Insights

DDID YOU DECIDE TO ADOPT during the pandemic? Great! Hopefully you were able to spend quality time with your new pet and set the foundation for a wonderful life together. What happens when you return to work?

If you adopted during the pandemic and your schedule is changing, you should start preparing your pet as soon as possible by leaving the house for short visits throughout the day. You’ve been home with the pet almost 24/7 and you are suddenly going to be gone for extended periods of time. Make sure when you leave you make the “alone time” positive for your pet. You can do this by providing a good treat. For example, give your dog a Kong filled with a tasty treat to eat while you are away. Start with small trips and work up to longer ones. Maybe it’s a quick trip to the mailbox, a longer trip to the grocery store, and working up to a few more hours. Don’t make a big deal about coming and going. Provide lots of physical and mental enrichment when you are home so they are tired when you aren’t there.

Be patient. Understand that expecting them to change a routine they just finally got adjusted to may not happen overnight and may take them some time. Reach out to your local animal shelter for tips on how to make this process easier. Animal

shelters are filled with wonderful resources and knowledgeable staff who are eager to direct you to ways in which you can have a long, successful relationship with your pet. This pet is now a part of your new life and while no one knows what our new “normal” will ever be, it will be significantly better sharing it with a furry friend.