Is Your Dog Feeling Blue As The Kids Go Back To School?

This may be a tough time of year for your dog as the kids head back to school. The kids are probably not thrilled to head back to class and your dog may be sad to see them gone all day. My kids have been home all summer and I have used vacation time to be home more this summer. Now the summer fun is over and the kids will head back to school. This means my dog will be home alone all day again. This can be a tough adjustment for your dog as dogs love to be with their family (pack).

I am very lucky that my dog, Murphy is a good dog. He adapts well when we return to school and work in September.  I do try to make this transition as easy for him as possible. Before everyone in the house is gone for day, Murphy gets a 30 minute walk with one of us. This way he will burn some energy and lounge around during the day. I also hide mini dog treats each morning. Not only does this keep him busy, but I know exactly where he has been each day if he finds each treat. Some days I leave the radio or TV on for a little bit of noise to make it feel like someone is home.

As soon as I get home, Murphy is at the door waiting to say, "Yeah, You are Home!". We head outside for a few minutes to play as I know he has been waiting for me all day. We also take a nightly walk to visit friends, spend time together and burn more energy.

Give your dog an extra few minutes of play time in the morning and when you get home from work the next couple of weeks as he adjusts to staying home alone again.