Tips to help pandemic pets transition back to work successfully

For humans, the pandemic has been heartbreaking. For our pets, it’s been wonderful. Every pet wants their person to be around constantly, and that’s what they got during the pandemic. They got that extra walk, that extra playtime and the extra 10 minutes of fetch in the backyard. 
 
Pet adoptions during the pandemic from Charleston Animal Society remained strong — as they did across the country. But now that people are heading back to the office, this transition for our pets could be difficult.
 
The good news? There are things you can do to ease this transition from stay-at-home to back-to-work for your pets.
 
Tip No. 1: Start slowly
 
As you head back to work, your dogs and cats might have some negative feelings towards you leaving, so start now by leaving the house for longer and longer times. Start off with going to the store. Then visiting a friend for a few hours. Build up the time away gradually to see how your cat or dog does. 
 
Tip No. 2: Don’t make coming and going a big deal
 
We want to make sure that we are not making coming and going a big deal for our pets at home. If you come home and act like it’s a really big party (which is very hard not to do because we are really excited to see our pets) it is just going to reinforce to your pet that he or she should get worked up before you leave and then build up anxiety again waiting for your return. We want to keep our dogs and cats, nice, calm, and relaxed.
 
When we are leaving, try not to do the, “I’ll miss you so much. Mommy will see you later,” speech, because that can really build up that anxiety towards coming and going. When leaving, be lowkey, low energy, almost monotone, “See you later. Have a good day.
Tell me what happens.”  
 
Tip No. 3: Create a calm environment at home 
 
In an effort to keep your pet relaxed,  think of ways to keep your dog calm and occupied. Enrichment, such as music, or a book on tape, or a YouTube video with animal noises in the background – find what your dog or cat enjoys and turn it on. 
 
Tip No. 4: Interactive toys. 
 
There are great interactive toys out there for both dogs and cats. If we can keep our pets distracted for the first 30 minutes that we are gone, we’re off to a good start. Getting their mind engaged with an interactive toy is a great way to keep them occupied. Imagine a gizmo that spews out treats or food, something they love. They are going to start thinking, “Hey, it’s nice when mom and dad go!”
 
These tips will help you make a smooth post-pandemic transition for your pet. If you see behavioral issues pop up, like barking or chewing, don’t panic. A little of this should be expected. The key strategy is to start working on the transition now – by training your pet to be happy and content alone.
 
Courtney Larrier leads the Charleston Animal Society Behavior Team.

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

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