Have you and your dog been inseparable while you were socially distancing at home?
We’ve all been spending a lot more time at home during this pandemic. You can bet our dogs have been loving it. Dogs are pack animals and you are his pack. But when we return to our normal work schedules – and we’re not home as much – it may come as a shock to our furry best friends.
Unfortunately, it’s not just an emotional issue. According to PetMD, “Increased stress in the dog alters hormone levels, thus decreasing natural immunity to various health problems.” So, how can we minimize the amount of stress and try to make this re-adjustment easier?
If possible, help them adjust slowly.
Though you may be working at home, more or less cooped up with your pup, try to find a way to be separate for a little while each day. I know, you’d rather be on working on your phone or computer with your dog by your side. It’s been one of the few nice aspects of this whole horrible pandemic. But think of how jarring it will be for him/her to go cold turkey when you head back to the office.
Can you leave for an hour each day, or work in another room while you crate your dog? Start with short separations and expand the time apart to longer periods. Maybe even just stepping outside for a few minutes at first. Then leave for an hour and gradually work up to 3 or 4 hours. When you arrive back and greet your dog don’t make the reunion overly emotional. Act relaxed and calm when you leave and when you come back home.
Even before you begin the process of parting for periods you might want to get your dog used to you getting ready to leave. Whenever my dog sees me putting my shoes on and getting my car keys, she knows she’s going to be left alone and she doesn’t like it one bit. She starts treating one of her plush toys very roughly, shaking it hard from side-to-side. It’s amusing… but definitely an expression of being upset.
Some say you should repeat the process of getting ready to leave (shoes, keys, jacket) but not leave. Do this process once in a while and then stay at home. Sit down and watch TV, read, eat, whatever. Repeating this often to desensitize the dog to your leaving rituals.
A new normal – or just getting back to normal?
We’re starting with brief separations of you and your dog – but we’re trying to get back to the normal schedule you used to have. Try to get up for the early morning walk instead of the later one you’ve been doing since you don’t have the commute. I know it’s hard but in the end, it’s kinder for your dog. Maybe a few minutes of playtime or a game that exercises their mind as well as their body. A well-exercised dog is more likely to be ready to sleep or rest while you’re away.
Ways to keep them busy
To soften the blow of being apart you could leave your dog a project like food in a toy that they have to work on to get it out. A couple of suggestions are the Busy Buddy, the Zogoflex Toppl Tough Treat Dispensing Dog Chew Toy, and the good ol’ Kong (we have 3).
If your dog is like my Maggie, it won’t take them much time to get the treats out of the toys, but it could be positive reinforcement for the separation. Or maybe hide treats around your home that they can find to ease the boredom. Another strategy is to leave some recently worn (unwashed) clothes with your scent in a place where your dog can snuggle with them. It may help calm your pet.
If you’ve been holed up in a quiet home, maybe you should try to visit places with visual and auditory stimulation once in a while. Visit places like a busy park or heavily trafficked area (while socially distancing, of course). This will help your dog readjust to the world. A world that is more than just living in a quiet home.
As of the time of this writing, we’re all still social distancing, but maybe you can introduce another person, people, or dogs to your “bubble”. Anything to let the dog readjust to life like it was – and like it’s going to be.
Being at home with our dogs was great in many ways. We bonded even more if that’s possible. As a very scary pandemic raged outside we were there for each other. But you have to let your pup know that it can’t last forever. As we return to our normal routine we have to find a way to break it to them as gently as possible. Dogs don’t like sudden changes in their life. Who does?