Everyday we go off to work and leave our pets at home, alone. They may have the run of the house or yard or be crated. If you think about what you do when you are alone at home, it may help you understand what your pet needs: food, water, socialization, entertainment. If you have a puppy, a senior dog ( 6-8 years), or a dog with kidney problems, you will need to pay particular attention to how you manage your pet care.
Beyond dog walkers, pet sitters, and pet care centers, there are some things you can do to improve your pet’s life while you are at work. An obvious one that you may not have considered is having a neighbor, senior, or member of a senior center/community take your pet during the day. Perhaps you can locate several seniors that can take your pet on certain days. They may not want a pet full time or can’t afford a pet, yet this will provide some socialization for your pet and a senior as well as improve your pet’s life while you are at work. However, this isn’t always possible or desirable.
Here are some things you can do
1. Get up 15 minutes earlier and walk your dog longer in the morning—
more opportunties to urinate, more exercise (for you and your pet), and more bonding time.
2. Crates should be considered primarily as a transitional tool—used to train a puppy, to go to the vet, or to travel. Do not crate a puppy or dog too long if the temperature is hot as they will need more water and will have to urinate more frequently. If you are using a crate while you are at work, you might consider creating a safe “room” at home such as a kitchen, bathroom, hallway (not wood or porous material) and use pet gates.
If you use a crate as a “safe” dog house (not recommended over 5 hours, 1-4 hours for puppies over 3 months), make sure your crate is large enough for the dog to turn around and stretch its legs. If it is too big the dog will use part of the crate as its bathroom. If your dog is urinating in the crate, you are leaving your dog too long in the crate. Crates can protect a dog from getting into something during the day or if your pet has behavioral problems but for only short time frames. Crates should not be used for punishment nor should children use them as a “fort”. They can be used to train puppies and but should not be viewed as a permanent solution for leaving your pet alone at home for extended periods.
If you are leaving your pet for more than 2 hours in a crate, you should be leaving it some water (small animal water devices will work). As for toys or bedding, if they are used, they should be safe based on your pet’s behavior. If your pet has behavioral problems, you should work on solving them and not just warehousing your pet.
3. Use Radio, TV and CD’s to keep your pet company. Music (should be relaxing and not too loud) can create brain waves that make pets relax. Perhaps the Discovery Channel or Animal Planet are just a couple of alternatives which you can put on a timer. Some music may have healing power. Music ranges from Bach, Mozart to the harp (Harp Music to Soothe The Savage Beast or Harp of Hope: Animal Therapy Edition) and various relaxation CD’s. You will need to test what type of gentle music your pet enjoys. Radio talk shows are also great for birds. You can make your own CD and there are numerous CD’s available in book stores, on the internet and libraries are a free source of CD’s so you can vary your pet’s musical repertoire.
4. Cats – clean litter box, scratching posts, areas they can see out the window or clear door –and you can use a cat perch if it isn’t convenient for the cat to see out.
5. Entertainment for Cats & Pet Birds---IF, and only if, your cat is an indoor cat, consider putting a bird feeder outside where your cat sits. This should provide considerable entertainment for your cat (and maybe some frustration too) and provide varied interest while you are gone. This shouldn’t be considered if you leave your cat out as cats are a leading cause of wild bird deaths. If your cat goes outdoors, then consider a butterfly bush which will create some visual interest. You can create multiple places for this interaction to occur. This applies to pet birds as well. Other alternatives for cats include boxes, paper bags, tubes (paper towel and toilet paper) and catnip toys. Of course, you should make sure that your pet can’t get trapped or hurt by
these toys.
6. Birds – the larger the bird, generally the harder it is to have others take care of it because the bird has attached to you/your family. If you have someone else care for your bird, it is helpful if you introduce the bird to the person several times so the bird can feel safe and comfortable with this person. You should have very specific written instructions for your caretaker. Smaller birds tolerate longer absences than larger birds.
