Dogs are social animals, and they love to spend time with their favorite humans. Between jobs and other requirements, we need to spend time outside the home, which often means leaving our pups alone for some time throughout the day. This can sometimes result in our dogs feeling lonely. Here are a few signs your dog is lonely and that you might not be spending enough time with them:

1. They Start Exhibiting Destructive Behavior

Destructive behavior is a common sign that something is wrong and your dog is trying to tell you. Destructive behavior could manifest in things like:

• Chewing on furniture and other items
• Digging in the house or the yard
• Eating non-food items (Pica)
• Stealing things
• Destroying household items
• Getting into the trash and leaving it all over the house
• Excessively chasing their tails
• Sudden snapping or aggression
• Excessive scratching or licking
• Agitated pacing
• Other behavioral issues

If your dog has always exhibited destructive behavior, it is often a sign of poor or inconsistent training, not setting boundaries, existing separation anxiety, not enough exercise, not enough mental stimulation, or learned behaviors that have never been corrected.

If your dog is normally well-behaved and suddenly starts exhibiting destructive behavior, this could be a sign that they are lonely and you are not giving them enough attention. This could also be a sign that your dog is bored, not getting enough exercise, or is starting to develop separation anxiety from being alone too much.

If these are new behaviors, the situation can usually be helped by spending more time with your dog, ensuring they get plenty of exercise, re-establishing good daily routines for your dog if they recently changed, and giving them toys or puzzles to keep them mentally stimulated while you are gone.

2. Your Dog is Barking or Howling Excessively

Another one of the signs your dog is lonely can be if they are barking or howling excessively. Some dogs are more prone to barking and alert barking than others. If you’re still working on socialization and training, your dog may bark to alert you of more than is necessary. It’s also possible to unintentionally train your dog into barking more by rewarding the behavior.

If barking or howling a lot is not what your dog normally does and is a change from their regular behavior, take some time to figure out what they’re trying to tell you. It could be that there is a mischievous squirrel taunting them outside the window, but you don’t want to dismiss or write off the behavior without checking to see if something else is going on.

Excessive barking or howling could be because they are lonely and need more quality bonding time with you. They could also be indicating that they need to go out to go potty, are bored, need more exercise, or, in some cases, that they are in pain.

3. They Have Become Super Clingy

Some dogs are super affectionate and practically clingy velcro dogs who need to be near you as much as possible. Other dogs are more independent and are happy to be near you, but don’t necessarily always need to be right there.

If your dog is not usually super clingy and they start to act like a velcro dog, it’s likely a sign that your dog is lonely. Make time for some more dedicated quality time with them to play or cuddle. If loneliness is the cause, spending more time with your dog should bring their behavior back to what is normal for them.

If not, there may be something else going on. Check over your dog to make sure they are feeling well and look for any other signs or symptoms that could explain their behavior. Some dogs get clingier and more affectionate as they strengthen bonds with their favorite humans and as they age. Although it could be that your dog’s behavior is naturally evolving, you want to make sure that is the case so you are not missing early or subtle signs that something is wrong.

4. Your Dog is Overly Excited When You Come Home

It’s normal for your dog to be excited to see you when you come home. However, if it’s excessive and so over-the-top compared to the normal excitement, it can be a sign that your dog is lonely and that you need to spend more time with them.

Overexcited behavior can look like excessive jumping, whining, or zoomies beyond what is normal for your dog. If you’ve been away for a trip and they have been at a dog boarding facility or have had a pet sitter, some extra excitement would be expected. But, if it’s just another day of you coming home as normal, then there may be some other things going on.

Redirecting the excited behavior to channel it and giving them some more playtime and exercise are ways to help calm a hyper dog. If the overexcitement continues and you see other symptoms or behavioral changes in your dog, it’s a good idea to visit the vet to rule out any underlying or developing medical issues.

5. You Start Finding Accidents Inside the House

If you are still working on house training your puppy and they are still learning, finding accidents inside the house is normal. However, if your dog has been housebroken and is starting to have accidents inside the house, it could be a sign that they are lonely and you are not spending enough time with them or taking them outside enough.

Potty training regression in dogs, or accidents inside the house from a dog who is housetrained, is a common sign of stress. It’s also a common sign of a potential medical issue, so you want to make sure you take your dog to the vet to make sure nothing is going on. If it’s not due to a medical issue, it’s likely that your dog needs to go out more and that you need to spend more time with them.

This could also be a sign that your dog is starting to develop separation anxiety, so you may need to do some work to help establish routines and make them feel more comfortable with you leaving them alone for short periods of time. Another important thing to consider is the age of your dog. Puppies who are learning and dogs that have entered their senior years are less able to “hold it” and need to go out more often to go to the bathroom.

6. Your Dog Exhibits a Reduced Energy Level and/or Appetite

Reduced appetite and/or lethargy in dogs can be signs that something is wrong. Dogs may start withdrawing, seeming depressed, and not showing interest in toys, walks, or activities they normally would have been excited about.

Dogs may also start sleeping too much or falling asleep in places or positions that they normally wouldn’t. Your dog may have an “off” day every now and then, where they don’t feel like eating or playing much. But, if it happens multiple days in a row or starts becoming a trend, it’s time to look into what’s going on.

Make Sure It’s Not Due to Illness

Less energy and less desire to eat can be common signs of an underlying medical issue, so you definitely want to visit your vet to make sure everything is okay. If your dog won’t eat much, continues to have reduced energy, and it’s not due to a medical issue, then it’s likely a sign of stress or loneliness. It could mean you’re not spending enough time with your pup. If that’s the case, then make sure you make an effort to increase the quality time you’re spending with your dog.

Consider Getting Another Dog or Setting Up Puppy Play Dates

Getting a second dog, as long as it makes sense for your lifestyle, finances, and family, can sometimes help your dog feel less lonely while you are away at work or focused on other things. This can be especially true if your dog is used to having other people and animals around.

If a second dog doesn’t make sense, just making some extra time for your dog or making better use of the time you have with your dog can often help them feel less lonely. You can also try out a doggy daycare or set up playdates with other dogs to spend time with your dog and also give them the benefits of dog friendships.

Pay Attention to What Your Dog is Telling You

Because a lot of these signs your dog is lonely also overlap with medical issues, it’s important to make an appointment with your vet to ensure your dog has a clean bill of health while also making an effort to spend more time with them.

This allows you to catch any potential medical problems early and get your dog the treatment they need. Plus, if nothing is going on medically, spending more time with them strengthens the bond with your dog and makes them feel better.