Dog behaviour after you return: what is normal

In a Swedish study published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science in 2011, 12 pet dogs with no separation problems were filmed at home when their owners left for 30 minutes, 2 hours and 4 hours. While the owners were out, the dogs behaved much the same whatever the length of the absence. The difference came at the door: after 2 and 4 hours the dogs greeted their owners more intensely, wagged their tails more and made more contact than after 30 minutes, and showed more lip licking and body shaking, which the authors read as signs of arousal. Heart rates tended to be higher in the first minutes after the 2-hour absence.

Nobody has measured greetings after a week away, but the direction is clear enough: the longer the absence, the bigger the welcome. A dog jumping, whining and spinning in circles at the door is usually excited, not distressed. Greet calmly, let the first rush pass, and then give your dog your full attention.

A veterinary college in Texas says pets often need a short readjustment period after boarding: they may seek extra attention, sleep more or take about a day to settle back in, and this is normal. A study of 29 dogs measured at home and then in a boarding kennel found the dogs more aroused and generally more active in the kennel, with big differences between individual dogs, so a dog may simply be catching up on rest.

The same advice is clear about the line: persistent or severe signs such as vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing or lethargy are not part of settling in and need a vet. A dog that stayed in its own home with a sitter usually has less to recover from, because its routine, bed and surroundings did not change.

Upset stomachs are common in dogs generally. A 2025 study of UK veterinary records estimated that about 1 in 12 dogs is diagnosed with acute diarrhoea each year, and most cases needed only one visit. After a trip, the stress of a new place, a change of food or treats, or eating something unusual can all play a part; mild loose stools are among the stress signs a Texas veterinary college lists for the first days of boarding.

PDSA explains that a sudden switch of food can upset the gut before it has time to adjust, so send your dog's own food with it, or leave enough for the sitter, and go straight back to it at home. Home care is reasonable only if there is no blood or mucus and your dog is otherwise bright and behaving normally. Call your vet without delay if diarrhoea lasts more than a few days, contains blood, comes with vomiting or lethargy, or your dog is very young or very old.

If your dog mixed with other dogs, yes. PDSA explains that kennel cough spreads by direct contact between dogs, through the air and on surfaces such as shared bowls and leads. Symptoms usually take 3 to 14 days to develop after contact and last 1 to 3 weeks, and most dogs have a hacking cough but otherwise stay fairly well. Puppies, older dogs and dogs with other illness can be more unwell, with a poor appetite, low energy or fever.

Call your vet for advice if you think your dog has kennel cough. Keep your dog away from other dogs and public spaces while it coughs: PDSA says dogs can stay infectious for two to three weeks after the cough stops, which matters in a housing society where dogs meet in the lift and the garden.

Some dogs become clingier after a trip and start to panic when you go out. The RSPCA lists anxiety before you leave and over-excitement when you return among the common signs of separation-related behaviour, along with barking, howling, chewing at doors and toileting indoors. ASPCA names a change in schedule as one of the triggers.

If the clinginess is still there after a week, or your dog is distressed when left, rebuild time alone in very small steps with a chew or food puzzle as you leave, keep goodbyes and hellos calm, and avoid leaving your dog alone beyond what it can cope with. If it does not improve, see your vet, who can rule out illness and refer you to a qualified behaviourist. The separation anxiety guide covers this in detail.

A Petym sitter follows your dog's plan as you write it, logs feeding, walks and medicines as they happen, and sends a daily photo update, so you come home knowing how each day went. If anything changes, you will have the sitter's notes to share with your vet. After the booking, you can review the stay.