Help Your Furry Friends Adjust When You Go Back to Work

By Editor1SYS | May 27, 2021 0 Comments

Over the last year, remote working became the norm for many UK workers. As we spent more time at home alone, many of us adopted new pets to keep us company. The pandemic restrictions are beginning to lift, and office work looks like a possibility for the near future. 

Flyer specialist, instantprint, carried out a survey on UK employees. As a nation of pet lovers, it’s no surprise that the survey revealed one in ten remote workers are concerned about leaving their pet at home when they return to office work. Some are considering rehoming their pet, and others are enquiring about bringing the pet to the office. Here are some tips and tricks on how to help your pet adjust to your new working life.

Prepare them if you can

If you have a few weeks before returning to the office, try to prepare your pet for the transition. Gradually return your dog’s routine back to normal by adjusting how much time you spend with them and their exercise and mealtimes. Try to leave them alone for small amounts of time – like going to the shop or visiting a friend for an hour. 

Adjust the duration of time you are away from them every time you leave. Your pet should slowly adjust to spending time alone again so that it’s not too much of a shock when you go back to the office full-time.

Exercise them

Your dog needs to be exercised regularly, especially before leaving them alone at home all day. Try to exercise your furry friend in the morning to ease their mental stress and physical bursts of energy. They can sleep the day away and relax while you are at work.

Of course, sometimes we don’t have time to exercise our pets every single morning. Consider hiring a dog walker to exercise your dog while you are at work. Just bear in mind that your pet may have a little bit of social anxiety after spending the last year with you alone. Try to ease them into spending time with the dog walker before you go back to work.

Readjust mealtimes

Do not underestimate your pet’s ability to notice shifts in their routine. Slowly adjust their mealtimes to align with your working schedule so that they get used to eating at certain times. Resist the urge to feed them when you would typically be at work, and always exercise them early in the morning (like you would before the office.) 

You should be familiar with the signs of stress in your animal. Look out for them and try to ease any symptoms of depression or anxiety where you can.