Hey Watson here, I have stolen a few minutes away from my people to type this up. These are crazy times right now, I mean why are there always people home? All I want to do is lounge around undisturbed. I mean don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the extra attention and treats at first. So use this and show it to your owners as a reason for them to give you space!
I know that our owners are home now because of mandates, social distancing and limiting the spread of a virus. But there are other reasons why they can be home for extended periods of time. Such as maternity/paternity leave, extended medical illness, in between jobs, etc. But with that being said, pets still continue to need structure and continuity. We thrive on knowing when our meals will be given to us and having our alone time where we can be independent animals. Luckily, I am an adult dog and am already used to being home alone all day (yes, I still get crated as I do tend to get a little curious about all of the kid toys). What worries me, are all of the puppies that are with their owners all day long! Those puppies are more predisposed to having separation anxiety when their owners go back to work if they aren’t given the opportunity to be in their crate or have independent time away from their owners. I think it is a great idea for owners to get outside, go for a walk (distancing themselves from others of course) and leave the puppy at home in the crate! It would be so hard to go from being with people all of the time to getting crated all day. Think about all of the social, outgoing people that are now staying home, that is how difficult it will be for your pet. I would recommend during the week to try putting your new puppy in the crate during the normal times they would be in the crate while your owner is at work or for at least extended periods of time so that the adjustment/transition isn’t so hard. And hopefully that will make the puppy less anxious as owners go back to work. I think finding enrichment toys during this time is also important. Being able to play with a toy or eating a treat is a great distraction and gives me the ability to be independent from my owners. If you are starting to become anxious because your owner is always home or get anxious after they go back to work, tell them to reach out to your veterinarian for different tips specific to your situation! And try to enjoy all of this extra time with your families!
