I think there are two times during the day that have the most profound effect on my dog. The first is when I leave for work in the morning, the second is when I arrive back home.
The mornings are pathetic. A long sad face with an expression of, ‘You are leaving me …alone?’
Of course, there are the cats to annoy and my wife to keep her company in my absence. Getting home at night goes without saying, is the most exciting time of the day for her.
The COVID-19 pandemic has for some, created a completely new set of distressing moments for pets, in particular dogs.
With lots of families working and schooling from home in isolation, they may have been letting their dogs inside more and spending more time with their pets.
The pet thinks this is fantastic and thinks it is the new normal. Since some of us have been home for months which is plenty of time for animals to believe this is their new routine.
Suddenly, everyone in the house goes back to work and school and the animal goes from having their family around to having nothing very quickly – less attention and fewer walks.
This is quite stressful for an animal as they do not understand why, often resulting in new bad habits from boredom and stress.
Strategies for helping them adjust include toys, and periods of separation even though you are in the house.
Overall, try to create a happy environment for the animal so that they can be relaxed without a human presence to keep them company and be ready for the joy they express when you get home.
