What to do when you come home

Coming home is part of every session, and it’s worth doing on purpose. A calm return helps your dog learn that you coming and going is ordinary.

Keep hellos low-key

It’s tempting to make a fuss after a good session. Try not to. A big, excited greeting makes your arrival a huge event, and the contrast makes your absence feel bigger too.

• Walk in calmly.
• Give your dog a moment to settle before you greet them.
• Say hello quietly, then carry on with something ordinary.

This isn’t about being cold. It’s about keeping the whole thing boring.

Go back in calmly when the timer ends

If you’re watching on camera and your dog is calm when the time is up, come back in the same quiet way. If your dog starts to struggle before the time is up, it’s fine to come back early. Note how long they managed, and use that to set a shorter next session.

If you find a mess

A chewed cushion or an accident is frustrating. Clean it up without comment while your dog is somewhere else. Scolding can’t teach anything about something that happened earlier. It only makes your return less predictable. The ASPCA is clear that these behaviors come from distress, not spite.

Instead, use it as information. Something in that absence went past your dog’s limit. Was it longer than their current target? Did a cue set it off? See graduated departures for how to adjust.

Log it

After each session, write down what you saw: calm, mild signs or stressed, and roughly when any signs started. Over a few weeks, those notes show progress you might not feel day to day.