August 14th

By Mutt Mulligan

The ABC’s of Back to School…for Your Dog

Summer is winding down and back-to-school days are right around the corner. While you may be looking forward to getting the kids out of the house and back on a routine, it could be a different story for your dog.

TurfMutt offers these tips for helping the four-legged members of your family get to the head of the class through the summer to school transition.

• Start slow: About two weeks before your kids go back to school, start leaving your pet at home alone for short stents to get them used to being alone. By doing this you will make the transition easier when the kids are gone all day long.
• Crate is great: Indoor crating may be the best bet for dogs who will be left alone for several hours. Dogs are den animals and actually prefer snug spaces!
• Power playtime: Even though your schedule is picking up, you still need to make time for exercising your dog. Playing outside in the backyard, family walks and dog park outings are just a few ways to make sure your dog gets enough exercise after being home alone all day.

Do you have any advice on how to prepare your dog?