How do I know if my dog is ready for longer alone time?

A calm greeting rather than frantic relief, no new chew marks or accidents, a chew toy that shows the dog engaged with it rather than ignored it, and a relaxed body posture on camera during the middle of the absence all suggest the current level is comfortable enough to extend.

Panting, pacing, or vocalizing for the majority of an absence, damage concentrated around doors or windows, or a dog that seems unusually subdued or overly excited on your return all point toward staying at the current duration longer rather than adding more time yet.

Extend by a modest amount, such as 30 minutes to an hour, rather than doubling the time outright, and treat the new length as a trial to be repeated at least twice before deciding it is genuinely comfortable for the dog.

Extending too quickly based on a single good session is one of the most common reasons progress stalls, since a dog that appeared ready may simply have had an easier day rather than genuinely mastered the previous length. Repeating a duration a couple of extra times, even when it feels unnecessary, tends to produce a much more stable foundation than rushing ahead and having to backtrack later after a difficult session. Treating each new duration as genuinely tested only once it has gone smoothly across at least two separate days, not just two sessions on the same afternoon, gives a more reliable picture of true readiness.