Contrary to belief, dog walking is not only for people working in the office and away from home, but also extremely beneficial to those working from home.
Do you really have the time to properly exercise your dog every day?
Depending on the size, age, and energy level of your dog, your dog should be walking 2 hours a day. My dog, Tyson, a one-year-old Rottweiler, requires a minimum of 30 minutes in the morning, one hour in the afternoon, and 30 minutes in the evening. He is a young, high energy dog, and without this exercise, he can be quite disruptive in the house. With my years of working with dogs, I do not think Tyson is unlike a lot of dogs. Dogs need to get their energy out and one of the best ways to do that is to walk on-leash as your dog is then being challenged both mentally and physically. Letting your dog out into the back yard is not the way to exercise your dog; back yards are great for bathroom breaks and for when you have the time to engage in interactive play with your dog. While it may be a logical conclusion to walk your own dog, now that you are working at home for an undetermined period of time, many people are finding that they are busier than ever. Consequently, they may question whether they actually have enough time and energy to commit to a daily routine where they are able to provide adequately for their dog’s needs; is giving your dog the proper amount of exercise every day a practical solution? Understandably, with everything going on at home, it may be impossible to do that every single day and that’s ok. Hiring a dog walker will help you stay focused on all the other things requiring your attention.
Dogs Need to Socialize
Well-behaved, happy dogs are content and comfortable in their own skin, confident and balanced. Just like humans, they require regular opportunities to socialize in order to remain balanced. Mistakes in proper socializing can lead to an overprotective dog or even a too shy or fearful dog. A dog walker, who provides proper leash walking with their pack, provides socialization in a structured way that will help your dog learn how to be calm around other dogs and people while boosting their self-esteem. More and more, we are treating our dogs like humans, which is why it is even more important that we remind our dogs of who they are; and regular socialization does just that.
Because one day you may be going back to work
When I am home, my dogs are glued to me. While my older dog is confident and independent, Tyson does not leave my side. When at home in my apartment, he follows me to the bathroom, waits for me outside the shower, from the bedroom to the kitchen. If I move from one chair in my living area to another, he moves with me and this is normal behavior for most dogs.
Though hard to believe, it will soon be six months since we were all required to adjust to a new way of living due to the pandemic; and for those people working from home, your dog is getting used to you being at home. It can be expected that when you do go back to work, there will be a lot of dogs who will suffer from anxiety. Depending on your dog, your dog, left alone and feeling anxious all day, may release their anxieties in a variety of different ways; such as barking non-stop, howling, crying, pacing, chewing furniture or other things they are not supposed to.
Why not work to curb these possible anxieties and resulting behaviors before they arise by hiring a dog walker to get out with your dog, explore, release energy and view the world in a different way, rather than being constantly, dependently by your side.
Tips to help curb anxiety:
Daily leashed walks to challenge them mentally and physically
Hire dog walkers Toronto for at least a few walks a week
Act calm as if it’s no big deal when you leave the house.
Ignore your dog when you come home until they are in a calm and balanced state of mind
Try to leave your dog alone for periods of time so they get reintroduced to you not being there all the time
Leave your dog with something fun to do when you are away. Frozen peanut butter kongs work great!
Play calming music when you leave the house
If you are worried about your house being destroyed while you are gone, try setting up a video camera and leaving for a few hours while not too far away. This way if they do start to have a panic attack, you can get there before it escalates. Do not come home and reward this behavior by petting or consoling them; this will only make matters worse because your dog will actually interpret this as a reward for their behavior.