If you have a dog or dogs at home, you know the worries about leaving them for the hours you have to head into an office. Will they ruin anything, from furniture to art to books? Will they be bored? Will they be lonely and miss you? Will they feel abandoned? We’re here to help with keeping your dog happy while you’re at work. Or while you are anywhere away from home for more than a couple of hours.
Every dog is different, of course, and perhaps you crate your dog and that’s what makes them feel comfortable and safe. Or you leave your dog or dogs out because they can be trusted to kinda take care of themselves and not have accidents or, again, do damage.
Even if you have come to learn that your dog is totally trustworthy when you’re away from the house, there are still ways you can help them to be happier and thus healthier while you’re gone.
(And just a reminder that good training can help with this too. So check out Sundance Retrievers training programs and don’t hesitate to ask us about anything you don’t see there.)
Consider what you do before you leave
Did you play with your dog or go for a long walk? If you can spend some time with them doing very vigorous activities, then you can be sure that some of the time you’re gone, they’ll just be napping and what’s better than that?
Leave out toys
This is a good thing to always think about: what toys are your dog’s favorites and what will keep them occupied for some time? Do they need a snuffle/dog treat based toy that they can work on for a chunk of time? Do they have a self fetching toy or are tennis balls enough?
And remember that just like us, dogs like new and different challenges. So rotate toys. Put some away for a while so they feel new when you leave them out.
Play Music or the TV
Some dogs love music and some are captivated by the right TV programs. What would your dog prefer and can you just leave it running while you’re away? The other benefit of this is the sound of voices, of course. This can be very soothing to a worried dog.
There are even some awesome free doggie TV shows on YouTube that you can check out here.
Hire a dog walker
This is a fantastic way to keep your dog happy while you’re at work or away. Read here about how to find an excellent dog sitter and the same would apply to finding a dog walker.
Depending on how long you’re gone, you could have the walker stop by multiple times, and of course, you can pay for longer, extended walks and playtime in the park.
Schedule some doggie play dates
If you have friends or family who also have dogs and perhaps have someone at home while you’re away, you could plan some doggie play dates here and there just to mix things up. Remember that this can be a lot of work for your friend or family so get them a nice thank you.
Look into doggie daycare
Though it can be pricey, doggie daycare can be worth every cent. And you don’t have to have them there every single day that you’re at work. Even if you just sent them once or twice a week, they’d be getting great socializing and play time. It all adds up!