There is a term we have been using a lot lately and we suspect over the next several months as more and more people begin resuming working at the normal place of business vs. at home we’ll see it even more.
We call them COVID Dogs.
What is a COVID Dog? They are dogs that suffer from separation anxiety or have become fearful or reactive in new environments or around new people or dogs.
The problem is dogs are social creatures just as humans are. So for dog owners that have been working from home, your dog has become accustomed to YOU BEING AT HOME all the time and if your dog is not adjusting well and showing signs of anxiety and destructive behavior to your transition back to the physical workplace for your employment, you may have a COVID dog.
The other aspect we are seeing is levels or dog reactivity and human reactivity that was not present prior to your lockdown or working from home. This is usually because your own routines have been interrupted and you may not be exposing your dog to enough stimulation and different environments.
Dogs that are dog friendly can become dog reactive if they are isolated away from dogs for an extended period of time so it is important to try and keep as many routines in place as you can to help avoid this issue for your dog.
If you find that your dog has developed dog or human aggression or reactivity or perhaps separation anxiety, K9 Culture Dog Training in Carrollton, Texas can help your pup work through this.
We train several dogs per month that had great behavior before COVID, and our goal is to show them how to get back to that balanced state they are capable of. In the Dallas FT Worth Metro area, there are many dogs and dog owners going through this transition.
A good basis of obedience commands and impulse control help and the reason is they provide a foundation or set of routines for the dog to make decisions from. If COVID quarantine was difficult for you, imagine if you had to do it and you also had no internet and no TV. That is what staying at home all day while you are at work is like for a dog. They have few skills to draw from to make appropriate decisions. They are left to figure it out on their own, and you are not always please with what your dog figures out to do with their time.
If your dog is experiencing separation anxiety or has become reactive since COVID, we can help. K-9 Culture offers a free evaluation with your dog to get a feel for their personality, behavior, and temperament. During our evaluation we’ll discuss any issues you are having, give you an opportunity to tour our dog training facility and you can even see dogs being trained for we hide nothing, we train in front of everyone all day long, not in some hidden room or back warehouse you are not allowed to go into. You will soon see why we are considered the best dog trainers in Dallas and why our clients and dogs love coming here so much.
We can help so your dog doesn’t end up having to go to a shelter after COVID.
We look forward to meeting you and your pup soon and helping you have A Dog That Is A JOY To Live With!
The K-9 Culture Family