You’ve been at home with your pet for the last year, but the return to the office is finally happening. Businesses all over the state are opening back up to full capacity, and you’ll soon be back to spending a majority of your day at work instead of at home. No doubt your dog has loved having you shelter at home these past months, so the switch back to a regular work schedule could be a difficult adjustment. As you get ready to return to your office in Delray, make sure you also take the time to prepare your pet. Below are four steps you can take to care for your pet during the transition.
Step 1: Ease Into A New Routine
Hopefully you have a couple of weeks before your transition back to the office to slowly ease into a new routine. Take this time to come up with a new daily schedule for your pup. For example, if you normally do a morning potty break at 10:00 a.m. start waking up an hour earlier each week until you get to 7:00 or 8:00 a.m. Now is the time to also start cutting back on random walks and bathroom breaks, too. Build more structure into the day so your pup will have a routine to fall back on when you’re out of the house. Changing a routine can give your dog anxiety, but if you ease into the changes, you’ll have fewer issues.
Step 2: Practice Alone Time
It’s fun to include your pup in all of your activities, but it’s time to practice alone time. Your dog is going to be home alone for extended periods of time, so it needs to get used to the quiet of the house. Practicing short one to two-hour periods of alone time is also a great way to see how your dog reacts and what issues you may need to deal with. For example, if your dog has severe anxiety, this time alone could result in your pup getting sick. On the other hand, your pup may get bored and decide to tear apart your throw pillows. Whatever the case, practicing alone time will reduce the damage and give you a chance to address any bad behaviors.
Step 3: Create A Safe Space
You may want to limit house access when you’re away, so create a safe space for your pup to feel at ease. For example, set up the crate in your dog’s favorite room and give your pup a shirt you’ve recently worn. Your scent on the shirt will help comfort your dog while you’re away.
Step 4: Provide Entertainment
You’d be bored if you were stuck in a room all day with nothing to do, so make sure you leave your dog a few activities to stay entertained. Puzzle toys are a popular option that can keep your dog distracted for an hour or two. Another option would be to leave the TV on for the ambient noise and visual entertainment. If you’re really concerned about your pup, you could also set up a camera and speaker so you can talk to your dog throughout the day.
The transition back to normal life will take some work, but if you ease into it slowly the adjustment will be much more enjoyable.