How to keep your dogs happy during your transition back to school time
After a summer together as a family, your dog has likely gotten used to your family’s company. But as back-to-school season begins, whether your child is going to school for the first time or going back to college, the transition can be difficult for your dog as well.
From separation anxiety to being alone more than usual, the American Kennel Club offers these tips to ease your dog into your family’s transition back to school.
Establish a new routine. Dogs thrive on routine and they learn to expect certain rituals. Morning walk followed by breakfast followed by a nap. Afternoon walk in the park, then nap and then dinner. When that routine becomes interrupted, a lot of dogs can become confused, frustrated and bored. A bored dog will make his own fun, and with you out of the house it will be unsupervised. Start your new routine gradually.
Quality time. When you or your children are home, the hours spent with your dog should be stimulating. Check with your vet to see what level of exercise your dog can handle: Smaller dogs may prefer shorter walks whereas working or herding breeds might benefit from active exercise in a fenced-in area or longer walks. Letting your dog stop and sniff will also make them more interested.
Be systematic. Try systematic training if your dog starts to act destructively when you walk out the door. Decide on a phrase you’ll use when you’re leaving the house so that your dog knows that you are leaving, but are also coming back. Test this by walking out the door and then
immediately open the door and come back in. If your dog gets excited, wait until they’re calm and praise them. Keep doing this and add on more time before each return so they get used to it.
Mental stimulation. Beyond physical activity, mental stimulation is one of the best ways to prevent boredom. Find activities and exercises that mimic what the breeds were bred to do; for example hounds and terriers love puzzle toys or toys with peanut butter in them. Even putting your dog food in a slow feeder bowl can keep them occupied for longer.
Leave them with everything they need. Make sure that before the last person leaves the house, your dog is let out to relieve itself.
Provide clean, fresh water so that they have enough to drink if left alone for an extended period of time. Exercising your dog, even for a short walk in the morning, can go a long way in getting them to be more relaxed during the day.
Training. Training your dog can help with managing routine changes along with improving quality of life all-around. Dog training classes instill good manners and make your dog a better companion — and it also gives them something to focus their mental and physical energy on. Consider finding a local certified training center to obtain AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) award, which opens the gateway to other exciting agility classes, therapy dog certification
courses and more.
You have options! Most areas also have local day care facilities that can provide supervised care for dogs that would otherwise be home alone all day during school. Many dog daycare facilities have strict health and vaccine requirements for entering dogs, so make sure to check each facility about their specific requirements. Dog walkers or sitters that can come once or twice a day while you’re gone, which is another way to keep your dog active and happy while you’re away.
For more information on responsible dog ownership, visit the AKC at www.akc. org.