How to Help Pandemic Puppies When Work-from-Home is Over

The “Pandemic Puppy Boom of 2020” or the “Coronavirus Pet Boom” has helped fill a lot of homes with much-needed love and comfort over the past year. While we are certainly all looking forward to life getting closer to what it used to look like – the one exception might be returning to the office.

Leaving the pups at home can be anxiety-inducing for us, too! We know how it is, so we’ve curated a helpful list of things you can try for the pesky hours when you’re making a living.

For When You Have to Work Late

A great option for high-energy dogs is to enlist the help of a dog walking service. Depending on your area rates can range anywhere from $15-$35/30 minutes ($26 is the average for most urban areas in the U.S. per half hour).

A great medium to try if a professional service is out of your price range are apps that connect you with dog lovers in your area that have much more cost effective rates than the bigger companies.

For Calming Crated Pups

If your ideal plan is to crate your dog while you go to work – get started now! Nothing helps the learning curve like practice. While you do errands, hit the gym, or even take the trash out, practice crating your dog for a short period of time so when you return to work, they’re used to it.

We also love toys that involve ridges to lick while they get used to the crate. It helps them have something to smell and keeps them mentally engaged – plus licking is shown to release happy hormones for them to feel chill.

For a Brain Game While You’re Away

It’s not unlikely that your pet may get antsy while you’re gone. If you want to leave a stuffed toy out for them to have something to focus on, what about a snuffle ball stuffed with kibble or treats?

For Your Own Anxiety

We know you swore you would never do this, shhh..let go and join the rest of us. If there was ever a time to get a dog camera, it’s after a year of WFH when you finally have to leave your precious pooch.

There’s a wide variety to choose from; ones that allow you to talk to your dogs and throw them treats, ones that easily connect to an app on your phone, and ones that connect seamlessly to your other in-home smart devices.

They Will Be Okay, Really!

We know going back to work is a big adjustment for both you and your dog.

Plus, most dogs do sleep about 12-14 hours per every 24-hour cycle, according to the National Sleep Foundation; so, there’s a good chance he’s snoozing while you’re gone!  

Keep in mind that dogs are adaptable creatures who are able to keep up with changes life brings whether that’s a new baby, a move, or even going back to work.