These are testing times not just for humans but for pets as well. TANYA PATEL talks about behaviour issues that they may be facing due to the lockdown and how to deal with them
With everyone’s life going haywire this past month, your pet has been affected too. Here are some problematic behaviour issues that may develop as a result of your dog being cooped up with you at home.
Attention seeking: Staying home means a lot more attention for your dog. You’re bored, there’s less work for you so more play-time for man’s best friend. While the lockdown is a great opportunity us all to reconnect with our pets, I suggest you don’t give in to everything your dog asks for. He may ask for something by barking, pawing you or it might even start of with just a look. You know those puppy eyes are irresistible, don’t you? Ensure that you are always the one initiating games and deciding when you’re going to pet him. What starts off as something really adorable like nudging you to get a pat on the head can turn into extremely annoying behaviour like barking when he wants it.
Fear of going out: If your dog is already fearful of the outside world (noises, people scare him), you may have noticed he would have taken time to get used to outside walks in the first place. With this change of fewer people being out and outings kept to a minimum. It would once again be a task to get him to be comfortable going out once things are back to normal. You can't really prevent this, but what you can do is build his confidence in you and that would help him overcome those barriers faster.
Toilet training gone bad: Lots of toilet training faux pas are being seen during lockdown. Some of your pets might be soiling the carpet, due to anxiety or tension that they might be picking up around the house. Some might be confused if they’re not allowed out of the house anymore and are suddenly expected to pee in the bathroom or on a puppy training mat, which they aren't used to. Some pets may not be used to relieving themselves in the building compound, and prefer to go outside. To prevent more issues, consistency is key. Try to stick to the same timings that you used to take them out. When they do pee in the correct place, please reward with a lot of praise. You can even start training them to pee on command. Say the command ‘hurry up’ just as they start bending or lifting up their leg to go. Once they start associating the command with the action, toilet training is made much easier on command.
Separation anxiety: All this quality time with your pet might lead to an unhealthy relationship between you two, which can cause trouble later on. Ensure that you spend some time in another room every single day, so that he stays in the habit of being by himself. You can make being alone more fun for him by giving him a chewy, a bone or an interactive toy stuffed with food. That way when you leave, he looks forward to it instead of getting worried about it.
The writer is dog trainer & behaviourist