Sad dog? It’s normal, it’s September. When the days get shorter and holidays become just a memory. But when kids return to school and parents to work…what really happens to your dog? While you are busy getting back into the routine, your dog may risk feeling left out without you even realising it. 

Don’t worry. Because back-to-school dog blues (or your dog’s feelings of being left out) is harmful to your dog’s quality of life, here we will address the phenomenon and give you practical suggestions.

Sad dog: watch out for these symptoms

How do you understand if your sad dog is suffering from the dog blues? No, it’s not mean teachers nor exams that your dog fears. The way he/she copes with the beginning of school is by showing a form of idleness often related to separation anxiety.

Clearly, the reason is that now you cannot spend as much time with your dog as you could before summer ended. And your dog is sad about it.

If this is the case, your dog will display one or more of these signs:

  • develops different eating habits
  • is impatient and restless, (can destroy clothes, things or doing his/her business inside)
  • barks more than usual
  • sleeps all day

If you have never heard of the dog blues, this year, have an attentive look at your dog’s behaviors. Does he/she show one or more of these signs? Can these be dog-blues related symptoms? If the answer is yes, you should find ways to dig into the reasons why your dog is sad and lessen your dog’s sad feeling.

Set a dog-friendly schedule for the whole family

Plan a dog-friendly schedule for the whole family. Here is what you should consider:

1. Morning habits

back to school doggie bluesMorning walks keep your dog in shape and reduce your dog’s energy surplus, hence: walk your dog every morning. No early bird in the family? Divide up the responsibility by taking turns! Use Dog Walk, the mobile app developed by Tractive to keep your dog’s walking routine on track.

2. Afternoon-breaks

A sad dog will feel even worse if he/she is left alone for a long time. If in your family there is someone who can return home at midday, he/she should go for a quick visit! Just a few minutes with a person he/she knows can decrease your sad dog’s anxiety.

3. Back home

After a long day at school/work the whole family is a little bit drained. Take turns walking your dog once again. Like before, a short walk could be good enough. After the walk, your dog should feel relaxed for the rest of the evening.

Split these tasks equally among the family members and none of this will be overwhelming, especially for your dog!

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