Back to school, part 1

With school starting or just around the corner you've got new clothes for the kids, school supplies and fall sports or activities lined up but have you thought about getting your hound ready for the new fall schedule?

If the kids have been home most of the summer, you've taken time off and had a great vacation. Maybe your summer schedule is going by the wayside but for many of us fall ushers in another change in lifestyle. This can be a tough time for your dog, especially if they are a recent addition and you haven't had to leave them for an entire work or school day before.

Over the next week we're going to be giving you the benefit of our experience to help ease your dog into a new fall routine. Many of these tips are also helpful in trasitioning a new dog into your household. The underriding theme is the prevention of separation anxiety; forty percent of dogs referred to behaviorists are diagnosed with this condition (Overall & Dunham, 2001).

Overall, K. L., Dunham, A. E., & Frank, D. "Frequency of Nonspecific Clinical Signs in Dogs with Separation Anxiety, Thunderstorm Phobia, and Noise Phobia, Alone or in Combination." JAVMA. 2001. Vol 219, pp. 467-473.