2020 has been a doozy of a year, and an unprecedented number of people coped with the stresses of lockdown and working from home by adopting a dog! It’s the perfect opportunity if you think about it: you’ll be around 24/7 to keep an eye on your new companion to make sure they settle in alright, and you need a buddy to keep you from getting cabin fever! And now, almost one year later, back to work plans are starting to roll out. If you are hearing about back to work plans, now is a great time to start training your dog to be okay with this. Here we’ll present two great things you can do to get your dog used to being home alone while you’re away!

Crate training is, in my humble and professional opinion, the best. Why? It accomplishes three really important milestones in your dog’s psychological development. First, it trains them to be okay being alone and in a kennel— teaching them that this is normal and okay does a LOT to help reduce the stresses of separation anxiety! Second, getting your dog used to being in a kennel or carrier will help if they need to be taken to a vet or anything similar. Those situations are stressful enough without the unfamiliar sensation of being shoved in a box on top of it! Finally, a dog that’s fully crate trained will associate their kennel with being their comfy, safe space— their den, even!

After choosing a kennel of the appropriate size for your dog that suits your usage needs, coax your dog into the kennel with a treat or two, leave the door open, let them sniff it and explore, maybe toss in a favored toy! Once they seem to be at grips with this new piece of furniture, invite them in and close the gate. Sit in front of the kennel and praise them for remaining calm. Do this for only a couple of minutes at first, a couple of times throughout the day, and increase the time interval as you do. After that, put them in the kennel and leave the room, but don’t go too far— start at just a minute or two, this is where it gets tricky for the dog! As you work on this more and more, go further away and leave them be for longer. Once they’re crushing it like I know they will, take the big step: leave the house. Just for a few minutes, not too long. Stay close enough that in the event they decide to get really upset you can come back in quickly. As they get more comfortable, keep increasing the time frame. A baby monitor can be an awesome tool for this— you can see and hear them in the kennel so you’ll know if they start becoming agitated. Always, always, always reward them for a good job when you’re done with the training!

Preventive Vet has a great overview of crate training that I urge you to check out for more tips and tricks.

I had a foster dog once with moderate separation anxiety. After just a few weeks of working with him on his kennel training, not only was he okay when I left to go to class (after a few minutes of whining), but when we’d go to sleep, he’d get up in the middle of the night after I’d fallen asleep to go sleep in his own kennel! He loved it in there!

Kennel training can be a super powerful tool for a new dog, and is something I almost always recommend, no matter the dog, but there’s one other great thing you can do if you go back to the office and want to make sure your dog is safe, healthy and happy.

I may be biased, but I think hiring a dog walker is a great thing for your dog, especially if you’re away for work! Dogs really benefit from structured, regular exercise (like people, I suppose!)— it strengthens muscle, maintains cardiovascular health, and prevents other exercise-related health issues from cropping up (In North America, obesity is the most common preventable canine disease). Most importantly, it’s fun! A dog that gets regular walks is one that is more stimulated and fulfilled— Dogs that are bored or lonely have a tendency to eat things they shouldn’t (like your expensive dress shoes, or that whole bar of super dark chocolate you were saving for a rainy day— yikes!), or can tear up furniture, go potty on the carpet, or bark at passersby. Not great! All that isn’t even mentioning the psychological impact on your dog that’s leading them to do these things.

We keep an eye on your pet’s mental and physical health while you’re away (and might spot things you missed). A good dog walker will also work with you and your training regimen to reinforce the behaviors you’re looking for. Finally, because we’re not quite “part of the family”, spending time with a walker can help reduce protective or defensive behaviors— training them to be less tense while outdoors so they can learn to relax and be a little more social.

These are just two things you can do to help your dog adjust to life once you’re not around literally all day anymore. For more detailed regimens or other options if you need them, getting in touch with a professional, accredited trainer can be an invaluable tool, but if you’re looking for dog walks, consider reaching out to us at Sniff and Go! We are San Francisco’s most trusted private dog walkers since 2009 and would love to work with you and your dog.