,

Is Social Distancing Negatively Affecting Your Dog?

,

Is Social Distancing Negatively

Affecting Your Dog?

If you have been doing your part to stay home more and limit your own socializing while the threat of Covid-19 is among us, chances are you have been spending a lot more time around your dog. There are a few things you should know about what effect that newly found time has on your dog and on your relationship with them. There is such a thing as too much time together but even moreso, as too much non-constructive time together. It isn’t always about the amount of time spent with them but the quality of the time spent that matters. If you are reading this, your relationship with your dog is probably incredibly important to you. It may be as important (if not more than!) your relationship with your family and friends. The pandemic has affected everyone, including your dog, even if they have no idea what a pandemic is. Trainers, like myself, have already begun getting swamped with calls for increased behavioral issues like separation anxiety, reactivity and under socialization. All of these behavioral issues need to be addressed at one point or another because they sure as heck don’t fix themselves. It isn’t always common sense what is best for this domesticated canine species, so this article covers a handful of things to consider at this time. Understanding how social distancing affects your dog, and making good choices through it, will ensure your dog comes out of it as healthy as you hope to come out of it yourself.

You might think that it’s a dogs dream to have their humans around all the time but that’s not exactly the truth. Just like us, dogs can benefit from breaks. These breaks are an important factor in a dogs mental well-being. One of the main issues to consider right now is the development of Separation Anxiety (SA). SA is a serious, and often difficult-to-handle, behavioral issue. Dogs with SA experience feelings of distress when they are separated from their human companions. There are varying levels of SA and each dog has their own way of dealing with it. It can take months, even years, to systematically work backwards from severe SA cases and some benefit from medication during the training process. Dogs can develop anxiety over their owners' departure at any age, and the onset can be sudden. Two common potential causes are 1) Dogs becoming too attached to their owners in an unhealthy way and 2) changes in their schedule. Both of these situations are happening in an increased number during this time. Healthy attachment is different from unhealthy attachment and it has a lot to do with your daily interactions with them. If your dog needs you around all of the time and they could be lacking the confidence or independence to feel okay being by themselves. If this is the case, training and exercises focused around these things need to be implemented on a regular basis as well as regularly showing them that your absence doesn’t have to feel like the end of the world. As far as the second cause, changes in your schedule might include working from home, temporarily unemployment or change in work hours. Dogs need practice to get used to you being gone; and develop a sense of peace within themselves over it. When you begin to leave again without having prepared them, your dog may struggle with it. They are not able to recall what life was like before, when your coming and going was normal.

If you adopted a puppy or adult dog during this time, it is great to be around as you are helping your companion adjust to his new life, but without preparation, your upcoming absence may throw them off. If you are interested to learn whether your dog might have SA, is at risk of developing it or you just want to do your part to educate yourself on the topic, reference my other article: “Separation Anxiety in Dogs: What Role do you Play?” There, you will find a list of behaviors that are often present in SA cases, examples of the varying levels, as well as other potential causes. If you are concerned, contact a trainer for a professional opinion.

The next issue is general stress. Many animals can pick up on another animal's stress. It’s not a secret and it turns out dogs are exceptionally good at it. Dogs read body language and energy well and recognize when others are stressed or anxious. It sounds sweet, I know, but they share this burden without ever being able to understand why they feel that way. Modern studies show that dogs with fully developed brains, only have the emotional intelligence of a 2-3 year old human child. This is also true with the ability to empathize. Your dog can see and feel that you are happy or unhappy, when you are excited, angry or sad but that doesn’t necessarily mean they understand WHY you feel that way. Imagine a toddler trying to understand all of the complexities of adult behavior and emotion. If you and your family are experiencing negative emotions over the current pandemic, as many are, your dog can identify an energy from you that might not feel good to him. Over time, this has a long-term effect on his overall well-being and health. Your dog sensing your stress, the stress of other family members (including dogs) or the stresses between you affects them at a deeper level than you recognize. Since they can't tell you verbally when they are feeling stress, it’s easy for owners to miss, even if you feel like you really know your dog. Pay attention to the way you feel around them. If you need some self-care, exercise, need to change a living arrangement, take a break from regular stressors or just need to dedicate time to work your issues out, do it. When you begin to radiate more positive emotions, you’ll be helping more than just yourself - ie everyone else around you, including your pets.

