Are you looking for information on how to take care of a dog when you work? Owning a pet, especially a dog, is a big responsibility. It requires you to offer constant care, love, and attention. Dogs also require constant supervision, as they are curious and can get into as much trouble as kids. So, how can you keep them safe and happy when you have other obligations, such as work?
While it might seem impossible, you can own a dog and still go to work. Plenty of people do, and their pets survive. First, however, you must take some necessary steps to ensure your dog is safe and contented.
Taking care of your dog means keeping it safe from any potential hazards. It also requires you to create a comfortable environment. Most of all, you need to keep your pet fed and stimulated. Below are some top tips on how to take care of a dog when you work:
Keep a Tidy Yard
Whether you work at home or away in an office, your dog will spend a lot of time in the yard. And unfortunately, you might not always be there checking on their every action. Therefore, one of the best ways on how to take care of a dog when you work is to keep the yard tidy and safe. This helps to create a conducive space for your dog to play and relax while removing any potential hazards.
With a dog, one of the first things you need to do in your yard is to clear away any debris and garbage. Items such as construction materials, unused tools, and garbage bins can injure your dog. It could also pose a health risk should your pet chew or ingest some of these items. Therefore, clear away the yard or hire professional junk removers to keep your yard looking nice.
Something else to consider when you have a dog is your lawn. Keeping the grass trimmed not only keeps it neat, but it helps to protect it from an invasion of ticks, fleas, and other pests. Depending on your area, dangerous animals such as scorpions, spiders, and snakes can also hide in overgrown yards. Therefore, you should regularly mow your lawn and hire a wildlife removal service to ensure no dangers are hiding in your lawn and yard.
Plants that grow in your yard can also pose a risk to your dog. Plants, flowers, and vegetables such as onions, chives, ivy, and many others can poison your dog. Therefore, you should avoid growing them in your yard. If you are unsure whether your plants are poisonous, you should consider hiring arborists. They will offer advice about safe plants that won’t harm your pet.
Fencing your yard is another way of how to take care of a dog when you work. They help keep your pet safely within the yard, away from potential hazards. Fences can also protect your dog from risky areas in the yard, such as the pool or where poisonous plants are growing. Consider hiring professional fence installer services for pet-friendly fences that protect your pets without harming them.
Remove Risks
There are many risks in a home that can harm pets. Therefore, another good way on how to protect a dog when you work is to find and remove these risks. This way, you won’t have to worry about potential injuries while away.
One potential risk you should consider in your home is the garage door. A faulty garage door can cause severe injuries to your dog if the sensor is not working correctly. Furthermore, if the door won’t close completely, your dog and other pets can slip through, or worse, dangerous animals can slip inside, posing a risk to your pet.
Therefore, you should hire professional garage door repair services to ensure the garage is safe. You should also consider basement repair and concrete repairs to fix any issues such as flooded basements, mold, exposed or weak concrete blocks, and other hazards.
Other potential risks to your dog include chemicals and fertilizers, cleaning products, gardening tools, and more. Ensure these are kept in a secure location(s) where your pet cannot reach them.
Electrical cords are another possible risk that you should remove from your home. Dogs and other pets like to chew on them, posing a significant risk of electrocution or electrical burns. Therefore, make sure you don’t leave any plugged-in cords lying around. If need be, hire an electrical contractor to retrofit your electrical system so that there is no exposed wiring that can injure your dog when you’re at work.
Improve Your Home
Improving your home is another excellent way on how to take care of a dog when you work. It’s not enough to keep your pet safe; you must create a comfortable environment.
For example, you need to keep your dogs cool in hot weather and warm during cold seasons. Therefore, you should install a sound HVAC system in your home. If you have one that isn’t working correctly, be sure to hire a professional AC repair contractor to ensure that your dog is not miserable when you are working.
You should not limit your home improvements to the indoors. Given that your pet will spend a lot of time outdoors, you should also spruce up the exterior spaces. For example, you can consider installing an awning and a deck where your dog can relax and be shielded from extreme sun or rain. Consider working with a professional local deck builder to make your deck as pet-friendly as possible.
Another excellent idea on how to take care of a dog when you work is to pave your exterior. Pavers provide a safe and conducive space for your dog, without ticks, fleas, dangerous insects, plants, and other hazards in unpaved areas. They also create a smooth surface that is easy on your dog’s paws. Furthermore, they reduce digging, which helps to keep your outdoors looking neat.
