Certain vets have been warning dog-owners that their furry friends may experience a profound case of separation anxiety when the pandemic ends, and have been providing ways to avoid this!
As more and more of us become isolated in our homes, our pets are experiencing more contact than ever!
A lot of people across the planet are experiencing high levels of anxiety due to being trapped inside their homes as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the globe.
However, for some of us, our pets are helping to comfort us through these difficult times.
And the dogs of the world are elated with this current arrangement!
While people with cats may be noticing that their cats are very much over the idea of their owners being in the house 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, dogs couldn’t be happier with the situation!
However, there may apparently be a downside to being with your dog 24/7.
Vets have warned of dogs developing severe separation anxiety when the lockdown ends.
As it turns out, our dogs may struggle to adapt to life when we are no longer with them 24/7 once the social distancing procedures end, which is just heartbreaking!
Dr. Roger Mugford, who is an animal psychologist used by the British royal family, explained that, “With such an overload of quality time with their families, dogs are building up a huge reservoir of over-dependency which could see them suffer when mums and dads suddenly return to work and the children go back to school,” in an interview with The Times .
Dr. Mugford also claimed that some dogs may try and harm themselves as a result.
Apparently, certain dogs will show their discomfort in different ways, such as chewing things and ripping furniture. However, he also claimed that in some extreme cases, certain dogs may engage in forms of “self-harm”.
Thankfully, Dr. Mugford did explain some ways that dog owners can preempt their dog’s feelings of separation anxiety. One such way is to begin isolating yourself from your dog in your home for progressively larger amounts of time, starting from around half an hour.
Dr. Mugford is not the only scientist to warn about the dangers that dogs face as a result of the stay-at-home orders.
University of Lincoln’s Professor Daniel Mills, a behavioural scientist, has previously warned of the dangers that overindulging your dog can pose at this time. Specifically, he warned that over indulgence could lead to your dog exhibiting signs of frustration when life returns to normal.
“There is certainly some data and anecdote from clinicians that if people are off work for a prolonged period, for example, if they break their leg and have to stay at home, then when they return to work, actually dogs may be at greater risk,” Mills told Metro .
“Perhaps given that a lot of us are going to be shut up at home with our dogs, here is a great opportunity actually for you to spend more quality time with your dog, but not to overly indulge your dog […] Instead of watching Facebook and the news, use the time to improve your dog’s confidence.”
So, it might be important to start thinking about preparing your dog for the return to life post-pandemic.
One thing that no one wants is for their dog to be suffering when this turbulent time passes! So, it may be worth considering spending some time separated from your dog each day to prepare them for the inevitable. In the words of Dogs Trust’s director of canine behavior, Rachel Casey:
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“By organizing your dog’s day, with time apart, playtimes, exercise, other activity sessions (like giving them a food-filled toy) and quiet times, you can make sure that your dog maintains their ability to cope with the different aspects of ‘normal’ life when we get back to it.”
h/t: Metro