Discover some tips for helping your pets when you return to the office

With more and more D.C. area residents getting vaccinated and returning to work, some pets are going to need to get re-acclimated to life without you at home around the clock.

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Longtime pets have likely spent more time with you than they have their entire lives over the past year, while new pets have never known life without around-the-clock attention from you.

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District Canine trainer Michael Hill has some advice for those whose pets will be home alone all day again soon:

- Explore support systems before returning to the office or leaving on vacation, so you can be confident what is best for your dog - whether it's doggy daycare, a dog walker midday, or spending the day at home with a friend or family

- Start mixing up the at-home quarantine lifestyle for your dog - trade pups with a friend or set up a sleepover for your pup with a neighbor

- Puppies that aren't destructive when you're with them might not be trustworthy on their own - err on the side of caution with a safe kennel or puppy-proofed space

- Plan physical exercise and mental stimulation before leaving your pup at home - strategize activity to exhaust your pup before you leave the house

- Invest in a puppy camera to be able to monitor your dog from your phone when you are away

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To find out more about District Canine, click here.