Posted on 05/28/2021 8:32:39 PM PDT by DoodleBob
INDIANAPOLIS — During the pandemic, many families bought pets to add some companionship and joy to their stay-at-home life.
Months later, some of those "pandemic puppies" aren't as friendly and happy as they once were.
In short, a dog’s life isn't what it used to be. "Bing" is about to find out. His owners and playmates Caleb and Drew are going back to work and back to school.
"Since we've had him, he's never been home alone, so it's going to be a big adjustment," Caleb Larson said.
"He's anxious," Drew Harris explained. "He's taken the finishing off our doors before and we are renting. We don't want him to destroy our doors."
Another pandemic pup owned by a friend of mine, the mild-mannered Chole, left alone tried to chew her way out of the laundry room. The damage may cost hundreds of dollars to repair.
Young dogs who have been the center of attention all their lives suddenly find themselves home alone and experiencing separation anxiety.
"A lot of dogs can get separation anxiety and it's that fear of being alone and not knowing when someone is coming back," explained Stephanie Foerder, the lead adoption counselor for Indy Humane. "There is a great scale of separation anxiety. Some of it could not be super terrible and a lot of times it could result in destructive behavior."
Behavior like chewing, barking, urinating, biting and jumping.
To minimize that behavior, experts recommend to start out leaving your dog alone for short, but ever-increasing, periods of time or consider making your pet comfortable in a cage-like crate.
"You want to create the crate as their bedroom safe space, so you don't want the dog to fear the crate or ever go as a punishment," Foerder said.
A supply of chew toys, frozen treats and lots of exercise are also on the to-do list.
"Exercise is a huge thing," she said. "When your dog is tired and mentally exhausted, you are not going to have a destructive dog."
According to Foerder, cats typically don't experience much separation anxiety. (emphasis added)
Adjusting a pup's behavior takes time. So weeks before you go back to work, start working on your pal's home alone attitude.
I feel sad for many of these animals.
There will be a noticeable increase in abandoned and turned in animals when people go back to offices. People dont care, its just another disposable thing.
Mark it.
I feel sorry for all the animals.
The cats will care, and it will go onto your permanent record.
My dog is having bad separation anxiety! We don’t leave her very long either.
Moving during the middle of Covid hadn’t helped either.
The cat will care. Despite what people claim, they enjoy having company.
I feel sad for many of these animals.
There will be a noticeable increase in abandoned and turned in animals when people go back to offices. People dont care, its just another disposable thing.
Mark it.
It’s happening right now. I received notes from my German shepherd rescue that we are getting flooded with turn in requests for German shepherd pups and young adults. We even got requests from Texas even though the rescue is located in California.
Oes noes, poor wittle puppies. Just how will they survive and adapt. I can only imagine how tramatic it will be for them when their humans stop forcing them to wear masks.
And someone to ignore.
That is NOT how our cats have dealt with things.
Cat Lives Matter! And this long, systemic speciesism against them must END!
Ours have gotten so used to us being home for so long, they get very agitated when we occasionally have gone out; and are waiting at the door when we return (albeit, only to see if we’ve brought anything interesting back from the hunt).
I’ve been total telework, while my husband has done a day a week at the office for several months. Cats get really antsy, when he goes out that one day.
Someone once wrote that ‘cats are Republicans; they don’t like Change’.
I’ve always found that to be true.
http://www.politico.com/story/2011/08/cats-are-republicans-dogs-are-dems-061687
I had to leave a dog at home for a few days. Couldn’t take her into the job, too hot to leave in the truck...something like that. Anyway, good long morning walks to start the day. The third day, she ran right at me, got up a head of steam and head/ shoulder butted my knee, knocking me to the ground. Funny dog.
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Selfish, soulless MFs.
My dogs are my life and vice versa.
Together forever, no matter what.
.
We’re bringing the German shepherds puppies in Texas to California. One of our volunteers is driving there now. We are also bringing in an adult female that was found wandering the streets of Chandler AZ.
We never stopped going to work during the scamdemic. We didn’t wear masks either. Not one person got covid
Then, just like that, they'll go back to acting like nothing happened. Dogs have owners, cats have staff.
Cats are people too.
I go outside in yard and my dogs want to follow me ;)
Of course, the article starts off with a homosexual couple. Stopped reading.
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