# @rutgersu on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcg-XFDFDDJ
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/69854372-rutgersu-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/5e466fd4d9.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-08-26T19:34:42.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Rutgers University (@RutgersU) — https://gondola.cc/RutgersU

## Caption

The hardest part of packing for college isn’t fitting your life into a dorm.

It’s explaining to your dog why they can’t come with you. 🐾💔

Happy National Dog Day to the childhood best friends who loved us before we ever figured out who we were.

Right now, Rutgers move-in week is in full swing.

Dorm rooms are being decorated.

New chapters are starting.

But back in living rooms across the state, there’s a pup sitting by an empty doorway.

They watched you pack every box.

They sniffed your suitcases.

They don’t understand college credits, career dreams, or campus life.

All they know is their favorite human didn’t come home for dinner tonight.

Leaving for school is an exciting milestone, but the pet separation anxiety hits both ends of the leash.

Whether you're an incoming Scarlet Knight settling into your dorm or a parent staring at an empty nest, here is how to help your dog (and yourself) handle move-in transition week:

1. Leave behind a "scent anchor"
Don't wash an unwashed hoodie or blanket. Leave it in your dog’s bed. Familiar scents lower cortisol levels and calm dog separation anxiety significantly.

2. Schedule daily "PupTime" calls
FaceTime isn't just for parents. Seeing your face and hearing your voice keeps you familiar and gives you a much-needed mental health boost between classes.

3. Step up their daily enrichment
For parents holding down the fort: replace lost playtime with mental stimulation. Frozen lick mats, puzzle toys, and longer sniffing walks help burn anxious energy.

4. Plan the reunion countdown
Dogs live in the present, but their joy when you walk through the door for Fall break is unmatched. Keep a photo of them on your dorm desk as a reminder of who’s rooting for you back home.

College changes your entire world in four years.

To your dog, you will always be their whole world.

Drop a ❤️ if you’re missing your four-legged best friend at campus this week!

Rutgers students & pet parents: what’s your dog’s name, and what will you miss most about them? Drop a comment below! 👇🐕

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Save this post for your college move-in & pet care guide!

#NationalDogDay #RutgersMoveIn #RutgersUniversity #ScarletKnights #DogLovers

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## Tags

doglovers, scarletknights, rutgersmovein, rutgersuniversity, nationaldogday

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