Social distancing-from our dogs

I have been living with, loving and training dogs for more than 30 years. Long ago I realized that dog training is a creative activity… always changing with each dog in each situation. Dog training also requires continuous learning and I love to learn. These blogs are my in-the-moment musings as I learn, exploring creative options for working with my dogs and the dogs (and their people) with whom I work. They will not be perfect. But they are an important part of my journey and, I hope, of yours.

Social Distancing – From Your Dog

The world is (hopefully) working hard to live with the new concept of Social Distancing to protect us all. For a social species it isn’t easy. For people used to schedules and habits, it isn’t easy. For people with plans, anticipating future adventures, it isn’t easy.

However, it has one lovely benefit for those of us with dogs… we get to enjoy our dogs 24/7. And the dogs get to enjoy us. One would think this is a silver lining of this very dark cloud. And mostly, it is.

But what happens when life returns to normal? (It will; it may be a new normal but it will.) What happens when our dogs, used to being constantly at our side, no longer have us around? For some, it won’t make a big difference. They will adjust as they always have. For others, it could be devastating.

As a preventive for all, I suggest a new kind of Social Distancing… from our dogs. Times during the week when we leave them home alone… for shorter and for longer times. Here are some ideas in no particular order.[1] Varying them will keep things more interesting for both of you:

Leave and sit on the front porch without your dog. Enjoy your morning coffee or evening cocktail
Work in the back yard but leave your dog in the house
Leave your dog in the house and sit in your car for 15 minutes (here is some good social media time for you).
Leave your dog, drive around the block, park and read a good book (or knit!) for an hour
Leave your dog if you have to go out to shop.
Leave your dog while you go for a walk (that would be a very hard one for me since we always walk together).
Make the way you do this as close to what you did before our shelter in place orders and what you are likely to do after as possible.

Vary what you do. Keep it fun for you. That will keep it fun for your dog…. It’s just practice for the future when your dog will go back to being left alone in the same way s/he was before this new/temporary normal. But, please, do it. You owe it to your dog!

[1] This is not a list in order of work that might be done with a dog who already has separation anxiety although many of the ideas come from that work. If your dog is suffering from separation anxiety, please consult an expert. Here is a great place to start: https://malenademartini.com/

0 Comments

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Who Needs Reinforcement?

Jun 21, 2020

Who needs reinforcement? We all do. Yes, our dogs do. But we do too. Those of us who are committed to training our dogs using positive reinforcement know well the power of this tool. Those of us who teach others to train their dogs work hard to teach methods to our...

On empathy

Apr 29, 2020

I’ve been thinking a lot about empathy during these difficult times. I did not grow up in a home that modeled empathy. There was a lot of good stuff. But there was more judgment than empathy, more “because I said so” than understanding the others’ reality....

The New Potential for Scary Vet Visits…

Apr 2, 2020

Many of us have worked hard to teach our dogs to be comfortable and to feel as safe as possible during visits to our veterinary clinics. Many of our vets have worked equally hard to create and maintain a fear free environment for our dogs. And we have worked together...

Blogging more frequently… and welcome!

Mar 14, 2020

I drive a lot, spending hours in the car. And that gives me lots of time to think. I start blogs in my head. I jot down notes… and I never write or post the blogs. I double guess myself. I worry that I will say something wrong. So all those thoughts stay with me or in...

I Won’t or I Can’t?

Aug 23, 2017

(This is the third in a series of blogs I am calling “Inspired by Knap”. These blogs come from being reminded about basic training as a result of having a new, very active, very aware puppy in my home… Knap. Without my long background in training dogs, this...

« Older Entries