You’ve spent one glorious weekend together, and now you have to go back to work. The thought of leaving your pooch alone fills you with dread!
It is common to experience guilt and unease when you’re sitting in your office, constantly thinking about your pet getting bored at home.
The best thing you can do is to make sure that your puppy is comfortable and entertained in your absence.
Here are 12 ways to make sure Fido has a good time when you are away.
- Tire him out in the morning
- Set up a cosy space
- Play Music
- Turn on the TV
- Window with a view
- Puzzle toys
- Treats in a Kong
- Make Ice treats
- Set up a Scavenger Hunt
- Rotate toys
- Doggy Daycare
- Hire a Dog Walker
1. Tire him out in the morning
Start the day right by taking your dog out for exercise early in the morning.
Go for a long walk, or play a good game of fetch in the park.
Tiring him out before you leave for work ensures that you leave a happy and satisfied dog at home.
This also reduces any chances of restlessness or destructive behaviour, as he will spend the day lazing around and sleeping.
2. Set up a cosy space
In your absence, your dog is likely to spend most of his day sleeping.
Create a comfortable space for him with a bed, blanket, pillows and his favourite toys. He will have a place to relax and is less likely to create trouble around the house.
3. Play Music
Being all alone in a silent house can make your puppy scared and anxious.
Leave your radio or speakers on for your puppy when you leave for work. This helps them feel safe and relaxed because of the familiar sounds.
Classical music or calming tunes are known to reduce stress and anxiety in dogs. You can also look for long playlists on youtube that play music to relax your pooch.
4. Turn on the TV
A quiet environment may lead to your dog getting distracted by every little noise.
Leave the TV on for Fido so that he can spend the day watching his favourite animal shows. The natural sounds and visuals of animals playing around will go a long way in keeping your puppy entertained.
You can find channels dedicated to shows for dogs or simply switch on channels like Animal Planet.
5. Window with a view
Being cooped up within four walls can get boring quickly. Give your pup access to a glass window so that he can observe the world outside. You can set up a comfortable spot in front of a window, with a chair and blankets that your pet can sit on for hours.
Looking at all the things happening outside can make time pass quickly, and your pooch will have fun watching cars, people and squirrels.
6. Puzzle toys
Puzzle toys are great for some mental exercise while you’re away.
These are interactive toys that really make your puppy think and reward them for their success by dispensing treats or other responses.
Your pooch will have a fun time solving these puzzles, and all the work he puts in will tire him out.
7. Treats in a Kong
The Kong is a very popular toy among dogs, and for very good reasons.
It is made of hard, durable rubber that Fido loves to chew on, and can be filled with his favourite treats.
Kongs are easy to prepare. Just fill it with some delicious treats or good old peanut butter, and freeze the Kong to make it more fun to play with. You can make things more interesting by regularly changing the filling every few days to surprise your pooch.
The best part is that it keeps pups busy for hours, with most dogs spending at least 30 minutes cleaning out this popular toy.
8. Make Ice treats
You know how your pooch enjoys playing with ice cubes as they melt and slide across the floor?
Make this more fun for him by freezing treats or some gravy inside the ice cubes. Your pup will love the surprise and ice-treats will become his new favourite thing.
Place some cubes on the floor before you leave for work to help Fido beat the summer heat. He’ll be happy and tired out by the time he is done playing with them.
9. Set up a Scavenger Hunt
Dogs are naturally curious and love to find things. A scavenger hunt-style game is perfect to keep your puppy busy and entertained while you go to work.
Hide some treats and toys around the house, and teach your dog to look for them. You can use fruits, chew toys, kibbles or stuffed kongs for this.
Use this set-up before you leave for work, and signal to your pet that the search has started. The day will then turn into a game and your puppy will be focused on finding the hidden rewards.
This will also help in building a positive association with your absence.
10. Rotate toys
When Fido has all his favourite toys in front of him all day, he can quickly get bored.
When you are at work, you want to leave your pooch with something he enjoys and wants to play with all day. An easy way to keep his interest is by rotating the toys he has in his play area every few days.
This way, every time you give him a toy from the lot, he’ll treat it as a brand new one.
11. Doggy Daycare
Doggy daycares are dedicated to keeping your pets busy & entertained throughout the day. The staff organizes planned activities for the pets – This includes walks, outdoor playtime, toys and plenty of snacks.
As a pet parent, you can go to work knowing that your dog is busy and happy with other pups at the centre. Sign up your pooch for a daycare near you, and drop him off on your way to work.
Your puppy will be looked after all day, and will also make some new friends.
12. Hire a Dog Walker
Hire a professional dog walker for the job.
Your pet will be relieved from boredom during the day and enjoy meeting new people. By the time he comes back, Fido will be happy and satisfied.
Hiring a dog walker also means that you can work in peace, as there is someone to check up on how your puppy is doing.
Finding dog walking services near you is easy through the plethora of apps and websites available today. You can also talk to other dog parents about how they find walkers for their pets.
Conclusion
As a pet parent, you want to spend the entire day with your puppy. This isn’t exactly possible when work demands your attention.
The best thing to do is to make sure your pooch is comfortable and entertained while you are away.
Make sure your pup has distractions like open windows, TV and music so that he doesn’t get bored. You can also make get him some puzzle toys, kongs or make ice treats to give him something to play with.
If the thought of your pooch getting lonely won’t let you work in peace, hire a dog walker to take him out during the day, or leave him at a doggy daycare on your way to work.
