Constable: Reopening leaves confused dogs asking, where are you going?
With Illinois moving into reopening phases, one segment of our population may not be looking forward to all those new freedoms. Most dogs have had a pretty good time during COVID-19.
"That's a big concern of ours at the shelter," says Samantha Cheatham, animal care manager at the Hinsdale Humane Society. Dogs accustomed to owners being at home 24/7 may suffer some separation anxiety when people start to go back to work, eat at an outdoor cafe or even take a car ride without man's best friend.
"This is going to be such a 'Whoa! Where are you?' moment," Cheatham warns.
"We all forget our dogs' schedules and lives were changed just as much as ours were with the stay-at-home order," says Diana Stoll, practice manager at Red Barn Animal Hospital, with locations in Hampshire and Gilberts, who offered advice in her most recent On Pets column.
Dogs adapted pretty quickly to life under stay-at-home orders. They enjoyed having owners around, and got used to the extra attention. Those old memories of "long day at the office" vanished.
"They might not remember when you went to work every day," says Kristin Tvrdik, veterinarian for the Hinsdale Humane Society.
In addition to old dogs having to learn, or relearn, the skill of keeping everything together when left alone, there is a whole new population of puppies and dogs that grew up in the dog days of COVID-19 with an abundance of attention.
"We've had all these amazing adoptions," Cheatham says, noting many shelters ran out of dogs and cats to adopt during recent months. The Hinsdale facility expanded beyond their usual borders to take in a shipment of puppies Tuesday night from southern states, she says.
Dogs adopted since March haven't had the in-person training they might need, and haven't picked up the socialization skills that come from mingling with other humans and dogs. "It's a hard time, too, because there's not a lot of training available," Cheatham says. "There's no puppy classes. People aren't going for group walks with their puppies. It's so important for puppies to get that socialization, so when the world opens up, it's not like fireworks."
Owners can do things at home to prepare their pets for the "new normal."
"Normally, your dog would be seeing tall men, short men, men with beards," Cheatham says. She recommends using some costume changes and even disguises at home to make your dog comfortable with a variety of people.
Don't worry if you feel silly putting on a wig and beard to fool your dog.
"It's not silly. It's a good idea," Tvrdik says. The veterinarian also says occasionally speaking in a high squeaky voice and a deep booming voice can help your dog get ready for a world with other people. Singing every part in Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" might do the trick.
Even if you're not back at work full-time, just leaving your dog alone in a separate area of the house can help. So can taking a walk or a drive without your pet, even if it's just for a few minutes. And don't make a big production out of returning home. Leaving a treat or a puzzle toy for them to play with also can help.
Just as people need to readjust to getting up earlier, taking showers and wearing pants as they adjust from working at home to rejoining the world, dogs need to get their schedules of feeding, walking and playing back on track. It will take time for every owner and dog to get used to the new patterns.
"It's just going to be a difficult time for everyone," Tvrdik says.
Except, maybe, for cats. Famously independent, cats probably have been counting the days until their owners go back to work and leave them alone.
"It's anecdotal," Tvrdik says. "But I did hear that cats are actually having stress from their owners being home so much."