One of our clients recently contacted me because he had a schedule change. What used to be an 8-hour work day has turned to a 12-hour one.
On the days he’s gone 12 hours he’s noticed his dog is really antsy when he gets home, she’s torn up things in his house and he’s noticed her start to act strangely when he is home.
He called us to see if we could help and of course I said yes.
I suggested that he book a mid-day potty break and dog walk right off the bat.
If you have a dog and he’s home alone for 12 hours, that’s a really long time to have to stay inside without a bathroom break. Depending on the age of your dog and their health/breed, expecting them to wait 12 hours to pee will likely cause bladder/urinary problems down the road.
Help For Dog Owners Who Are Gone 12 Hours A Day:
- Make sure your dog gets PLENTY of exercise when you are home. Does this mean open the back door and let them in the backyard? Nope. It means you put on your tennis shoes and either take them for a quick sprint, quick walk, jog or run. If this isn’t possible, then grab some tennis balls and throw them in the backyard to tire out your dog.
- What if your dog doesn’t like a lot of exercise or chasing balls? Try something else. He HAS to have mental stimulation as well as physical or he’ll go stir crazy being in your house all day.
- If you can’t get home mid-day to give him a quick potty break, hire a dog walker or pet sitter like me 🙂
- If you don’t have the funds to hire a pet sitter or dog walker like me, call anyway. Maybe we can work out a deal of some sort or I can give you other ideas to help.
- If you have a smaller dog that routinely potties in the house, try using puppy pads so they don’t ruin your floor.
- Immediately take your dog out when you get home from your 12-hour day!
- Don’t scold him for tinkling on the floor, he can’t help it.
- Try and make sure your dog pees really good BEFORE you leave. If he gorges on water right as you’re walking out the door, dang, that’s going to be a long day…better yet, don’t allow him to gorge on water right before you leave and leave enough but not TOO much while you’re gone.
If you need any other suggestions on this or any pet-related issue, feel free to contact us or give us a call. We’re here to help!
Thanks,
Kelley Stewart, CEO|Pet Sitter
sit-stay-play In-home pet sitting & more.LLC
“Your pet sitting, dog walking, poop scooping specialists!”
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