Helping Your Dog Adjust When the Pandemic is Over
If your dog had its way, this quarantine would last forever. But, unfortunately for our wet-nosed friends, we’ll all return to real life sooner rather than later. When that happens, odds are, your pup will once again be left home alone – you’ll swap out your dog walks for your return to the rat race.
It’s understandable – staying home isn’t feasible, not to your career or your own mental wellness. But don’t expect your dog to get it. In fact, the mass exodus of humans back onto the city streets is sure to set the stage for separation anxiety, even in pups that haven’t previously been affected.
So, what can you do to minimize the aftershock and make this transition as smooth as possible?
Try a few of the following tricks:
Walk your dog before you leave
Dogs don’t exercise for the weight loss benefits – they exercise, in part, to control their anxieties. If you leave your dog in a state where they are calm and rested, they’re much less likely to chew up the carpet in the stairwells.
Leave a shirt with your scent nearby
As we’re all aware, a dog’s nose knows, and dogs use the power of their snout in all sorts of ways. Leaving something that smells like you reminds the dog of you. And that conveys the message that the world isn’t ending. In other words, you’re coming home eventually.
Don’t make a dramatic exit
Most of us make a point to tell our dogs goodbye, patting their heads and professing our undying love before disappearing out the front door. Doing this, however, tells your dog that your leaving is a big deal. And your dog might react to what they perceive as a life-changing event.
Start slow
When emerging back into the world, don’t disappear for eight hours at first. Rather, ease back into your routine so you can ease your dog into their routine as well. Start by leaving them alone for short periods of time, such as a trip to the grocery store or an errand to the bank, before gradually increasing the amount of time you’re not home. A transitional period allows your dog to adjust, making it much more effective than ripping the bandage right off.
Leave the TV on
Turning on the television (or an audiobook – anything that serves as background noise) is a great way to show your dog that they’re not alone. An audiobook might be a more feasible option as it can be done without increasing your electricity bill. You can also have fun with your choice of book, choosing some dog-related classics like White Fang.
It’s likely that your dog wishes you’d stay home forever and, perhaps, part of you wishes for that too. Yet as the planet reopens, we’ll all return to normalcy, a new normal anyway. The above tips can help your dog adjust as easily as possible. They can also help them understand that your circumstances might change but your love for them never will.
JJ Keeler lives in Colorado with a house full of pets. She owns three dogs, two cats, and a hamster she bought as a bribe to get her daughter to ride the school bus. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado and has worked as a professional writer for fifteen years. Her clothes are perpetually covered in pet hair.
