How does my dog know Im leaving? Here’s the Answer

Does Your Dog Need You to Say Goodbye to Him?

Research on dogs suffering from separation anxiety has indicated that dogs know well in advance when their owners are going to leave.

You may not realize that you are projecting your pending departure as you prepare to leave—well before you say “goodbye.” Most people will put their shoes on, grab their jackets, pick up a bag or purse and keys, and head towards the front door.

Some owners may put out special dog toys or treats for their dog right before they leave. These are all signals that tell your dog that you are going to leave.

Other pet parents will go through elaborate displays of affection such as hugging their dogs and/or kissing them and telling them they love them and will be back.

Every dog’s reaction to their owner’s departure will vary according to their personality. It is not unusual to hear dogs vocalize after their owners leave. Some may whine, bark or howl briefly as the owners leave and, within a few minutes, settle down.

These dogs are exhibiting contact-calling behavior, which is a series of vocalizations some social species will use to try to contact other members of the group that may have wandered off beyond the immediate area. Dogs will typically demonstrate this behavior with barking or howling; it’s like they are saying, “Hello, are you there?”

Some dogs may even scratch at the door or run to the window to watch their owners leave.

The majority of dogs appear to tolerate their owners’ absence with minimal drama. However, 14-29 percent of the dog population may suffer from owner-separation-related distress.

For a dog with separation anxiety, making the departure and return greeting routine very exciting and dramatic may enhance the dog’s anxiety when they are all alone.

I know when you’re going out of town.

If you’re anything like me, you hate leaving your dog for a vacation or even one night at a friend’s house, but trust me, your dog hates it too. They dread your departure so much that they’ve learned the signs of when you’re about to go – such as pulling out your suitcase. Dogs will associate this action with the next action they know, which is usually you leaving them for an extended period of time (they learn very well through association). This is why you’ll see your dog’s behaviour change when you’re packing up, as they slink into the corner in a mild depression, getting ready for your imminent departure. Dont want to leave your dog at home? Dogtipper.com offers tons of great content on doggie travel tips to help you prepare! If you ARE bringing your dog with you, be sure to prepare for unexpected messy adventures along the way without your regular groomer available to clean them up. Grab a Dog Belly Cover and Dog Leggings to keep them clean and fresh longer so theyre looking their best on your travels!

Otherwise, give them lots of love and tell them you’ll be home soon (they can understand what you’re saying, I swear…keep reading for proof).

So What Does The Research Say?

How does my dog know Im leaving?

Dogs can’t just tell us if they know how long we’ve been gone, so researchers have to run experiments to see if dogs can really tell time.

There are surprisingly few actual studies of whether dogs can differentiate between lengths of time, but one experiment in 2011 conducted by Swedish researchers placed hidden cameras that recorded how dogs reacted when their humans were away for a half hour, two hours, and four hours.

The experiment showed that dogs reacted more enthusiastically when their humans left them two hours versus a half hour, which suggests that dogs can, indeed, tell the difference between these times.

However, dogs did not react differently when their humans were gone for two hours versus four hours. So is there a limit to how long dogs can tell time?

This is a question for further research.

Right now, it seems that there aren’t many scientific measurements of whether dogs can tell the difference between us being gone for, say, a day versus a week or a month versus a year.

All we can conclusively say from the studies we have is that dogs can tell the difference between some lengths of time.

But we may be able to use our own experiences as dog parents, as well as the experiences of others, to form some guesses that we can test in the future with new science and research.

14 Signs Your Dog Doesn’t Love You (Even if You Think They Do)

It’s hard not to break down in tears when you watch a video of a dog reuniting with their beloved human after going without seeing them for months, or even years, on end. Maybe you’ve watched some videos of soldiers returning home to pups who greet them with emotional breakdowns after finally reuniting.

The videos would suggest that dogs miss their humans more intensely with time. But can dogs really tell time the way humans do? Do they have emotional responses based on how much time has passed?

We know the difference between an hour, day, week, month, year, and so on because of the way we experience, record, and remember time. But are dogs capable of telling time the same way?

If you worry that your dog might feel bored or lonely during the day, you can pick up a pet camera that lets you talk to your pooch and even dispense treats or play games when you’re not home!

As to whether your dog can tell how long you’ve been away, here’s what you should know.