For two weeks, your dog has had company through breakfast, lunch and the afternoon. On Monday, the house will be empty again. You remember that they managed the old schedule, but that does not tell you how they feel about this sudden change. Treat the return as a refresher, not a test.

PDSA advises easing dogs back into their normal routine after holidays with short periods alone and gradual increases. Dogs Trust describes practising time apart at home before leaving the house. The aim is for the dog to settle while you are gone, not merely to stop making noise.

Begin before the first workday

A few days ahead, bring back familiar meal, walk, toilet and rest times where practical. If you have shifted everything later during the holiday, change it in manageable steps. Set up the place where the dog will stay during your work hours with water, a comfortable bed and a safe temperature. Check for chew hazards. Give them a toilet trip and an appropriate chance to move and sniff before you practise an absence.

Start with a short separation while you are home. Step into another room, return calmly, and note whether the dog remained relaxed. Later, take a brief trip outside that you can end early. If you can use a camera or recording, check what happens after the door closes. Some dogs begin barking or pacing only when the house is quiet, while others settle after a moment. Increase duration only when the dog is comfortable with the previous version.

An enrichment toy or safe chew can make a familiar place pleasant, but use only something the dog can handle safely without supervision. Food can also mask a problem for a few minutes: what happens after the toy is finished matters. A dog who ignores a normally loved food toy when you leave may be too worried for that step.

Plan for the day you cannot shorten

If Monday's absence will be longer than your dog can handle, arrange a trusted person, sitter or dog care plan. Do not rely on a weekend of practice to transform distress into an eight-hour absence. PDSA says dogs should not routinely be left alone for more than four hours, and individual needs vary. A puppy, older dog or dog with a health problem may need much more frequent attention and toilet access.

If the dog has a history of separation distress, prepare earlier and ask your vet for advice. The return-to-work plan may need professional support rather than a quick schedule reset. You can also change some workday logistics if possible, such as a midday visit, while gradually rebuilding the dog's comfort.

What if the house is a mess when you return?

Do not punish accidents or chewed objects. They tell you the setup or the duration may not have worked. Check for injury and remove hazards. A camera can help distinguish boredom, a toileting need and sustained distress, do not claim a diagnosis from a chewed shoe alone. If your dog is vocalizing continuously, pacing, drooling, trying to escape or injuring themselves, shorten absences and seek veterinary and qualified behavior support.

A sudden change in behavior can also reflect illness or pain. If the dog has new accidents, appetite changes or other symptoms, ask the vet to check before assuming every problem is separation-related.

Common mistakes

The biggest is making the first full workday the first rehearsal. Another is increasing from five comfortable minutes to an hour because the dog was quiet once. Quietness is not always relaxation, look at the whole body and what they do after you leave. Don't make departure a long emotional ritual, but don't demand a dog tolerate a schedule they are not ready for either.

Today, practise one absence short enough that you can return before worry builds. Watch what your dog actually does. That observation gives you a more reliable plan for Monday than memory of how they behaved before the holiday. For a longer plan around comfortable absences, see the home-alone training guide, return before your dog is distressed as you rebuild the routine

Sources: PDSA, "Home alone - preventing separation anxiety": https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/home-alone-preventing-separation-anxiety . Dogs Trust, "Helping your dog get used to spending time alone": https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/training/home/time-alone.