Life after Coronavirus, Will Your Dog Be Ok?
Without a doubt, our dogs are loving being sheltered at home with them! For a dog, this is a dream come TRUE!
But … when humans go back to their daily lives and activities, will our dogs be ok?
Coronavirus: A Whole New World for Us and Our Pets
For most of us, we’ve never seen anything like this before; where life, as we knew it, has completely stopped and shut down. According to the Business Insider on April 7, 2020, approximately 95% of America’s population (roughly 306 million people) is under some form of lockdown as part of “social distancing” efforts.
But for our dogs, being locked down with us 24/7 couldn’t make them happier! (We’ve heard rumors that felines are not as thrilled about the recent turn of events so cat owners, beware!)
But what happens when “life” returns, and we go back to leaving our dogs and other pets home alone for long hours?
Isolation Distress vs Separation Anxiety
Life will eventually return to some form of normalcy and that will be tough for dogs who, by nature, are social creatures and thrive with the closeness of their “pack” for comfort and security.
Give some thought now about helping your beloved K9 companion transition without falling victim to separation anxiety or isolation distress, both unwanted and negative canine behaviors from stress and anxiety.
Here’s a quick definition of each:
- K9 Isolation Distress shows the first signs of discomfort at being left alone.
- If left unaddressed, isolation distress can become more intense and extreme as it transitions into K9 Separation Anxiety, an exaggerated fear experienced by the dog about being alone. It’s like a full-blown panic attack for a human.
As we move from one extreme to the other – during the coronavirus and the eventual recovery – our canines will need our help in effectively readjusting.
Life After Coronavirus
Remember, just because you can leave your dog home alone for long periods of time, it doesn’t mean it’s good for them emotionally or physically. Few dogs should be regularly left alone for 10- to 12-hour days. (Most dog professionals will advise against leaving dogs alone for more than 4 hours without a break. Senior dogs or very young puppies shouldn’t even be left alone for that amount of time.)
Your dog is relying upon you to make the best decisions for his best quality of life and overall well-being. So, consider these dog-friendly options when you return to work:
- Mid-day dog walks, puppy playtime and potty breaks, pet visits and pet sitting. If you and your pet live in the Littleton, Colorado area, we can help you with our expert, bonded and insured services!
- Sign up for our “Latch-Key Dog Training Walks” with our Creating the Forever Dog expert dog behaviorist/trainer, Fran Menley (also serving the Littleton, Colorado area but now available for phone and/or video consultations too!).
- Register for K9 classes at our brand-new dog training center, the Colorado Pet Education Alliance (located at 7961 Shaffer Parkway, #4, Littleton) for:
- Puppy Primary School
- K-9 Middle School
- Scent/nose work
- Clicker training
- Fun & Games
- First Aid and more!
Creating Forever Dogs can STILL help you with all your dog training needs even during the coronavirus and social distancing!
Our head trainer, Fran Menley, is ready to help you with professional dog training and expert behavioral services through easy phone or video consultations!
Call us today at 303-904-0484 or email us here to get started on creating your forever dog!
Additional Reading
AKC: Teaching Your Dog to Go to His Bed
ASPCA: Separation Anxiety
Pets.Webmd: How to Ease Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety
Modern Dog Magazine: Brain Boosting Games
Image Credits (Shown in Order)
Photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexels
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay
Photo by Donny Fuego from Pexels
Image Courtesy of Creating Forever Dogs
Image Courtesy of Creating Forever Dogs
Image by tookapic from Pixabay
Image Courtesy of Creating Forever Dogs
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