Hi there! I am bringing you another collaborative post, for full disclosure while I did edit this post to better suit this space I did not develop the content or topic. I do not claim to be an expert on this topic but do agree with many of the ideas offered and thought it might be beneficial to share here for each of you.
What we love about dogs is how loyal they are and how much they love our human companionship. However it’s exactly this that can be problematic at times. When you work full time and are out of the house for a good portion of the day, dogs can get lonely, experience separation anxiety and exhibit destructive behavior such as barking, chewing or going to the bathroom. But this isn’t to say you can’t have a happy dog if you work full time, millions of people across the globe manage this successfully. There are just a few things you might want to bear in mind.
Exercise Your Dog Before and After Work
A tired dog is a happy dog, and wearing them out with exercise is good for both their mental and physical health. Aim to walk your dog for at least thirty minutes before you go to work, if you’ve perfected a successful recall then let them off the lead and get them running around (chances are you won’t fancy running around with them when you’ve not long rolled out of your bed!) Take a ball or Frisbee and get them chasing this, this allows them to get really tired and worn out meaning they will be content relaxing at home for hours to come. It also allows them to go to the toilet meaning they’re much less likely to have an accident. When you arrive home, do the same. Take them on a thirty minute to an hour walk, which will mean they’re then relaxed for the rest of the evening. This is great for your health too, so by walking them you’re really killing two birds with one stone.
Keep Them Distracted
Lots of dogs will relax and sleep for the majority of the day while you’re out working, especially if they’ve been worn out from a walk before you leave. However some can get bored, especially if you have a younger dog. For this reason it’s a good idea to have a couple of toys and treats that you can give them when you’re out as a distraction. It’s important to choose things that don’t pose a choking hazard (so no rawhide, for example). That way you know they can chew or play with safely when you’re not there. It could be a Kong stuffed with peanut butter or meat paste, it could be a a Nylabone or even a treat dispensing toy. If you limit these kinds of things to only be played with or eaten when you’re out, they won’t get bored of them and it will keep their attention for longer. You can use an indoor security camera to check if they’re getting on ok, and whether the distraction you have given them has been successful. If you have a younger dog that gets very pent up and lonely while you’re at work, how about asking a friend or neighbor to drop in midday and let them outside or take them on a quick walk? Lots of people work from home these days so there may well be someone in your social circle you could ask.
Spend Time With Them When You’re Home
Finally, it’s ok to leave most dogs alone while you’re at work for eight to twelve hours a day. But it does mean that you should be making the effort to spend time with them during your time off. As well as walks, you could play games with them in the garden, or just let them sit on your lap while you relax and watch tv.
Hi Rechelle: This is a good post. I, too, agree on a good portion of the content. A long time ago, our Corgi mix had separation anxiety, so our trainer said to walk him in the AM, give him a Kong with peanut butter, and he’ll be calmer/better. He also got plenty of play time when we got home and another walk in the evening. It worked! 2 dogs later, we do the same routine. It gives them structure, and all of them LOVE the Kong with peanut butter! Weekends throw her off a bit, but give her a walk and she’s in better mood. Thanks for sharing this!
Happy you liked this post Laurie! So glad you found a routine that has worked so well for all of your dogs too 🙂 We definitely notice a difference in getting our dogs exercise to tire them out as well! Thanks for reading along here!