Going Back to Work Can Affect Your Dog Too!
Contributor Laura Rummel – Pet Rescuer and Frisco’s Pet Project Advocate
As families begin to go back to a more normal routine, our animals are having to adapt to the new schedules as well. For some it will be the first time being left alone for any length of time. If your animal suffers from separation anxiety when left behind (or becomes destructive), please don’t give up on them! Here are some tips to help them cope better:
- Start out by leaving your animal alone for small time increments. Especially if your dog has never been left alone, start with no more than 15 minutes in their crate, in a separate room, or wherever they will be during the day. Slowly build up to the full amount of time that you’ll be leaving them on a regular basis. And remember, if you have a puppy, their bladder isn’t fully developed yet and they may not be able to hold it all day quite yet. You may consider coming home at lunch to let them out or hiring a dog walker for a midday break.
- Get a walk in with your dog first thing in the morning. The exercise helps to stimulate their senses and reduce their energy level with the bonus that they’ll take a nice nap afterwards. Do a few training exercises with them along the way for some extra brain stimulation. Both of my boys are medium-energy dogs, so we go for about 30 minutes. If you have a high-energy dog, you may consider going for longer, or doing one walk in the morning and another one in the evening.
- Leave the radio or an audio book on while you are gone. The sounds of human voices tend to calm them and help them feel like they aren’t alone. It may sound strange, but it works, even for my dog that likes to bark at everyone.
- Ensure that your pets associate good experiences with the location where you leave them; make it a place they don’t mind going. I always leave a small treat for my boys in their kennel and tell them “Iove you, I’ll be back soon” after I latch it. It is part of a routine that they are accustomed to, and that calm energy helps them reduce their stress. It didn’t take too long for Chance and Dez to start willingly heading into their kennels, excited for their treat, and ready to begin relaxing. Some have suggested a Kong toy with frozen peanut butter inside for a longer lasting activity and treat, however, if your dog has a history of being destructive, I would caution leaving anything inside their kennel that they could tear up into small pieces and then swallow.
- If your dog is still having separation anxiety, you may consider trying CBD oil, a calming supplement, Adaptil collar, or in more severe cases, a veterinarian-prescribed anti-anxiety med. There are dog behaviorists in the North Dallas area that can help with more severe cases, and they can help you determine if medication is a good idea.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our animal shelters have been nearly empty. Many people were willing to get a dog while they were stuck at home, but because everyone was home all the time, some may have skipped kennel training their dog. It is especially important to start early with puppies, so they understand your leaving as being a normal part of their routine, but it is never too late to begin…you actually can teach old dogs new tricks. If this is the first time your dog has been left alone for long periods of time, be patient and give them a chance to adapt to your new schedule. As people head back to work, it would be great for as many animals as possible to be able to stay with their new families in their fur-ever homes.
Additional Resources:
https://www.cesarsway.com/6-tips-to-help-dog-separation-anxiety/
https://www.spca.org/file/pet-university/Separation-Anxiety.pdf
Bio: Laura Rummel is longtime volunteer with Paws in the City, a local rescue group in the DFW area. She’s also one of the Frisco City Council candidates where one of her key priorities is for the City to have a strategy for our domesticated animals. She’s pictured here with her dog, Dez, who had severe separation anxiety when her and her husband adopted him 3 years ago. He’s now a more confident dog and is no longer destructive when left alone.