out. It helps burn mental energy and leaves her feeling satisfied and calm.
Here’s the exact program I follow for these games:
Brain Training for Dogs — Full Program Here
The Results
After adding these routines, my dog became:
- Calmer when left alone
- No more destructive chewing
- Less barking
- Happier and more relaxed
- Able to settle and nap instead of pacing
And best of all — I no longer feel guilty when I leave, because I know her mental needs are being met.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been struggling with boredom-related behaviors when your dog is home alone, adding mental stimulation is one of the easiest and most effective solutions.
For me, this was the program that worked:
Brain Training for Dogs — Click here to check it out
Trust me — your dog will be happier, calmer, and much easier to live with when you start adding brain games to their day!
Before I started adding mental stimulation to my dog’s day, I felt stuck. I couldn’t stay home 24/7 — but every time I left, I worried about coming home to another mess or complaints from the neighbors.
That’s when I realized that boredom is often the root cause of so many behavior problems. It wasn’t that my dog was trying to be bad — she just didn’t have anything productive to do while I was away.
What surprised me most was how quickly things changed once I started adding brain games and enrichment activities before leaving the house. In just a few weeks, the destructive behaviors stopped.
If you’re not sure how to structure your dog’s mental stimulation, this is the exact program that gave me the tools I needed:
Brain Training for Dogs — Full Program Here
Another thing I noticed is that mental fatigue lasts much longer than physical exhaustion. A tired mind leads to a calmer dog — one who is more likely to nap peacefully while you’re gone.
I also started seeing fewer signs of separation anxiety. My dog used to whine when I grabbed my keys — now she’s relaxed because she knows she’ll have interesting things to do while I’m out.
Even something as simple as scattering her kibble in a snuffle mat before leaving made a big difference. It gave her an outlet for her natural instincts and helped prevent boredom.
On days when I had more time, a short brain training session from the program helped her stay calm for hours after I left.
Another tip that worked for me? Leave on a positive note. Ending a game or puzzle right before heading out helps your dog associate alone time with good experiences.
If you have a high-energy dog or a breed known for being smart and curious, mental stimulation is even more important. These dogs NEED brain work — or they’ll find their own ways to stay busy (which usually isn’t what we want!).
I also found that rotating different enrichment activities kept things fresh. Some days we used scent games, other days puzzle toys or trick training — variety kept my dog engaged.
If you’re living in an apartment or can’t always get your dog out for long walks, this approach is even more valuable. Brain games give your dog what they need, no matter your living situation.
And the beauty of this method? It works for dogs of all ages — from puppies to seniors. My friend even used this program with her 12-year-old rescue and saw amazing results.
If you want to start seeing these same results, this is the best place to begin:
Brain Training for Dogs — Click here to check it out
Now when I leave the house, I feel good knowing my dog is happy, calm, and mentally satisfied — not bored or stressed.
I also noticed that once I added this kind of mental stimulation to my dog’s day, her overall behavior improved — even when I was home. She became more relaxed, less demanding, and more content to just hang out calmly.
If you’ve ever worried about your dog feeling lonely or anxious when you leave, trust me — this approach works. It made life so much easier for both of us. And this is the exact program that helped me put it all together:
Brain Training for Dogs — Full Program Here
Another great benefit? My dog now sees “alone time” as something positive — not something to dread. That shift made a huge difference in her overall well-being.
If you want to prevent boredom — and all the behavior problems that come with it — the key is giving your dog positive mental outlets they can enjoy when you’re not around.
This program taught me exactly how to do that — and I know it can help you too:
Brain Training for Dogs — Click here to check it out