Chitra Walmsley
Aug 26, 2024
2 - 3 Minutes
Back to School = Fido Left at Home Alone
It’s been a whole 10 weeks or more with the household feeling alive and full of activity which all dogs love and fall into a different routine with maybe a few walks each day plus playtime in the garden with the nice summer weather, some hiking maybe, a summer holiday even with their human family. Fun, fun, fun and lots of company. But what happens when life goes back to normal. The children are back in school or off to college and parents back to work full time means Fido is left for chunks of the day on his own again.
Any change in the routine of your dog can be stressful for them so the key is to get them prepared for the change that is about to happen and not just let it happen. Set them up to succeed.
You can do this by getting them prepared for their new routine before it is going to happen. Think about how the structure of your day will have to change to get the kids up for school, get them breakfasted and out the door and then factor in that someone takes the dog out for at least a 30-minute walk before everyone is gone. This will ensure that your dog has been exercised and will therefore be able to rest and relax better when everyone leaves. For breakfast time think about putting Fido’s meal in a puzzle toy or a few puzzle toys if they are a large breed so that they have had physical and mental activities before being left on their own for the day.
The Aluckmao interactive dog puzzle
Creating a safe zone is something that works for some dogs. This can be in form of a crate or by simply sectioning off part of a room using baby gates where a bowl of water can be left and a few toys for them to play with.
To break up the monotony of the day have a dog walker come in to exercise your dog either in the backyard for 20 minutes or they take Fido for a walk. Or, consider doggie daycare a few times a week where your dog will have fun interacting and socializing with other dogs.
When they are left alone, instead of the house being in total silence, go onto YouTube and search for “music for dogs” and have that playing in the background so that they don’t feel completely on their own.
When everyone starts to trickle back home, remember to set aside time to spend with your dog, a walk around your neighborhood or the park, do some training with them, play a game of fetch or tug. Do something to engage with them as they have waited for you all day and have missed their human family.
Dogs thrive on consistency and routine. If they understand what the makeup of their day is going to look like, what is going to happen and when, it cuts out a lot of stress from their day.
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