Trip to Hawaii or Return to the Office? Prepare Your Dog Now for Post-Pandemic Life

Now is the time to start preparing your pal for your return to work (or vacation).

It’s been nearly a year since the pandemic's first stay-at-home order grounded us all. Our canine friends have no idea why their lives have changed, why their humans are around so much more than before. And they have no idea that this blissful existence won't last forever.

The world will move again, and we will move with it. So now’s the time to prepare your pups for that eventuality - for a return to days when you are not always home and they must be okay alone or in the care of others. 

For many dogs, such a transition may not come so easily. But being comfortable alone or independent of you are skills every dog can learn. This is especially important if you’re looking forward to traveling again in the post-pandemic world. If your dog is with you, she’ll need to be comfortable left alone for brief periods in your hotel room or short-term rental. If you’re boarding her, she’ll need to be fine looking to others for her care. But whether your post-pandemic plans include a week in Hawaii or just resuming your daily commute to the office, this is the time to start training.

To support independence and resilience when you cannot be with your dog, start small by having her not follow you from room to room. Provide a yummy chew treat to occupy her and have her spend a few minutes separated from you inside your house or apartment. Once she’s used to this, progress to taking walks outside by yourself without your pup, who may be used to multiple excursions a day with you. Start by leaving your dog for a quick jaunt to the mailbox or to the corner and back and gradually build up to an hour or more. This training is especially important if  you expect your dog to eventually be alone all day when you return to work.

While training, be sure to pay attention to your dog's stress levels, offer great long-term treats and toys, and don’t make a big deal when you come and go (dramatic farewells and hellos increase stress so keep it neutral). Also, don’t expect too much too fast. It’s best to assume it will take longer than you think to build a behavior, which means you should practice each step a good long while before increasing the degree of difficulty for your dog. Start now to set your dog up for success and give her time to feel comfortable with each stage in the process. 

Remember, too, that doggie day care centers may offer additional support in helping your pandemic pup learn social skills and self-reliance. Engagement games, social outlets, comfort in new and changing settings, as well as good old tire-’em-out fun can check many of the boxes needed to get your pup ready for your return to work or that two-week vacation you’ve been dreaming about. 

A puppy’s most critical socialization window occurs from 3 to 13 weeks. Many pandemic pups have already missed this window, but overcoming deficits is possible if the puppy is given the opportunity to socialize in new settings with new people and dogs in a structured program designed to meet them where they are. But please bear in mind that not all doggie day care centers are created equal. Be sure to ask how your pup will be supervised and supported as she develops socially and builds confidence in the world when you are not there. 

With in-person training classes currently unavailable, many doggie day cares have developed in-house programs to support basic manners training for your pandemic puppy. Day care training programs teach many of the behaviors your pup needs to learn, without asking you to fit one more thing into your schedule. Of course, all training must be consistent and supported at home, but it can be much easier to continue with behaviors already learned at day care than to be responsible for teaching them all by yourself from the ground up. Good day care training should include the basics - sit, down, stay, recall, and placement behaviors such as “go to your bed” - all taught using positive reinforcement methods. In fact, a solid day care training partnership is a win/win for guardians and providers, resulting in better behaved pups all around.

Finally, remember that it’s not just young puppies who’ve been affected by the pandemic. The hyper-bonding that results from always being together may affect older, more experienced dogs, too. After a year of home lockdown, it’s possible your older dog may not be comfortable going back to former routines such as attending day care or overnight boarding. In fact, dog day care centers across the country are reporting higher stress levels in their veteran client dogs who are now returning after nearly a year away. 

This means the time to reengage with your former dog care provider is now, before you need it. As with an under-socialized pandemic puppy, gradually acclimate your older dog to time away. Start with a couple half-days of day care per week, building toward the schedule you will ultimately need. If your dog hasn’t been away from you for a year, don’t make her first boarding experience a two-week vacation. Plan for a single overnight or a short weekend, and expect that your pup may be a bit stressed as she re-familiarizes herself and adjusts to what now seems like a new experience. It’s best for both of you to invest in a reacclimation period before your need for time away becomes a must.   

Like most of  us, our dogs have missed out on a year of social opportunities. With the world now poised to reopen, it’s time to prepare our dogs for a new life of travel, fun, and independence. We’ve got options. Let’s use them.