So you’re thinking about getting a puppy? Or maybe you’ve just brought home your very own furry ball of joy (and other, er, substances). Like human babies, the pitter-patter of tiny paws in your life doesn’t come with an instruction manual. While in an ideal world, we’d be able to devote all our time, effort and cash to being a round-the-clock doggy daycare, the reality is that little things like, y’know, work can make that hard.
If your office isn’t dog-friendly, there are options. In pup-mad Manhattan, “peternity leave” has been around for a few years (even though maternity leave isn’t required by law in the US). The NYC-based apartment rental company Loftey offers paid leave for workers whose pet has died and time off for veterinary appointments. Meanwhile, the data platform provider Mparticle gives employees two weeks’ paid leave should they adopt a rescue dog. “We offer maternity and paternity leave; a pet is just another member of the family,” says Laurel Peppino, Mparticle’s head of talent acquisition. “We don’t discriminate just because they aren’t human.”
In the past few years, a handful of companies in the UK have been getting in on the pawternity leave act. The aptly-named BrewDog brewery and pub chain, offers “puppy parental leave”, as does Mars Pet Nutrition, with more and more firms around the country following suit. Greg Buchanan, who runs tech support company BitSol Solutions near Manchester, offers up to a week of paid leave for employees with a new pet. “Obviously we take it on a case-by-case decision,” he says. “If somebody’s asking for time off for a goldfish, no … it’s not quite what we set out for.”
According to the Kennel Club, the first 16 weeks of a puppy’s life are key to producing a well-balanced, sociable dog, and they say that requesting time off would be “sensible” for the owner and “extremely beneficial” to the puppy, who can be intensively trained, acclimatised and socialised. That’s probably a better way to go than being one of the four in 10 people who’ve pulled a sickie because of their pet.
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home also recommends a period of settling in for a rescue animal and getting it into a new routine, but warns that dogs can end up thinking constant human company is normal. So, tempting as it may seem to trade in your job for a lifetime of doggy servitude, make sure you build in some time away too …
When you do, it’s important not to make up for your absence with indulgence. Obesity among dogs is rising rapidly, with an estimated 40% of pet dogs in the UK thought to be overweight – much of this coming down to unnecessary treats and titbits. “Guilt feeding – ie ‘I’m going out for eight hours, have this high calorie rawhide chew’ – is the easiest way to cause weight gain,” says Clare Hemmings, scientific communications manager at Royal Canin. “Better to spend time playing with them before you leave.”
Thankfully, new technology is also helping dog-owners balance their puppy-care needs with the demands of modern life. The pet-tech market is growing rapidly – one report estimated the worldwide pet wearable market would hit $2.3bn (£1.65bn) by 2022 – and it’s not all about palming off doggy day care on to an app, but rather keeping them happy and active during inevitable absences. Here are some highlights:
Tech tips for pets
1. PitPat (£39.99)
If you’re already obsessed with tracking your own eating, sleeping and steps, you’ll want to be measuring your best friend’s too. This lightweight tracker attaches to the collar and connects to an app to tell you how long your dog has walked, run, played and rested throughout the day. Fascinating, yes, but the information could also lower the cost of your pet insurance. And don’t feel too upset if your furry friend laps you on the daily step count – four legs are better than two.
2. Motorola Scout (£99.99)
Although the Kennel Club advises that young puppies should not be left out on their own in a garden for any length of time, once your new friend gets a bit older they’ll want to explore, which is when a GPS pet tracker that can pinpoint your pet’s whereabouts and send it to your smartphone will come in handy. Motorola’s Scout also allows you to set up virtual boundaries and receive alerts when your pet strays beyond them.
3. iFetch (£89.99)
Arm already tired from constantly throwing that stick? iFetch is an automatic ball launcher that can be operated from a smartphone. While we wouldn’t recommend using it to replace all physical exertion on your part, it does mean you can keep playtime up in your coffee break.
4. GoPro Fetch (£39.99)
If you want to see the world through your pup’s eyes – cue close-ups of other dog’s bums and your half-chewed shoes – you’ll want to invest in a wearable camera or mount, such as the GoPro Fetch, a harness that allows you to attach a camera to their body, and even upload the footage to social media if you want to create a viral pupstar.
5. Furbo (£249.99)
Monitoring your dog’s day in data from your desk is one thing, but you might miss their furry face. This is where pet cameras become your new best friend (after your dog, obviously). Furbo even allows you to toss treats, record your own voice and video call them – all from an app on your phone. A “barking alert” lets you know if your dog is on the howl when you’re away, plus there’s two-way audio so you can calm them down, and night-vision mode so you can watch your new arrival sleep, from the comfort of your bed.
A word of advice on “treat tossing”, though: “If you must feed treats, use low calorie ones,” says Hemmings. “Adding in scraps or extras just causes tummy upsets – and who wants to witness their dog pooing in the house via an app and know that they still have five hours before they can get home to clean it up?” Who indeed?
To avoid any in-house mishaps, start with balanced dog food tailored to your pet. Royal Canin dog food provides nutritionally complete, age- and breed-specific diets for optimum health