You can pave several areas for your dog, such as the driveway, patrol paths, deck area, or even the entire yard area. When installing pavers, make sure to consult residential driveway paving services to make your paved spaces pet friendly.
Pet Proof Your Home
Dogs are curious and can get into a lot of trouble if left alone. This can mean wreaking havoc on your home or, worse, getting injured. For example, they will likely jump over furniture, knocking things off. They can also get inside cabinets, ingesting human food or even poisonous substances such as cleaning supplies, medicines, and chemicals.
Therefore, another tip on how to take care of a dog when you work is to ensure your home is pet-proof. Some proofing tasks are easy, and you can do them yourself. For example, you should never leave things like work tools, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, and other potential hazards lying around.
However, if you want peace of mind, you should consider hiring professionals to handle more technical tasks. For example, you can hire cabinet contractors to install pet-proof locks on your cabinets. Pet door installers are also a good idea if you want to keep your dog from accessing specific areas of the house.
There are even companies that offer comprehensive pet proofing services. These include a home safety assessment, identifying all the potential areas you should address.
Redesign the Interior of Your Home
On top of dog proofing, you should also redesign your home’s interior to make it more inviting for your pet. For example, you can renovate your flooring with pet-friendly floors such as hardwood, laminate, tiles, and painted concrete. You can also create larger windows or install sheer fabrics, letting the light in and giving your pet a clear view of the outdoors.
Furniture is another thing to consider when redesigning your home for your pet. Make sure to install pet-friendly furniture with a smooth surface that is not easily chewed and is scratch-proof. You should also add furniture items for your dog, such as a dog bed and stairs.
Lastly, when furnishing your home, you should always consider your dog before purchasing any items. Pets like to scratch and chew on various things, so you must select durable items that can withstand such damage. You will also need to consider the ease of cleaning since you will be dealing with a lot of dog hair and, sometimes, urine and poop.
Keep Your Home Clean
Keeping your home clean is another top way on how to take care of a dog when working. Pets need a clean and comfortable environment where they can play and relax. Having a pet at home will also require you to up the ante on the cleaning schedule. For example, dogs shed hair regularly, meaning you will likely find hair on surfaces such as carpets and furniture.
Dogs can also have accidents sometimes, even if you have house-trained them. Furthermore, some suffer from chewing anxiety when separated from their owner, which means coming home to a mess.
Therefore, you should regularly clean your house for your sake and that of your pet. If you have a busy schedule, consider hiring professional home cleaners, especially those that offer specialized home pet cleaning services.
Install a Home Security System
A good home security system is one of the best ways on how to take care of a dog when you work. They help keep your pet from being lost or stolen when left alone at home. You can also monitor your home regularly and find out when something serious happens to your dog.
Indoor and outdoor security cameras are an excellent place to start if you want to keep your pet safe. Ensure you go for IP cameras that you can view online or install a recording device with a remote view feature. You can also find specific cameras for pets, including ones you can attach to your dog, thus monitoring all of its movements when you are away.
Window and door sensors are another great idea for your home security. These will alert you if there is an intruder in your home who could pose a risk to your pet. They can also come in handy if your dog is big enough to break through glass or can open doors and windows. You can also consider smoke detectors (to warn you of fire hazards) and smart switches to keep your home lit for your dog when you are away.
When installing a home security system, you should consult a home security expert to customize it for your dog. After all, you want to avoid several false alarms due to your dog triggering motion detectors and sensors.
Can You Take Care of Your Dog and Work?
Learning how to take care of a dog when you work can seem daunting. However, many pet owners balance their pet needs with other obligations. All you need to do is make sure that you have created a safe and comfortable space for your pet when you are away.
On top of keeping your dog safe and comfortable, you should also employ other tactics to keep it stimulated when you are away. For example, buying chewing toys and other play items. Also, your pet should have enough food and water throughout.
Lastly, you should regularly interact with your dog when you have time, either in the morning or evening. Be sure to stimulate them mentally and physically, which will burn off excess energy, thus making it easier to behave when away. You can also consider looking for dog walking services when you’re at work, so your pet is not alone for too long.
Owning a dog and having a regular job is possible. If you decide to go down this route, the tips above on how to take care of a dog when you work will help ensure your dog is happy and safe. These tips will help you create a safe and comfortable environment for your pet, keeping them happy when you are away. Some of these tips also help protect your home from any mischief your dog might get to during work hours.
