When Sheltering in Place Ends – What About the Dog?

While walking in the woods with my dog we crossed paths with a family out for a hike with the kids and the dog.  I commented on what a beautiful day for a walk in the woods.  The Mom laughed and said they were enjoying it but it was the dog’s 4th walk that day.  “The kids get bored and I tell them to take the dog for a walk.  He’s exhausted by the end of the day.”   Here’s the good news. . . while sheltering in place, your dog has had the pleasure of your company, all day and night, for weeks.  Here’s the potentially  bad news. . . now you have to go back to work and your dog is stricken with long, lonely days and develops separation anxiety.  

One of the wonderful things coming out of the pandemic is people taking advantage of their time at home and adopting animal companions.  The humane community has had record breaking adoptions.   However, these dogs will be the most vulnerable to experience separation anxiety as they struggle with the overall stress of rehoming and then being left alone as everyone returns to work and school.   

How do you know if your dog is struggling?  If, at the end of your first day back at work, you return home to torn up newspapers, chewed sofa cushions and complaints from the neighbors about your dog barking and howling, he is struggling with being left alone.  Separation anxiety is a modest label for this devastating and destructive behavior.  Most separation anxiety behavior happens within the first hour you are gone, versus, your dog is perfectly fine for the first few hours he’s alone, but after 4 hours the sofa cushions are toast.  The latter is a dog that’s bored or has excessive energy.  

There are things you can do right now to help your dog adjust when returning to the workplace becomes imminent.  Here is a modification program from Pat Miller that will help your dog cope with life as it returns to a normal schedule.  

Preventing Separation Anxiety in 10 Steps 

By Pat Miller CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA

·       Exercise your dog well before you leave. A tired dog has less energy with which to be anxious and destructive. End exercise sessions 20 to 30 minutes before you go, so he has time to settle down.

·       Five minutes before you leave, give him a well-stuffed Kong to take his mind off your imminent departure.

·       Make your departures and returns completely calm and emotionless. No huggy/kissy “Mummy loves you” scenes. If he gets excited and jumps all over you when you return, ignore him. Turn your back and walk away. When he finally settles down, say hello and greet him very calmly.

·       Defuse the pieces of your departure routine by also doing them when you are not leaving. Pick up your car keys and sit down on the sofa to watch TV. Dress in your business suit and then cook dinner. Set your alarm for 5 a.m. on a Saturday, then roll over and go back to sleep.

·       Mix up the pieces of your departure routine when you are leaving, so his anxiety doesn’t build to a fever pitch as he recognizes your departure cues. We are creatures of habit too, so this is hard to do, but can pay off in big dividends. Eat breakfast before you shower instead of after. Pick up your keys and put them in your pocket before you take your dog out for his final potty break. Put your briefcase in the car while you’re still in pajamas. Make the morning as unpredictable as possible.

·       Use a “safe” cue such as “I’ll be back,” only when you know you’ll return within the time period your dog can tolerate. As suggested in Patricia McConnell’s wonderful booklet on separation anxiety titled “I’ll Be Home Soon,” this helps your dog relax, knowing he can trust you to return.

·       Explore alternative dog-keeping situations to minimize the occasions when you do have to leave him alone – doggie daycare may be suitable for some dogs, but not for others. You may be able to find a neighbor or relative who is house-bound and might appreciate some canine companionship.

·       If you are considering adoption of a second dog, try borrowing a calm, stable, compatible dog from a friend, to see if that helps to relieve your dog’s distress.

·       Try using Thunder Dog’s Calm plug-ins and sprays in his environment to help ease his anxiety.

·        Consider working with a behavior professional to be sure you’re on the right path – and to help you explore the possibilities of using anti-anxiety medications to maximize the effectiveness of your modification efforts.

Tools to Help with Separation Anxiety

Our stores offer many products that will help your dog get thru the long days without you.

·       Kongs – a classic, safe rubber toy that comes in many shapes and sizes.  Kongs can be stuffed with a wide variety of goodies to occupy your dog while you quietly leave the house.  Shop Kong products here

·       Rope toy – safe if ingested, rope toys can be given as is or soaked in stock and frozen. Shop rope toys here

·       Sterilized bones – safe to be left with the dog.  It can be stuffed with treats or smeared with peanut butter.  Shop Sterilized bones here

·       ThunderEase Dog calming diffusers and sprays – helps relieve anxiety and reduces stress with calming pheromones.  Shop ThunderEase products here

·       CBD products – our stores offer therapeutic CBD products in many forms.  Great for relieving anxiety. Please contact any location for more information on our selection of CBD products

·       I’ll Be Home Soon:  How to Prevent and Treat Separation Anxiety by Dr. Patricia McConnell.  A concise 38 page book, available in our stores.  

