3 Ways To Support Your Crazy COVID Pup
Hey all, Bree Beery here with PPTW, and today I want to chat about a problem that we as dog trainers anticipated when everything was shut down for a month.
The silver lining to everyone being home, was that they were able to open their homes to a new furry friend. Shelters are reporting that dogs are getting adopted in record time, which is awesome.
Normally when you add a new puppy or dog to your family, you take them out and about, you enroll them into a puppy or dog class, all of which is the backbone of their socialization.
What many do not know, the socialization window closes around the 5.5 months of age mark. Sadly, COVID put a hold on getting out and about and going to training classes.
As trainers, we are seeing the results, and let me tell you, they are not good. If you are struggling with your dog’s behavior, THIS could be a reason why.
Now that we are back up and running with our group classes, I can honestly say that more than half of the dogs in each of my classes are what is coined a “COVID pups”. A COVID pup falls into the category of a dog or puppy that came home just before the shutdown or was brought home during the high of the pandemic. At a time, when we were all home, and not able to properly socialize our dogs.
Now that some areas are able to get out and about, many are experiencing poor behavior from there dogs and are struggling.
There are three keys thing to take away from this:
Have patience. The more patience you can be, the better off your dog is.
Do not force a situation. Remember your dog, just like you, has been living in a bubble for potentially months now. The world is a bit scary.
Using your calming oils at least 20 minutes before heading out the door is ideal, I normally recommend the oils to be diffused when it comes to behavior modification.
They can also be used topically, and some even internal for added support. Always read your labels to ensure you are using an oil that is safe for internal use.
For the owners in our group classes that have chosen to use calming oils to support their dogs, I have seen a considerable difference in their ability to stay calm, think, and learn. All of which is ideal to get through this tough time.
If you are new to EO use, are in need of your own oils, and you are looking for additional support, make sure to check the links below for our free online FB group, a link to download your own EO dog cheat sheet, and for information on my Dogs 101 EO Online Training Course.
My goal is to empower you to help your dog be successful. Thanks for watching, have a great day!
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