When Pets Are Home Alone

When Pets Are Home Alone

Wouldn’t it be such a great life if you could stay home all day with your pets, cuddling and playing with them? But alas, that’s not possible for most of us. As much as we would love to spend more time with our pets, we have school, work, familial responsibilities, and personal commitments to look after. These things often drain our energy and don’t leave us with enough time to spend with our fur babies.

Most new pet owners are racked with guilt and fear when leaving their pets behind when they are going to work or school. While they do miss you when you are gone, there is no need to feel that bad. They will be fine without you, and you can always make it up to them when you get back home.  Just make a few preparations for them, so their safety and comfort are not compromised while you are away.

Train Them to Be on Their Own

Your pets love your company. However, if they have always been around company, they might have trouble adjusting to these solitary periods. Some pets get separation anxiety if they are suddenly left on their own. So if you plan on being out of the house for a long stretch of time, you need to train your pet to remain calm and assure them that you will be coming back. Here is a useful resource on how to train your pet to get used to being on their own.

Keep Food and Water Available

Keep their food and water bowls within their reach. If your pets are free feeders, put out the ration of kibble that you normally give them, and put it out in the morning so they can eat when they are hungry. Alternatively, you could also use fun feeders, which only dispense a certain amount of food at a time, making a game out of it or making your pet solve a puzzle to get his fill of kibble. This helps keep the pet well-entertained and well-fed in your absence.

Avoid Choking Hazards

Leave behind some toys that can keep your pets occupied and entertained in your absence. However, be very careful not to leave them unsupervised with toys that they can chew apart and swallow. With nobody to dispense emergency actions in case of choking, the situation can turn fatal for your pet.

Arrange Indoor Litter Boxes

You need to have indoor pee pads or litter boxes set up so that your pets can go whenever they want. You need to get them accustomed to using their indoor boxes before leaving them alone, or you will find your entire house soiled and spoiled.

Hire Pet Sitters or Walkers

If you can’t stop worrying about your pet while they are home alone, you should appoint a pet sitter who can visit your house for a short period of time, check up on your pet, feed them, walk them, and play with them for a while so they are not completely on their own for too long. A friendly face will cheer your pet up, and appease your constant worrying.

If you, too, get anxious when you think about leaving your pet alone at home, Little Friends Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Services are at your disposal.  You can schedule a visit or walk with our online scheduling application. Our services are located on our website and range from a 15-minute visit/walk to a 60-minute visit/walk.  You can choose based on your pet’s needs.  Call us today!!