Managing dog’s separation anxiety after corona virus

There are very few positives to being in lockdown due to corona virus. As dog lovers we can appreciate the extra time we are getting to spend with our furry friends.  They must be enjoying the additional companionship aswell.  Although, without knowing what they get up to when we are at work, they may be hoping for the lockdown to end as much as we are so they can sleep on the bed uninterrupted for the whole day before sitting by the door and pretending they’ve been pining for us all day! And even though, I assume, they have no idea why we are around so much (unless your dog has taken a recent interest in current affairs!), they will be loving the extra attention.

But what happens when we do return to work? Once the lockdown is over there’s a risk some pets may suffer from separation anxiety when we return to our normal routines and they go back to spending more time on their own. Especially if you are out of the house for extended periods. It’s likely that if your dog is going to be left alone, they have previously gotten used to the daily isolation, but even these dogs may find it tough. The transition between constant company and too little or no company is a big one to handle, a transition that we have all experienced recently

To help keep their separation anxiety to a minimum, here are a few tips for you:

Your dogs will have become accustomed to regular exercise and interactions during lockdown. You should try to maintain this routine with at least one walk each day, ideally at the same time.

When working from home, it’s easy to give your dog more attention than you would normally. Everybody will enjoy this, but it will make the separation more difficult when you have to return to work. Some alone time in the day will make this seem like a normal part of the routine. They’ll cope much better when they are home alone. If they can spend time in a different room, or their crate, they’ll be more comfortable in their own space. This will help them them to better manage being home alone. Using reward toys will keep them occupied by themselves too. Something like a Kong, or the Chemeyes tug ball toys which can also be loaded with treats.

Dogs are very adaptable and will get used to new routines, both good and bad ones. You can help them reduce their separation anxiety (and yours!) by introducing the new routine slowly.