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You got your dog when your job went remote. Now you’re getting called back to the office, and you need tips on looking after your dog.
A lot of people got dogs when they started working from home during the pandemic. There were a lot of reasons for this, and many of them good ones. At a time of uncertainty and isolation, dogs were a great way for a lot of people to have some way of getting out of the house and having some company at home.
The problem with the remote working policies for the pandemic was that they were never promised to last. A lot of people have taken them for granted. However, as the pandemic restrictions have loosened, more and more companies are calling people back into work.
And you have one of two choices: you can follow what your company wants or you can leave to find another job. That’s completely up to you.
With the way the job market is right now, I’d recommend following what the company wants for the time being. You can always look for another job or start up a business on the side. You just need to figure out what you’re doing with your dog when you’re working out of the house.
Looking after your dog likely means hiring a dog walker
You could opt for doggy daycare. This is a great way to make sure your dog is looked after and gets the stimulus needed for a healthy brain. However, doggy daycare ends up expensive, and there are some horror stories.
So, instead of that, look at hiring a dog walker. You can find people who will only take care of your dogs and nobody else’s. This is a great way to ensure your dogs get the one-on-one time needed and are protected from other, unpredictable dogs.
Get your dogs out for good walks before and after
It could depend on how long you’re out of the house. What if you’re only out for five or six hours a day because you work part time? You may not need a dog walker.
Instead, make sure you get your dog out for some good walks before work and straight after work.
If you do need to work a longer day, can you get back on your lunch break? This is a great way to ensure the safety of your own pet.
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Looking after your dog means crate training
My dogs hate crates. One was crate trained and absolutely fine, and then I moved house. Suddenly, he hated his crate and worked out how to get out. That led to some potentially risky situations, so I decided not to crate my dogs in the end.
However, a lot of dogs need it. Dogs can get scared when they’re alone in the house. This leads to them chewing up items and furniture.
You need to crate train, though. It’s important to build them up to loving their crates. If they don’t like their crates after a while, you’ll want to figure out why and go through crate training again if your dogs can’t be left out like mine can.
Make sure they have water
You’ll likely feed your dog breakfast on a morning. They’re not likely to need more food during the day. What they will need is water! Make sure they have plenty of water.
Since you’re not home to keep topping their bowls up, you’ll want to look at getting a water dispenser. Make sure that is filled to the top and automatically fills their bowls when they need it. As the bowl is emptied, the water dispenser will automatically allow more water out to fill the bowl again.
When you get home from work, you can then feed them again. Twice a day is usually enough for a lot of dogs.
Give them something to play with
My dogs need toys in the house. They need items that they can chew on, otherwise, they’re literally going to eat my walls. So, I always make sure they have plenty of toys.
Plastic toys or rubber toys are the best. You want something that isn’t going to break up into small pieces easily. Get rid of the rope and chewable toys when you’re out of the house. You’re not there to help them if something goes wrong.
I love the rubber Kongs* that you can put treats into. I usually add peanut butter or something creamy that is dog-friendly. You can even make your own dog-friendly treats to add into the Kongs. Just get something that is going to keep them busy when they need that stimulus.
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Bonus: Get a Furbo
I adore my Furbo*. I have two cameras set up in my house at all times. I work from home, and I still have them set up. In fact, even when the dogs are at my ex’s, I will have the cameras set up for my own safety.
Furbo cameras will keep track of your dogs movement. They’ll alert you when the dog is up to something, when there’s a person in the house, and even when the smoke alarms go off. These cameras also allow you to release treats if you need to.
MORE: How walking my dogs has improved my work at home lifestyle
How are you looking after your dog now that you’re leaving the house more? Share your tips in the comments below.
