Tips for working pet parents
You are working… should this be the reason to deter you from being blessed with the love and companionship of a pooch? No! Here’s how you can have a mutually satisfying, rewarding relationship with your pooch and how he can adjust in the 9 to 5 groove.
- Right reason: Adopt for the right reasons. Do not adopt if you only find the Vodafone Pug cute because a pup becomes a family member and requires time, attention and love.
- Warm welcome: Take consent of all family members. All members should be willing to welcome your new bundle of joy.
- Right breed: Consult a veterinarian/breeder for the right breed for you. Ensure you have time and commitment to take care of health, training, grooming, exercise needs and most importantly spending quality time with your canine baby. Do keep into account the energy level and requirement of the breed with your activity levels.
- Basic training: Train your pooch from Day 1. A well-behaved trained dog is a pleasure to be around.
- Age matters: A two months old puppy needs constant care in terms of food, cuddles and housetraining in comparison to a pup who is older. If you have somebody at home who can take care of the pup, will be great.
- No leash, no collar please: Please do not tie your dog or leave him in the garden/garage/guard room/balcony at home. Let him be free and comfortable in your home with you.
- Attending nature’s call: Before you leave for work and as soon as you are back, first attend to your dog specially his exercise and nature’s call needs. If you have help at home – who can do it, walk him will be nice. You can also keep newspapers in a shallow pan where he can relieve himself. This is important because this way, even if the pooch uses this space for relieving himself once in a while, your house would not be dirty.
- Dog proof his space: In order to keep your dog safe and also to ensure he does not hurt himself in separation anxiety, remove harmful things from his space. Give him things he would need – his comfortable bed, his toys, and of course plenty of clean drinking water and his regular food.
- Take help: If possible, you can have a help or a walker who can take your pooch out for his walk, when you are away. Ensure he is a reliable person and he takes him out on a leash.
- Spend quality time: Whenever you are at home, try to spend good quality time with him. Train him, play with him, groom him, take him out for a walk … do what two of you like!
- Make him comfortable: Depending on the weather ensure the pooch is comfortable, also if the pooch is at home alone – leaving the radio on for him is a great way.
- Toys: Toys to stimulate him and keep him busy are good. You could buy a Kong which can be filled with yummy treats to keep his boredom at bay.