Back-to-school time looks a little different for most families this year. But whether kids are going back to classes, doing distance learning from home, or adults are returning to the office full time, schedule changes can be stressful for dogs.
The sudden switch from long summer days of playing with the kids to being alone in the house for long periods of time can be a tough adjustment. Your family dog can start to feel left out or become overwhelmed during this transition and you may notice him acting differently as a result.
The American Kennel Club shares the following tips to keep your dog happy during these changes.
Make gradual changes
Ease your dog slowly into new routines. If the family member who normally walks or sleeps in the same room as him will soon be spending less time at home, give these tasks to someone who will be around more consistently. Start slowly making these changes a week or two before the change of routine.
Notice relationships
Kim Simeon and children Annabel, 9, and Brennan, 11, pose for a photo with Nala, a dog they are fostering, in Omaha, Neb., in this March 27, 2020, photo.
Be aware of the close relationships your dog has formed over the past summer weeks. If they happen to be with a family member who is visiting for the summer or who is planning to move out this fall, try fostering new bonds between your dog and a family member who will continue to live in the house full time.
Don't forget exercise
A woman in a face mask uses the steps outside the Denver State Capitol to exercise with her dog May 4, 2020.
Stimulate your dog's body and mind with consistent exercise. Regular exercise can be the key to solving a plethora of canine behavior issues, so don't sacrifice your dog's exercise because of a changing routine or weather conditions. Rain or shine, warm weather or cold, daily, physical exercise is a must.
Mental stimulation is important, too
Boredom can create a list of undesirable behaviors, such as: digging, chewing, barking and jumping, so stimulating your dog's mind is equally important as stimulating his body. Indoor games of fetch and basic obedience commands will help keep your dog's mind and body from wandering off limits.
Teach a new trick
Training skills can lapse during the unstructured summer months. With routines changing, teaching your dog a new trick or two can help keep him included in the back-to-school routine. Teaching tricks is easier than you think. You just need patience and some treats. Remember to keep training sessions short and to the point. Shaking hands and the leg weave are fun, simple tricks that will keep your dog feeling part of the new household routine.
More adorable dog photos
Here are 25 adorable photos of dogs to brighten up your day.
Dachshund puppy
Samira, an 8-week-old Dachshund puppy, carries her water dish on June 18, 2018, in Wilmington, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
New Zealand tiny puppy
Six-month-old Maltese pup Scooter sits dwarfed by a tea cup as owner Cheryl McKnight admires her tiny ball of fluff in Gisborne, New Zealand, on July 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Rebecca Grunwell)
Puppies
Samira, left, and Scarlett, 8-week-old Dachshund puppies, play in the grass June 18, 2018, in Wilmington, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Miniature Schnauzer
A miniature schnauzer puppy is shown Feb. 18, 2001, in Spring, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Boy and puppy
Will Farkas embraces a puppy during the first morning of a camp for children whose lives have been touched by cancer in South Russell, Ohio, on Aug. 1, 2005. Each of the 12 campers was given a puppy to take care of and socialize with during the week-long camp. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
Golden retriever puppies
A litter of seven golden retriever puppies trots across the lawn at Mountain View Kennels in Williamsburg, Pa., on Nov. 2, 2005. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Tiny puppy
Beyonce, left, a Dachsund puppy vying for the title of World's Smallest Dog, is held with her mom Casey, a mixed Dachshund and Chihuahua, on March 28, 2012, in New York. Animal rescuers in Northern California say Beyonce was so small at birth that she could fit into a spoon. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
Puppy Bowl
Puppies play during Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl in Silver Spring, Md. (AP Photo/Stephen J Boitano.)
Iraq puppy
Ratchet, a puppy from Iraq who was rescued by a soldier from Minnesota, rests after arriving at Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Va., on Oct. 20, 2008. The dog from Iraq arrived after a lengthy effort to reunite the pooch with the U.S. soldier who adopted him. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Puppies
Puppies Apple, left, and Curry tussle with a chew toy as they romp at ASPCA headquarters in New York on April 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Five Legged Puppy
In this photo taken on July 16, 2009, Lily, a Chihuahua terrier mix with five legs, licks a bowl in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/The Charlotte Observer, Jeff Siner)
Puppy ride
Draco, a golden retriever puppy, enjoys a ride on the shoulder of owner Cyrus Scribner of Middlesex, Vt., on Sept. 30, 2010. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)
Guess
An animal control officer holds a puppy named Guess in Minneapolis on Feb. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Labrador retriever
Harbor, an 8-week-old Labrador retriever, takes a nap at the American Kennel Club headquarters in New York on March 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
French bulldog
Pua, a 5-month-old French bulldog, poses for photographers at the American Kennel Club headquarters in New York on March 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
Labrador puppies
Window shoppers look at a pair of Labrador puppies for sale at the Westside Pavilion Shopping Center in Los Angeles on Oct. 4, 2010. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, file)
Chocolate lab puppy
A chocolate lab puppy looks at the camera in New Hampshire in this Jan. 8, 2019, photo. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Puppy
In this Jan. 8, 2019, photo, inmate Jonathan Ladson cuddles with a chocolate lab puppy at Merrimack County Jail in Boscawen, N.H. The New Hampshire jail is the first in the state to partner prisoners with the "Hero Pups" program to foster and train puppies with the goal of placing them with military veterans and first responders in need of support dogs. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Golden retriever puppies
Officers introduce a litter of golden retriever puppies to be trained as police dogs during a skills presentation of the K-9 unit in La Paz, Bolivia, on April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
Coonhound puppy
Milo, a coonhound puppy born with "upside down paws," chews on a treat at his home at the Oliver and Friends Farm Rescue and Sanctuary in Luther, Okla., on Feb. 14, 2019. Milo was born with a congenital dislocation of both elbows that left his paws turned upside down. The condition was treated with surgery. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Puppy
A puppy is on display at a pet store in Columbia, Md., on Aug. 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Puppies
Puppies play in a cage at a pet store in Columbia, Md., on Aug. 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
Shetland sheepdog
Linda Eroh holds Sammy, a 12-year-old Shetland sheepdog, on Oct. 9, 2008, at her Douglassville, Pa., home. Eroh rescued Sammy from a puppy mill. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Iraq puppy
Ratchet, a puppy from Iraq who was rescued by a soldier from Minnesota, rests on arrival at Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Va., on Oct. 20, 2008. The dog from Iraq has arrived after a lengthy effort to reunite the pooch with the U.S. soldier who adopted him. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Petula
Petula, a rescued pug, walks around during a rally on the front steps of the Statehouse in Indianapolis on April 23, 2009. A group of dog lovers called on lawmakers to regulate large-scale dog breeding operations in Indiana. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
For more tips on dog ownership, visit the American Kennel Club website at www.akc.org.
