With most of Chicagoland back at school, you may already be noticing that your dog is feeling a big neglected without a house full of kids at home. If you live in a busy family home, the back to school transition can be a big one for your entire crew. Be sure your dog stays engaged, and out of trouble, with a few of our back to school considerations.

Routine and Schedules

Back to school time has the same promise as New Year’s Day. Everyone is ready to attack early bedtimes and routines with vigor and confidence. Harness your family’s routine and be sure that your dog has a regular schedule as well. Just like your kids, your dog loves having a routine and knowing what comes next. Be sure that you are feeding him at a consistent time, playing with him consistently, and making his day as routinized as possible while he gets used to the back to school transition.

Speaking of routine, consider having your dog jump in the car for school drop-off. After the kids are at school, drop off your dog at Dog Training Now to participate in a busy day full of play, obedience, and exercise. If your dog is an Alumni of our training programs, our Graduate Refresher Trainings are the perfect way for him to spend the day. For those dogs who haven’t completed one of our training programs, now is a great time to get him enrolled in our obedience options.

Walking Becomes More Important

Your dog relies on time out of the house, on a walk, to get the exercise he needs to burn off extra energy. With back to school transition leaving everyone feeling extra tired at the end of the day, your dog’s daily walks are even more important to fend off any bad behavior. Try walking in the morning, before the chaos of the day starts, or after dinner, as a moment of peace and quiet between you and your dog. In any case, find a time that works for you and your family and stick with it. Your dog will thank you for it.

Potty Accident Prevention

Finally, potty accidents can increase during the back to school transition. Your dog may not be used to being at home alone for so long, or he may have gotten in some bad habits during the relaxed summer season. In any case, our Trainers are ready to help with potty training and reinforcement. We offer potty training programs for dogs of any age, including a one-of-a-kind Potty Boot Camp for older dogs over the age of 6 months.

We are wishing you and your family a successful fall back-to-school season and we hope to see your dog in our studio soon!