Dogs are not good at being alone. We know it's okay to leave your dog home alone once in a while, but not for very long. Here are some ways you can avoid leaving your dog alone for too long. It can be difficult to make this work, but if you get creative you will discover that there are actually more solutions available than you might have imagined:
Dog shelter
Even if your dog only goes to doggy day care one day a week, you only have four more to cover an average work week! Of course, not every dog is suitable for doggy day care, but for dogs that enjoy the company of other dogs, even one day a week is a good step towards meeting their social and physical needs.
Keep in mind that not all dog daycare activities are created equal. Look for clean, well-designed sites with qualified personnel who will oversee interactions between the dogs and provide necessary rest periods. Do not take young puppies to doggy day care, they are too small for that.
Come home for lunch
If not every day, then as often as you can during the work week. If there are several family members in the household, consider taking turns coming home in the middle of the day to walk the dog and enjoy a short visit.
Rent a dog walking service
Dog walkers have been around for centuries, but in the past decade, the numbers in this industry have increased, possibly because more people who work outside the home understand the importance of taking care of their dog's needs.
The types of services that professional dog walkers offer can range from a short walk to a walk in the woods or on the beach, or even a day's training. Again, pay close attention to which dog walking service you choose.
Work from home on occasion
Working from home is more popular than ever as technology makes it easy for people to perform their professional tasks from a home office. We have all been able to experience that in recent months thanks to the corona crisis.
Bring your dog to work
Obviously not everyone is able to do this, but sometimes it turns out that sometimes it is possible. Unless you've asked the person who's in a position to say yes or no yourself, wait a while before you scratch the idea off your list of possible solutions. It may seem unlikely, but you may be very pleasantly surprised!
Arrange for someone to come to your house and walk your dog
Ask a neighbor, or your coworker's teenage niece who loves dogs, or that kid down the street who does odd jobs. Not everyone is familiar with the potential risks that a scenario like this can pose, but you may already have someone you trust to perform these types of tasks.
Of course, your dog needs to be comfortable with someone coming into their home while you're gone, and in the best case scenario, they'll be happy to receive an afternoon visit!
