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Acclimating Your Pets to the New Normal (Again)

Small Dog Looking Wistfully Out a Window at HomeMany Stone Oak residents have spent at least part of the past year working from home. Some have been working from home for even longer but are now heading back to the office. That transition can be especially hard on your pets. After all this time together, being separated can cause your pets to face high anxiety levels, generating some destructive or otherwise unwanted behaviors. To help acclimate your pet to your new work routine and keep these behaviors under control, here are a handful of tips you can implement immediately and throughout the next few months.

Day Care

Probably you’re fearful about leaving your pet home alone. Or they’re showcasing signs of stress or boredom (peeing on the floor, excessive barking, spraying furniture, or chewing items). Suggest having someone stay with your pet for at least part of the day or take them to a playgroup. If you introduce your pet’s new caregiver before you have to go back to the office, it may go a long way toward easing the transition.

Crate Training

For dogs, you should implement crate training if you haven’t currently done so. Although it isn’t right for all dogs, others like the security of being inside a crate while you are gone. To make their stay in the crate more enjoyable, offer a plush bed and chew toys. Just take note that crate training may take some time, so get started as soon as possible and prepare for some complaining first.

Enrichment Toys

Boredom is a huge source of why pets become destructive. To save your furniture and your sanity, you can try leaving your pet with some enrichment toys while you are at work. If you give the toys to your pet only while you are gone, they may learn to associate the fun playtime with your absence and help them feel less anxious. For dogs, chew toys, puzzle toys, balls, and obstacle courses can all be great options to remove their boredom. For cats and other pets, offering places for them to climb, “hunt” for treats or objects, or motion-activated toys they can chase is a sensible move.

Doggy Camera

If you’d like to go high-tech with your pet care, you may try acquiring a “doggy” camera for your house. There are countless different types of cameras, but all of them allow you to keep an eye on your pet while you are at work. Other cameras will even dispense treats and/or let you talk to your pet through a speaker. (Most demand a steady WiFi signal and a smartphone app to use.)

Together Time

Lastly, if you predict a routine change, one of the best things you can do is continue prioritizing your time with your pet. As an illustration, try to arrange your daily routine so that you and your pet can enjoy a walk or some playtime before you depart, and then again as soon as you get home. This is highly important for dogs, who need to walk with you regularly to feel calm and happy. By setting up a new routine around your work routine that includes your pet, you can help ease their anxiety and encourage them to wait patiently until you arrive each evening.

Returning to working outside the home may be a challenging adjustment for both you and your pet. However, by taking these tips, you can manage that transition a bit easier. Another solution to ease your transition back to work might include things like living closer to your job or moving to a more pet-friendly rental home or neighborhood. If your lifestyle could use an upgrade and a new place to live, Real Property Management Campanas can assist you. Our Stone Oak property managers will be happy to accommodate you, and your pet locates a new shelter to live in. Contact us online today!

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