More than 23 million US households added a cat or dog during the pandemic, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
And many of those animals have never known what it’s like to be left alone all day.
But now that many are returning to their offices, the animals have to adjust.
Kate Senisi is the director of training at School for Dogs in Manhattan and says, “We’ve had a lot of separation cases coming through.”
She says dogs who were used to being left alone before the pandemic tend to adjust relatively quickly, “But for the pandemic puppies—they haven’t been left at all, and now they’re at a sensitive age, adolescence. It can be pretty difficult. They have to be taught these new skills.”
She also adds that you should not give your dog a special toy only when you leave, because then the toy will become a trigger for distress.
Pam Reid, vice president of the ASPCA’s behavioral science team says dogs who are suddenly left alone may feel “confused, lonely and wondering why everyone is rushing out the door instead of spending time at home.”
She suggests short practice separations before the big return to the workplace, and scheduling walks and meals to accommodate the future work schedule.
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