Dear Faith,

I need some advice. When we got our dog, Florence, I was working from home, so she always had company. We would take walks around the neighborhood and go to the dog park twice a week, and she hung out in her bed under my desk. But now my job has changed, and I go into the office, which means she’s alone for about 10 hours per day, counting travel time.

Florence is not handling this well. She’s a two-year-old Lab mix and I know she is bored silly. She has chewed up a number of things around the house, including some of my shoes. My husband and I have talked about getting another dog for her to play with, but I’m not certain that will help. It could just make the problem worse.

~ Flummoxed about Florence

Dear Flummoxed,

I have several suggestions for satisfying Florence’s energy needs now that you’re away all day:

→ Get up a bit earlier so that you (or your husband) can give Florence a nice long walk before you leave for work. During the walk, let her sniff and explore, so she’ll use her brain as well as her legs. Add in some training by asking her to respond to basic cues you’ve taught her (for example, sit, stay and down). Don’t rush this shared time together and do it in all types of weather.

→ Leave Florence with suitable things to chew on. One great idea is stuffing a Kong with wet food and then freezing it the night before. Give her the frozen Kong before you go to work the next morning. I strongly recommend that you hire a dog walker to come in during the day to take Florence out for another long walk.

→ Check into doggie day care options in your community and bring Florence there a few days a week.

→ See what dog sports classes (e.g., nose work, agility, flyball) are offered locally. You could attend classes on evenings or weekends. You can have Florence practice her nose work skills by hiding treats in cardboard boxes around the house.

Getting another dog may help to relieve Florence’s boredom, but it also might double the mischief. If either you or your husband get some extended time off, you could try it out by fostering a dog first. Contact your local rescue groups and ask about foster-to-adopt options.

During the walk, let her sniff and explore, so she’ll use her brain as well as her legs.