As a dog owner, keeping your dog happy while you’re away at work can be challenging for you. While dogs are extremely social and intelligent animals, they get bored quite easily. This can lead to destructive behavior and other negative effects on their overall happiness.
Luckily, there are lots of ways you can keep your dog occupied and happy throughout the day so that they don’t get into trouble when you’re at work. Here are some ways to keep your dog entertained while you’re at work.
Dogs, just like humans, can get bored and frustrated if they don’t have enough to do. One of the best ways to keep your dog mentally stimulated is by making sure they are physically tired out at the end of the day. A tired dog who is happily exhausted is less likely to get itself into trouble or be stressed out than a dog who has had nothing to do all day. Make sure your dog gets at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. If possible, make it 1 hour as this will keep your dog’s brain and body active and happy.
When you’re at work, try to find ways to keep your dog active indoors. You could try playing fetch with a toy, or go for a jog with your dog on a leash. If you have room in your house, you could even set up an indoor agility course.
Here are 5 simple ways to keep your dog happy while at work
Keep your dog physically active
Dogs, just like humans, can get bored and frustrated if they don’t have enough to do. One of the best ways to keep your dog mentally stimulated is by making sure they are physically tired out at the end of the day. A tired dog who is happily exhausted is less likely to get themselves into trouble or be stressed out than a dog who has had nothing to do all day.
Make sure your dog gets at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. If possible, make it 1 hour as this will keep your dog’s brain and body active and happy. When you’re at work, try to find ways to keep your dog active indoors. You could try playing fetch with a toy, or go for a jog with your dog on a leash. If you have room in your house, you could even set up an indoor agility course.
Provide enrichment throughout the day
Enrichment is the act of providing your dog with mental stimulation to keep them happy and avoid boredom. This could involve things like puzzle toys, food dispensing toys, or games where your dog has to work for their treats. Try to make sure that your dog has new toys or enrichment activities to do every day. This will keep them from getting bored and give them something to look forward to each day.
You could try rotating toys, so your dog doesn’t get bored of the same toys every day. For example, you could have a new toy for each day of the work week, or a new puzzle game every Friday. You could also try rotating food dispensers every few days so that they don’t get bored of them either.
Rotate toys and treat dispensers
Another way you can prevent your dog getting bored with their toys and treat dispensers is to rotate them every few days. Try to change the toys and treat dispensers that your dog uses every couple of days, so they don’t get bored with them. If your dog has a favorite toy or treat dispenser that they love, you can try rotating that one every couple of weeks. This will keep your dog from getting bored with their favorite toy or treat dispenser, and it will give them something new to look forward to every few days.
Find a trustworthy dog walker or check in service
If you work long hours, or if your dog is too energetic to stay indoors for too long, you might benefit from finding a dog walker or check in service. These services are designed to keep your dog happy and occupied while you’re at work. They will walk your dog, let them play with other dogs, and give them lots of attention and play time so they don’t get bored.
This will also help your dog make friends with other dogs, get some exercise, and stay mentally and physically stimulated. This can make life much easier for you, especially if you work long hours or if you have very energetic dogs who don’t like to be cooped up indoors for long periods of time.
Create an indoor area where your dog can roam freely
If you have a very active dog, or if you work long hours, you might want to try creating an indoor area where your dog can roam freely. This way, your dog will be able to explore, run around, and stay mentally stimulated without you having to be there. You could try setting up a playroom or indoor space that is safe for your dog to roam freely. This indoor space should have lots of toys and distractions, so your dog doesn’t get bored. It should also be designed so that your dog can’t get into trouble, like chewing on wires or opening cupboard doors.
Conclusion
Keeping your dog entertained while you’re at work can be challenging, but it’s also important for their health and happiness. Dogs need a lot of attention and physical and mental stimulation to be happy and healthy.
When you’re at work, it’s important to find ways to keep your dog busy, active, and engaged so that they don’t get bored or into trouble. You can do this by providing plenty of enrichment, physically and mentally active to your dog, and rotating toys and treat dispensers. There are lots of ways you can keep your dog happy and occupied while you’re at work, so your dog doesn’t get bored or get into trouble.