Is your dog getting into new kinds of trouble? Do you feel like they are always testing your limits? Social distancing may also affect the way your dog views you and learns from you. Many people are spending all this extra time with their dogs but leadership, boundaries and teaching them daily lessons are not on point. Dogs can tell when you are not paying attention and they can surely tell when you’re not on your A-Game. Your dog is an opportunist and if they can get away with things going their way, and getting what they desire, they surely will take it and run - sometimes literally. Sounds like an ideal life but it is not a balanced one. A good example of this is a child getting everything they want when they want it, or having that parent who wants to be their “friend” more than one who teaches the important lessons. What you see through lack of leadership is the development of bad behaviors. A good leader is responsible for reinforcing good behaviors and discouraging bad ones through clear communication, consistency, and trust, among many other things. Having a good leader and teacher present eases your dogs concerns in his environment. It frees them of extra stress and responsibility they don't often want or aren’t suited to handle. If you trust your dog will look both ways before crossing the street or make perfect decisions during a backyard BBQ with children and other dogs running amuck, then maybe they don’t need your guidance. Just know, your dog doesn’t understand the world from the same broad perspective that humans do. Therefore, we are the ones best fit for this role in the relationship. Ask yourself, “What kind of leader am I at this time?”

Spending more time with your dog during this time can be a great thing. You love to be with your dog and you know they think the world of you too. Think “Love Language” = Quality Time. Just know that HOW you are spending the time you have with them is important. If you do the same thing with them day after day, you are overlooking the variety of enrichment dogs desire and many require for good behavior. Dogs need more than a cuddle buddy. First, make sure they are getting an adequate amount of physical exercise. Many dogs don’t get close to the amount of exercise they really need to get their energy out and feel good. Second, providing them with mental stimulation is sometimes the key to working through behavioral issues. If your dog looks bored far too often, he probably is. He will seek out all sorts of undesirable things to keep himself busy.

I just saw a photo today of a dog who dug up a tree and dragged it inside the house and onto the couch with them - dirt trail and all. After laughing (cause I still surprisingly need to think like a human too) I proceeded to think about the reality of the situation. This dog is seeking something. You see, a trained therapy dog isn’t just happy because they get to spend so much time with their humans, they strive because they are doing a well-performed job in which someone is holding them accountable for. They have formal training from a good teacher/leader who shows them what they need to do and they are asked to do those things everyday. They get to help and be involved! If you own a working dog, a protection dog, a bird dog, a family dog or any kind of dog, it makes no difference. A DOG IS A DOG and having purpose makes them feel great. Performing tasks challenges their brains and builds confidence. Once they master those, they enjoy learning new ones. This is a lifelong process, just as it is with us. So if you think just graduating puppy class will be enough for a purposeful life, think again. When was the last time your dog had a job or had the opportunity to learn something new and fun? In what ways are you challenging their brains, leading them through all of the changes life brings and making sure you are meeting their basic needs?

One last thing I’ll mention that may be negatively affecting your dog isn’t just during this time, but all of the time. Many dog owners don’t realize the effect they have on their dog. With every interaction, you are either encouraging or discouraging your dog's behavior. When you talk to them, touch them, even just look at them, you are speaking volumes. Not to mention, you have a huge effect on the way they feel; about you, themselves, dogs, other people, objects and the world. What are you saying? What are you doing? How might you be the one actively negatively affecting your dog. Act now to obtain the outcome you want with your dog. If it is different than what you have, there is no better time than now. If you don’t prioritize it, you may be doing a lot of working backwards when we are no longer socially distancing from one another.

As with most things there is always a good side to things too and I don’t want to overlook those. Having a pet during this time can ease our own personal stresses. Caring for another focusing our mental energy on something positive, like playing with our dogs, walking our dogs and training our dogs. Through that, both parties give and receive and have feelings of love, joy and success. There are many things you can add to your relationship with your dog to have a great life and enjoy one another’s time, be the good leader they need and have a well-behaved dog. If you could use some help with this, check out my FREE Printable "Dog Owner Pandemic Checklist". This will help you create that structure that will help you and your dog thrive together in the new year.

I hope you have been enjoying this time with your dog as much as I have with my own. If you are thinking about getting a dog, I hope this article gives you some insight to the possibilities and responsibilities of dog ownership. To all the humans: stay healthy, stay safe and do your part - at home and in the world. Reach out to me if you want your own personal Canine Coach. I’ll be on your doorstep (or computer - for my virtual clients) and ready to help.


Train on,
Ariel Santa Maria
CANINE COACH

cc.JPG

Hey, it's your Canine Coach here! Welcome to the New Year and a new perspective

Search all topics