With vaccination numbers rising and social distancing restrictions loosening, many people are finally heading back to the office after a year of remote work. Others are going to be spending more time away from home visiting friends, dining out, attending children’s activities, and more.
Your time away from home is going to be a shock to your dog. Whether you are one of the record millions of families who brought home a new dog during the pandemic or your long time family pet has gotten used to spending everyday with you, some training before you head back to work will help decrease your pup’s separation anxiety and give you less reason to worry while you are away.
Like most behaviors, you can train your dog to be comfortable while you are gone. It will take a few weeks and some effort on your part. This process is best when you and your dog can gradually work your way up to 8 hours of alone time rather than subjecting your dog to hours of being alone without any preparation. This can cause unnecessary stress for your dog.
Gradually working your way up requires beginning early. On average, dogs can take about 4 weeks to adjust to this new routine, so you will want to begin as soon as possible and follow these steps to make the transition:
It is not unusual for people to experience some worry over leaving their dogs home alone as well. Make sure you are still taking time in the mornings or evenings to spend quality time with your dog with a walk, play session, or few minutes of training so you can keep your bond strong.
You should also look for any signs of extreme anxiety in your dog as you go through this training process and return to work. Peeing in the house, destruction, pacing, or continuous barking are signs that you might be moving too quickly and you need to spend a bit more time making the adjustment before you go back to work.
If you're in the Lake Mary area and would like to learn more about our dog walking, pet sitting, and other valuable local services that can help your dog adjust back to life with you away, fill out our online form today or give us a call at 407-489-9418.