Going back to the office

hi all - Jelly and I have been very lucky that for her first year with us, I have been able to work from home. I have just accepted a job though and will have to go back to the office at least 4 days a week. I figure I'll drop her at her pet sitter every day, but it would be so much easier and less expensive to have someone come in for an hour around midday. My concerns:

1. She has always had me around, and although we leave her alone for a few hours here and there to go out, it's not often and it's after a tiring walk and she's ready to settle in anyway.

2. She is a cuddler, she really loves the company and I worry she'll be lonely

3. She tries chewing through the door sometimes when she wants to get out of a room she's closed in. If I put bitter apple spray it works, so maybe it will for the doors but I'm worries about the carpet too and the wood floors if she gets frustrated.

What do you think? Loads of people leave their dogs alone at home, with someone to pop in. Am I being too precious about it? Is there a good way to ease her into it?

Thanks!

I'm not too sure, but I guess just keep getting her used to you leaving her for a while. I mean, you can set up a routine where she gets a long morning walk before you go to work, like you do now when you leave her, so she'll be more likely to settle down. That plus a Kong/StagBar and I guess some bitter apple spray will hopefully stop the chewing things she's not meant to. Staffs are clingy, she may be lonely, but I doubt she'd be sitting there feeling depressed or anything, I think she'd just make the most of it and take a nap or something like that. Loki is the clingiest dog I've met/heard of, but he's fine left alone for a while, so Jelly will be fine

As long as she is exercised before you leave her she should be fine. It's best to work up to leaving them alone slowly if possible. Having someone to take her out miday is ideal as well.

If you can, build up the alone time gradually over a few days/weeks. Try leaving a radio on with a quiet talky station if possible or try finding some quiet music to leave on. Plenty of exercise before being left should work too.