Covid-19 Pets

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People love their dogs.  When people get home from a rough day at school, or work, dogs are there to give a warm greeting. Sadly, when we have to leave, they often beg us not to go, and sometimes even try to block the door. Once we leave them, some cry and others bark. 

What really goes on in their heads when their owners are gone? What do they do all day? 

According to Rover.com, dogs do in fact get lonely. Because dogs are pack animals, they are wired to believe that they are never alone, which means they constantly look around for their owners. According to rover.com,   barking, howling, pacing around, hiding, bathroom accidents, and reduced appetite are all examples of canine behavior that suggest they are lonely.

How do our pets perceive  time when their owners are gone? One can assume that dogs get sad and miss their owners when they leave, but according to Dogtime.com dogs do in fact perceive  time. Studies have not concluded what an hour may feel like to them, but the more time a dog is alone the greater reaction they will have to their owner once they return. For example when a dog’s owner gets home from a day of being out, the dog will often jump, bark, and aggressively greet the owner. When dogs get really happy, they wag their tails, but they seem to shake with the opposite motion of their tail after an owner returns.   If one’s pet is left home, while their owner goes out, that pet will not be able to conclude where their owner goes. One may think this is relieving for the pet; however, it may be  even more nerve racking. This explains why it is important for people to say goodbye to their animals.  It seems clear that dogs can feel separation anxiety. For most of them, their anxiety will kick in when they are left alone. Their stress levels increase, as well as their heart rate, and respiratory functions. They may turn to destructive behavior or vocalization, like whimpering, to cope. Some other behaviors include an uncontrolled bladder and excessive saliva, Clues that an owner may be leaving, like picking up a purse or putting on one’s shoes, may cause dogs to panic because they are able to understand what is about to happen. The best thing to do in this situation is to show the dog that they will be okay; one way owners can do this is by giving their pets extra attention in order to satisfy them. 

It is common for pets to not want to separate from their owners. With the deadly pandemic putting everyone on lockdown, it is easy to assume pets all around the world may have, ironically, enjoying themselves. The lockdown in many places allowed for more time with their owners, which meant more attention, more mental stimulation, endless pets and belly rubs, freshly filled food bowls Though this all may sound nice, being home more frequently also means pets have become more dependent on their owners. What will it be like for the animals as their owners start heading off to school and work again, resulting in them being home alone more often? 

Dogs will likely be sad, concludes Rover.com, given that a dog is can show signs of upset  when the owner is gone for as little as an hour. 

Pandemic pets, pets bought/rescued  during the pandemic will likely experience a whole new way of life because many of them  have never experienced long periods of time without their owners.

When Interviewed about her pet as everyone in her family began to return to work and school, Sofia Eliasi, a ninth grade student at Hastings High School,  stated, “ He missed us a lot, but we have two other dogs that he could hang out with.”.

We can assume that eventually pets will get used to being alone more often, but to ease the transition, owners can consider  getting another pet, working around their pet’s schedule, and trying to spend extra time with their pet when they can.A day off is the perfect time to take the animals to the park or on a long walk where quality time is spent with one another. Another way to give the pets some more time with people is to get a dog walker every once and a while. Also, giving dogs a treat before the owner leaves can help the animal to associate the leaving with a good memory. It is going to be hard for many pets to go from having someone with them all of the time to being alone, but they will get through it.