The Hazards of Pesticides, Herbicides & Pets

“I think it’s a good idea to minimize pesticide exposure of any sort, not only because of what we know, but because of what we don’t know.” Donald Weston, University of California-Berkeley, February 2010

Contrary to what lawn care companies, veterinarians and chemical companies  would have us believe, herbicides (weed killers) and pesticides (bug killers) can be harmful to our pets and to our family.  So many products available in the marketplace are broad spectrum biocides, and by their very nature can harm organisms other than targeted species.  This includes you and your family, neighbors, pets, and all other forms of life. 

Despite the level of care you may be giving your pets, animal companions are at high risk of being poisoned by home, garden, and pet maintenance practices.  Pesticides and herbicides are the culprits.  The smaller bodies of our pets make them more susceptible to chemicals, and their behavior patterns make them more likely to be exposed to toxic chemicals.  Chemicals that may seem harmless can be a real life and death matter for cats, dogs, birds, horses, rabbits and other pets.  Pets are more vulnerable to pesticides and herbicides because they walk through chemically-treated areas, unknowingly and absorb pesticides through their mouth, nose, feet and eyes.  Pets are also susceptible to secondary poisoning from catching, and eating, poisoned prey.  Both dogs and cats eat rodents, mollusks, and bugs – all considered undesirable species often controlled through the use of pesticides. 

Flea and tick products that are designed to kill are another known risk for pets.   Most people assume the products applied to the back of the dog and cat’s neck stay on top of the animal’s coat and repel, and, therefore, are safe.  The reality is, the products are absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream.  The main active ingredient in most spot-on products is a pesticide that kills insects by paralyzing their nervous system (the same way nerve gas works).  The pesticide, however, cannot distinguish between an insect’s nervous system, a dog’s nervous system, or a human’s nervous system.   If the applied chemical can be absorbed through your pet’s skin, it can also be absorbed through you and your family’s skin when you pet the dog or cat. 

“Of course, as bad as these products may be for pet owners and caregivers, they often are worse for the pets themselves.  Based on the very limited data available, it appears that hundred and probably thousands of pets have been injured or killed through exposure to pet products containing pesticides.  As with small children, pets cannot report when they’re being poisoned at low doses.” Natural Resources Defense Council Health Hazards from Flea and Tick Products

The good news. . . there are many natural products that will safely control and repel fleas and ticks.  Talk to the Pet Pantry staff.  They are well versed in safe, natural solutions for flea and tick control. 

 Signs your dog or cat is having an adverse reaction to a flea/tick control product:

• Lethargy

• Loss of appetite

• Drooling

• Lack of coordination

• Labored breathing

• Increased excitability

• Elevated body temperature

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Seizures

If the symptoms continue, contact your vet immediately.

Forget fashion! Your dog needs a warm coat with a good fit.

Why Dogs Need Coats - excerpted from the Whole Dog Journal and originally written by Nancy Kerns.

 Putting a coat on your dog shouldn’t be about making a fashion statement. Rather, it should be about keeping a chilly dog warm, thereby preventing hypothermia, a dangerous condition characterized by a reduced internal body temperature. (The normal canine body temperature is 100.5 to 102 degrees. A dog whose temperature drops below 95 degrees can die.)  Thank goodness, the majority of our dogs are living inside with us.  They are not developing thick undercoat and the stamina to endure colder temperatures.  Think about how we feel on the first cold days of fall. 

 A dog’s natural protection against cold varies from breed to breed. Labradors and certain Northern dogs (Huskies and Malamutes, for example) have developed with special physiological responses for coping with cold. However, many other breeds (and certain individual dogs) benefit from extra warming layers in cold weather, including:

• Thin dogs, who may not have adequate fat stores to keep themselves warm
• Extremely short-haired dogs and/or breeds accustomed to exotic climates
• Immune-compromised dogs, who should be protected from the stress of cold
• Older dogs, especially those in poor health

Warming up these dogs actually helps them stay healthy, by sparing the dog’s body from having to generate as much heat as it would have to otherwise. By simply slipping an extra layer on these dogs, you can help them preserve their physiological resources for the maintenance of general health and vitality. 

Shopping tips
 If you shop in stores, you have a huge advantage over catalog shoppers. You can try several coats on your dog to check their fit and ease of application, and you can examine them closely for good-quality zippers, seams, and Velcro fasteners, and thick, warm fabric.  It is amazing to watch a dog’s reaction when the right coat is put on their body.  They relax and move normally. 

The only drawback to shopping for a coat in person is finding a store that carries a broad-enough selection of quality designs to choose from.  (Editor’s note. . . Pet Pantry takes pride in our large selection of quality coats that will truly keep a dog warm.  Our staff is fully trained to help you properly fit your dog.) 

 Also, keep your dog’s body type in mind as you examine coat candidates. Some designs are clearly intended for deep-chested, narrow-waisted dogs like Greyhounds. Others better suit block-bodied dogs such as Golden Retrievers. Check the placement of the closures to see whether they can be adjusted to accommodate your dog.  And with male dogs, always make certain everything clears their equipment so they are not urinating on the coat.