School is in, work is back to full schedules and possibly back in office or on location and your pup is home alone.
We all know a pup home alone is a scary thing. Will the room she is in be fine when you get home? Or will something be destroyed? If the dog is put in his crate, we worry that he’ll bark all day or injure himself trying to break free.
So, what are we to do?
#1 – Doggie Daycare
I’m not too familiar with this option. But I have a few friends who utilized doggie daycares to keep their pups entertained throughout the day. Particularly, through the first four years. Just enough to get through the wild, youthful years.
I’ve watched some videos on TikTok of dogs arriving to daycare. The majority of the dogs seem incredibly excited.
#2 – When the Pup is Home Alone, Have a Trusted Neighbor Check on Her.
If you the pup is going to be home alone for more than six hours, it would be a good idea to have someone go check on her and let her out to go potty. If you don’t live close enough to run home during lunch maybe a good neighbor would be willing to pop in during the day. Or a college kid that doesn’t have to leave for classes until or who might arrive home a few hours before you do.
Or search your local neighborhood Facebook page for homeschooled kids. Homeschooling Parents use a lot of real-world activities in their teaching plans, and this could be a great learning opportunity for the kids.
#3 – Split Dog Sitting Duties with a Friend
I usually work from home, but one of my friends has his own business. His wife works outside the home and the kids attend school. Since their dog is just a few months younger than Pandora, I asked if he could drop the pup off one or two days a week.
This arrangement has been fabulous. His dog is not left home alone all day and Pandora has a friend to burn some energy off with. The bonus of this arrangement is that I can get more done because the pups play together which frees up a bit of Pandora’s exercise time. That is extra time I can put into writing.
This is also a great way to socialize your dog.
#4 – When the Pup Is Home Alone – And Will Be All Day – Then Exercise Before You Leave
Sometimes we just can’t find a place we can afford to leave our dog. And we either don’t have someone to peek in on our pets that we trust or can share pet watching duties with.
If that is the case, then the best thing you can do for your dog is to get up early enough that you can get in a hearty round of exercise before the pup is left home alone.
I get it, it may not be ideal, the weather may be rainy and cold, but your dog needs the exercise. When I have to go out for work and everyone else is away, I make sure I get up early enough to get Pandora out to her favorite trails. It’s not always fun, but I care enough to do that for her. Plus, honestly, I need the exercise, too. It helps me get through my day with plenty of energy and benefits my health.
When we get home from the trails, I get ready for work. Right before I leave, I play frisbee with her for at least ten minutes.
What this does for Pandora, and will do for your pup as well, is give her the chance to chill out and rest. That exercise buys you a happier and calmer, pup.
Clearly, I make no guarantees on things getting randomly chewed up, but it lessens the chance of it happening.
