Dear Critter Corner: I have been working from home and have not left my puppy alone for more than an hour or two since I got him last March. I am worried about how he will be when I go back to work in a couple of months. What can I do to make sure he will be okay?
This is a problem that many pet parents will soon be facing as more companies are having their employees report back to work. Here are a few things you can do to prepare your pup for when you do go back to the office.
The first thing you will want to do is leave your pup alone for short amounts of time throughout the day so you can see how well he does. If he does fine, then add the amount of time you are leaving him. If he has a harder time or is showing signs of distress, you will need to work on building the amount of time you are gone at levels that he is more comfortable with.
You can look at ways to keep your pup occupied when you are gone. You can leave him with interactive toys or hide some treats around the house for him to find after you have left. Be sure to practice first so that he knows the game.
If he gets worried when you grab a certain item, such as keys, work on desensitizing him to the keys being picked up. You can easily do this by picking up your keys and going to sit on the couch or working at your home desk. You would do the same with any other item that your pup may get anxious about thinking that it means you will be leaving them alone.
Take the time to work on getting your pup used to being left alone now by doing these short absences and then when the big day comes, he will be ready.
If you are still having problems or would like some extra help, you can schedule a 1:1 Consultation with one of our behaviorists or call our Behavior Helpline at ext. 183.