Right now your dog is enjoying this extra time with you at home, but they may struggle to adjust once lockdown ends. Reduce your dog’s stress and separation anxiety when we resume our normal lives by beginning their gradual transition to a new routine now.
Come and go without a fuss
Reduce their separation anxiety once you go back to work by re-accustoming them to being alone at home. Leave your home without bringing them along, first for short periods of time, then for longer stretches. Learn more about how to leave your pet home alone by reading our article.
Adjust their mealtimes
When you’re at home, you can feed your canine companion whenever their puppy dog eyes let you know that they’re hungry, but this won’t be the case when we return to work. Set your dog’s expectations of when they’ll be fed by gradually adjusting their mealtimes based on your work hours and factoring in your commute times. Try setting an alarm on your phone to remind you when to feed them, or use an electronic feeder to dispense their food at set times.
Provide boredom busters
Being stuck at home and unable to go outside was enough to drive us all stir-crazy so now you can imagine how your dog feels day in day out! Make sure your dog has plenty of toys and activities so they can entertain themselves at home. Only leave a few out for them to play with at a time and regularly swap other toys in so that your dog doesn’t become bored of any.
And if you want to check on them throughout the day to ensure that your dog is doing ok without you, we have interactive pet cameras that link to your phone so you can watch them for symptoms of stress, anxiety and boredom. You can also talk to them through the camera and interact with them by dispensing treats to make their day more exciting!
Set a new exercise routine
Taking your dog out for a walk has been a popular activity during quarantine but now walkies will have to be reduced now that you can only head out before and after work, and not for a lunch break or quick afternoon jaunt.
Create a new exercise routine for your dog that has focuses on activities inside your house and in your backyard, especially those that your dog can play by themselves. Interactive puzzle toys like those from Kong are always a hit, as are electronic toys like ball launchers.
Repeat socialisation training
Many outdoor sights and sounds, from car rides to meeting strangers at the dog park, will have become less familiar to your dog. It’s best to go back to the basics and repeat their socialisation training to refamiliarise them to different people, places and experiences.
Socialisation training is especially important for those with young puppies who may not yet have had the chance to encounter the big wide world. Check out our puppy socialisation checklist for everyday scenarios that you should introduce to your new furry friend.
Reschedule any delayed vet visits
If you have delayed any of your dog’s vet visits, now is the time to reschedule! It’s important for our pets to have a well-being checkup every 6 months for the early detection of any illnesses. All Greencross Vets clinics continue to have Minimal Contact Pet Care measures in place to make sure pet parents and local vet teams alike are following social distancing measures and can have peace of mind that they’re staying safe.
