As offices start to re-open with different schedules it will be important to ease your dog into the new lifestyle. For pet owners that had their pets before the pandemic this may be a bit easier because your dog has experienced a set routine while you were working. For those that adopted a furry friend when they were working from home during the pandemic this can be more challenging – your pet has most likely enjoyed a lot of time with you at home.
So how do you ease your dog back into a more normal life where you are going back to the office? Here are a few suggestions.
Try to ease into your new schedule for the sake of your dog
Rather than going back to work full time every day of the week, if it is possible start by working a few days a week. That may mean leaving for a few hours at a time before you jump right back to a full-time work schedule. That will help your dog adjust to a new routine over time rather than experiencing it abruptly. Then you can increase the time you spend at the office over time making the transition much more seamless.
Have someone check in on your dog
If you need to move to a full time schedule at work right away, then definitely have someone check in on your dog each day. That could be a friendly neighbor that can take your dog out for a quick walk or consider having a dog walker come by to take your dog for a few minutes. There are dog walking services available for a range of locations – you can check out Rover as one example. Break up the day so your dog doesn’t go from having someone there all the time to no one being there for 8 to 10 hours a day.
Take your dog to daycare
Another option to consider is taking your dog to a daycare facility if you are not able to have someone check in on them on a regular basis. For dogs that enjoy such an environment, it will keep them mentally and physically engaged. They will have lots of dogs to meet and play with during the day. Your dog will also be supervised by someone at the daycare to make sure they are doing well. You can just pick-up your dog after a hard way at work and enjoy the luxury of having a very tired dog. You can find some choices near you at findoggydaycare.com or just by doing a quick Google search. Here are a few good tips on finding a good daycare for your pup.
Give your dog lots of exercise before you go to work
Help your dog transition to your new schedule by giving them as much exercise as possible before you go to work. This can help reduce the anxiety your dog may experience when you go back to work. Get up a bit earlier and take your dog for a run or a long walk before you head into work. Then hopefully your dog snoozes the day away as you word hard during the day.
Provide your dog with mental stimulation
During the pandemic while you were home your dog was probably pretty active mentally and physically. To keep your dog engaged while you’re away leave your faithful companion with toys to play with and things to chew on while you’re away from home. Consider engaging toys and puzzles and food dispensing things so they have something to do. This will help keep your dog busy and stimulated, especially if they are in a crate.
