Separation Anxiety and Pet Minding: Preparing an Anxious Dog for Their First Stay

Some dogs settle into a minder’s home within hours. Others find the change genuinely distressing. If your dog shows signs of separation anxiety at home, a little extra preparation makes a real difference to how their first stay goes.

Recognise the signs before you book

Pacing, excessive drooling, destructive behaviour, howling, or toileting indoors when left alone are common anxiety signals. If these sound familiar, it’s worth planning the stay differently rather than assuming your dog will simply adjust on arrival.

Start with short separations at home

In the weeks before a stay, practise leaving your dog alone for gradually longer periods — ten minutes, then thirty, then a few hours — so the length of a minder’s stay isn’t the first time they’ve coped without you at all.

Choose a minder experienced with anxious dogs

Not every minder’s home suits every dog. A quieter household, fewer other animals, and a minder who’s comfortable following a structured settling-in routine can make a meaningful difference for a dog that struggles with change.

Do more than one meet and greet

A single short visit rarely builds enough familiarity for an anxious dog. Multiple shorter visits — including, ideally, a short supervised stay without you in the room — help your dog associate the new environment with calm, not just novelty.

Bring scent, not just belongings

An unwashed t-shirt or blanket that smells like home is one of the simplest, most effective anxiety tools available. Familiar scent is often more calming for dogs than a new toy or treat.

Avoid a long, emotional goodbye

As hard as it is, a calm, low-key departure helps more than a lingering one. Dogs read emotional cues closely, and a tense goodbye can heighten anxiety rather than reassure them.

Ask for regular updates, but not obsessively

A quick photo or message from your minder partway through the stay can ease your mind — but constant check-ins can also unintentionally signal to your minder that something’s wrong. Agree on a simple update schedule before you leave.

With the right preparation, even a dog with genuine separation anxiety can have a settled, safe stay — it just takes a bit more groundwork than a confident, easy-going dog needs.