Summer is almost over, and the kids are going back to school. What will your dog do all day? After a summer filled with kids at home, family activities, vacations, backyard play, and plenty of attention, the return to school can be a surprisingly tough adjustment for dogs. Their favorite people disappear for hours at a time, household routines change, and opportunities for activity and interaction may suddenly decrease. Here are our back-to-school dog walking tips for Connecticut Shoreline pet parents to keep dogs happy during this transition.
All Dogs Notice Schedule Changes
Backpacks are packed, alarms are about to start going off earlier, and suddenly the house is going to get a whole lot quieter.
Dogs are remarkably good at recognizing routines. They learn when everyone wakes up, when meals happen, when the leash comes out, and when their favorite humans normally arrive home. When summer ends, a dog who has grown accustomed to having company throughout the day may suddenly spend six, eight, or more hours in a much quieter house. Some adult dogs may happily snooze until everyone returns, but most dogs have a hard time adjusting.
As a result, you might notice more barking, chewing, pacing, attention-seeking, restlessness, or bursts of energy in the evening. These behaviors aren’t necessarily signs of a “naughty” dog. They are signs your dog may be struggling with being alone after becoming accustomed to having their family nearby. They may be asking for more opportunities for exercise, enrichment, interaction, and predictable routines.
At Shoreline Happy Paws, we think that now is the perfect time to ask: What is the dog’s routine going to look like when everyone goes back to school?
All Dogs Love a Midday Walk
Your kids have gym class, recess, lunch, and opportunities to socialize throughout the school day. Your dog could use a break, too, and a midday walk might be just what the “dogtor” ordered. See what I did there?!
A recurring midday dog walk allows your dog to get outside, relieve themselves, stretch their legs, sniff the neighborhood, and enjoy some individual attention before heading home to relax again.
Regular walks can provide both physical activity and mental enrichment. Sniffing, exploring, and experiencing the environment engage your dog’s brain in ways that simply letting them into the backyard may not.
And when the family gets home after a long day, your dog has already had an outlet for some of that physical and mental energy.
Some Dogs Need an Adventure Hike
For energetic dogs like working dog breeds and adolescent dogs, consider an Adventure Hike because some dogs need more than a nice stroll around the block.
Our Shoreline Happy Paws Adventure Hikes allow active dogs to explore the Connecticut Shoreline while enjoying exercise, sniffing, enrichment, and new experiences.
For social dogs, our Group Adventure Hikes can also provide positive experiences alongside carefully matched canine friends. It’s basically your dog’s favorite extracurricular activity, and unlike soccer practice, they don’t need you to drive them there; we’ll drive them!
Dogs & People Love Routine
One of the greatest advantages of recurring dog walking is predictability. Your dog learns that even though the kids leave for school and the adults head to work, something good is still coming later in the day.
Meanwhile, you don’t have to spend your morning wondering whether you’ll have time to squeeze in a walk between school drop-off, commuting, meetings, errands, homework, dinner, and everything else competing for your attention.
Your dog’s needs don’t change just because your family’s availability does. Creating a reliable care plan means those needs can still be met when life gets busy, and you can come home to a content dog, not one that is desperate for attention and reassurance.
Recurring Dog Walks & Hikes in the CT Shoreline
Back-to-school season is also a great time to become an established Shoreline Happy Paws client.
Our recurring dog walking and hiking clients get more than dependable weekly walks and adventures. After becoming established with us, they also gain access to additional services such as evening, weekend, holiday, and travel pet care, subject to availability.
That means the relationship you’re building with our dog walking team now can make life easier when holidays, long weekends, work trips, and vacations arrive later.
Back-to-School Dog Walking Tips for Connecticut Shoreline Pet Parents
If your family’s fall calendar is already filling up, put your dog’s activities on it, too. Recurring dog walks and Adventure Hikes can provide exercise, enrichment, consistency, and something exciting to look forward to while the rest of the family settles into its new routine.
For dogs across the Connecticut Shoreline, back-to-school season doesn’t have to mean back to boredom. The kids have their schedule. Let’s make sure your dog has one, too!
The Best Dog Walkers in Southeastern Connecticut
We are currently accepting new clients for our dog walking and dog hiking adventure services. For a limited time, you can earn free dog walks when you sign up for recurring weekly walks!
New Shoreline Happy Paws clients can create an account. We will be in touch to further discuss your needs and set you and your family up with the care you need. Existing clients, please book services by logging in to your client profile.
We serve the following areas of the Connecticut Shoreline:
- Old Saybrook
- Essex, Ivoryton & Centerbrook
- Deep River
- Chester
- Westbrook
- Clinton
- Old Lyme
- East Lyme
- Niantic
Certain Parts and Certain Service Hours in:
- Lyme and Madison
- Waterford, New London, Groton
- Uncasville, Gales Ferry, Mystic, Noank
