How to Prepare Your Dog Back to School: 4 Essential Tips

Preparing Your Dog Back to School

Back-to-school time is upon us, and that means one thing: relaxing, lazy summer routines are coming to an end. It’s time to start setting early alarms, packing school lunches, and leaving the house quiet during the day.

But don’t forget, it’s also time to begin preparing your dog back to school. While you may be focused on getting the kids ready for this hectic time, your dog also needs attention to ensure a smooth transition.

To help your dog have the best experience possible once your family’s fall routine goes into full effect, consider these tips:

• Start setting early alarms for both you and your dog to establish a new morning routine.
• Prepare school lunches while ensuring your dog is fed and ready for the day.
• Ease your dog into the quietness of the house by gradually leaving them alone for short periods.

These steps will help make the transition easier for your dog back to school.

4 Tips For Preparing Your Dog Back to School

Practice Your New Routine Before School Starts

With your kids back in school, your dog will be losing their best friends during the day. Coupled with your own longer absences, your dog could be going from months of constant interaction to long days of being completely alone. This transition can be especially tough for dogs. They don’t understand why you’re leaving them, and they don’t know if or when you’re coming back. This can lead to them feeling scared, worried, or anxious.

To ease this transition, start practicing your dog back to school routine several weeks before school actually starts:

• Set your alarm and get up earlier instead of sleeping in.
• Take your dog out for a bathroom break or walk at the same time you will on school days (both in the morning and evening, especially if your kids have after-school activities).
• Adjust your dog’s meal routine to the new schedule (both mornings and evenings).
• Leave your dog alone or in their crate for short periods of time to help them get used to the solitude.

By mimicking your back-to-school routine early, your dog will gradually adjust to the change rather than facing a sudden, cold-turkey switch.

For more tips on handling your dog's separation anxiety, check out this article.

Plan Extra Exercise in the Mornings and Evenings

Leaving your dog home alone during the day doesn’t just mean less interaction — it also means less exercise. Whether the consequence of that is weight gain or destructive behavior like chewing, you want to avoid it at all costs.

Just like you, your dog needs physical activity and exercise to stay healthy. They also need it to prevent boredom, which often leads to bad behaviors.

If you can't walk your dog during the day, consider these options:

• Leave enough time in the mornings for 30 minutes of walking, jogging, or playing.
• Once the kids are home in the afternoon, schedule another play session with the dog, either at home or at your nearby dog park.
• Remember:
• Before automatically blaming your dog, see if extra physical activity solves the problem.
• Chewed-up furniture and unexplained accidents in the house are often signs of boredom.

Keep Your Dog Mentally Stimulated Throughout the Day

There are several ways to keep your dog mentally engaged during the day, even when you’re not there:

• Leave puzzle toys or games out while you’re away. These typically require your dog to “solve” a puzzle to get to a treat, keeping them occupied for hours.
• Leave some slow music on during the day. Your dog will be going from constantly hearing voices to complete silence for hours on end. Try leaving music or a radio talk show on, but ensure it’s not too loud or fast, as it may create anxiety.
• Consider hiring a dog walker or using a pet daycare if back-to-school time means you'll be back at work. Extra human interaction during the day can work wonders and will also leave you (and your dog) less stressed about getting in the necessary bathroom breaks. For tips on choosing the right dog walker, you can check out this guide.

By incorporating these strategies, you can keep your dog mentally stimulated and help them adjust to the new routine.

Oh, boy. Some of these dogs aren't too happy when their playmates go to school:

Stay Calm When You Leave and Return

And now the final tip on preparing your dog back to school: keep the dramatics to a minimum.

You and your kids will probably want to smother your dog with kisses when you leave home and return for the day. However, for their sake, hold off on the extra affection — it may trigger the dog's anticipation of your departure.

Your dog might become anxious or adopt a whining or barking routine once you’re out the door. Going through the same motions when you return only further reinforces how long you’ve been gone. Here are some steps to help: Just say a quick and calm goodbye in the morning.

• Once you’re home for the day, go about your normal routine before giving your dog all the love and attention they deserve.
• Set your bags down, get the homework out, and let your dog outside first before engaging with them.

Practice this with your kids, too. Because they may not understand the reasoning, it could be harder for them to adopt. After all, they’re losing one of their best friends during the day, too.

With a little planning and preparation, your dog will have the smoothest back-to-school transition possible.

Best Way to Keep Your Dog Fit and Happy

Looking for a way for you and your dog to get healthy together?

Check out the FitBark 2, the highest-rated dog health monitor on the market. It’s a small, colorful device that you attach to your dog’s collar. The FitBark 2 offers:

• Monitoring of activity levels to ensure your dog stays active.
• Tracking quality of sleep to understand your dog’s rest patterns.
• Measurement of distance traveled to keep tabs on your dog’s daily exercise.
• Calculation of calories burned for maintaining a healthy weight.
• 24/7 monitoring of overall health and behavior to catch any issues early.

With an unbelievable 6-month battery life, you can worry less about recharging and more about bonding with your pup. The FitBark 2 fits dogs of any size, and it loves the water as much as your dog does!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)