Prevent Separation Anxiety When You Return to Work!

If there is a silver lining to this whole mess, it is that we all got to spend a lot more time with our dogs! Dogs who were accustomed to giving us a slobbery goodbye at 8am and wagging their tail upon your return at 6pm have now become spoiled by our constant presence. For some dogs, it may come as a shock to return to the normal routine.

Luckily, there are several things you can do to help set your dog up for success when you go back to work.

Start Early:
Don’t wait until you must leave for the entire day to teach your dog that it is okay to be alone! As soon as you know when you will return to work, begin to schedule alone time for your dog that coincides with the times you will be absent. Plan a short absence at the time that you will be slated to depart. For example: Go to get a cup of coffee at 8am and leave your dog home alone. This will help him get used to the pattern of your departures again.

Use Food to Ease the Transition:
Feed your dog as you leave. Give your dog a kong or puzzle toy that is filled with his breakfast so that he has something to ease the transition from snuggle time to alone time. If your dog knows “Go To Your Mat,” cue him to do that before giving him the food.

Ensure adequate exercise:
For most people, this will mean re-employing your dog walker. You can combine this one with step one, and have you dog walker begin to take your dog out midday even before you return to your place of business. This will help ease the transition back to normalcy. A dog who is well-exercised is less likely to panic or feel anxiety…just like humans.

Set yourself and your dog up for success by easing back into the new normal, and give us a call if you need any help!