Back to School Through Your Dog’s Eyes
Sound familiar? You got this adorable puppy when school got out (or during the pandemic) and spent the summer bonding with it. You enjoyed this new cute little ball of fur all summer. She’s gotten to know you, you’ve gotten to know her – you’ve definitely bonded. Now, with back to school looming over our heads, what happens with this puppy? What does back to school mean to your dog?
Your dog has no idea what’s about to happen. The days of you and/or the kids being home most of the day and long walks or play sessions outside are about to get fewer and far between. He’s had your undivided attention for awhile, and pretty soon he won’t.
It is going to be an adjustment, and you need to help your dog prepare for that adjustment. Your dog is used to having you around ALL the time (or, at least, the majority of the time). What do you think will go through his head when all of the sudden, one day you leave and are gone a LOT longer than you used to be? Or now, you’re even though you’re home, you can’t play with them as much as you used to? Some dogs will care less and be fine – but why not try to help them out just in case? You don’t want them to develop any separation anxieties.
Prepare Your Dog for Back To School
Get her used to not being by your side 24/7:
- Start utilizing your crate, pen, or confinement area (where you keep them at night or when you are out running errands now) more. Let them be in there even if you are home, just so they know they don’t have to be around you all the time.
- Make it positive: give them a treat going in, give them a puzzle toy (ex: Kong with a treat or peanut butter) to keep them busy and happy while they are in there, put an old shirt that smells like you in there for them to lay on, etc.
- Don’t make a big deal about you leaving when you leave.
- Just put them in their confinement area and leave.
- Don’t make a big deal when you come back, either.
- Just let them out of their confinement area and take them outside to the bathroom (which they will probably need to use).
- You can play with them after they have used the bathroom and have calmed down a bit.
- Still utilize your confinement area when you leave or at night.
- Keep this routine – they love routine.
- Start lengthening the time you are away from them – they know your routine now. So: if you are always gone to the store for about an hour, then start bumping that time up so they get used to be alone for longer stretches of time.
If you start planning now, you won’t have separation anxieties later 🙂
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