How To Keep Fido & Fluffy From Freaking When You Go Back To Work

Boy, here's something I would've NEVER thought of. Probably because I don't currently own a pet but I'm not too certain that I would think of this even if I were a pet owner. This is one of the many reasons why having folks like Ingham County Animal Control around is a good thing.

They think of this stuff. Pet Separation Anxiety. Yes, that's a thing. And when you really think about it, why wouldn't it be?

You see, if you have a pet or pets and you've been staying home and staying safe for the past few weeks with said pet or pets, well they have probably gotten used to you being around a lot more often since you haven't been leaving them everyday to go to work. So now that the bonds have grown stronger, what do you do to keep them from a lot of anxiety when you head back out to the job?

Ingham County Animal Control has some great ideas to help lessen the anxiety that your furry friend might feel when the quarantine is over. This from a press release issued by ICAC:

The number one issue dog owners may face is e separation anxiety. People should start (or continue) to leave their dogs for short periods of time. If you can't leave the house, at least leave them in a different room. Start with short periods of time, gradually building it up. Keep these absences random. Sometimes be gone five minutes, sometimes a couple of hours. Stay calm and reward the dog for calm greetings when you return. If the dog is crated, only open the door when the dog is calm and quiet.

Give the dog a puzzle toy to keep them busy while you're gone and put it away when you come back. It can be a durable toy with filled with peanut butter, kibble, yogurt, etc and then frozen, or a special chew toy that they only get when you're gone. These high-value toys will give them something that they will look forward to.

Get more info and more great ideas here from the Ingham County Animal Control website.