Gen-Dogs after Lockdown

 

For this bond of love

I am not informing of any fact hitherto unknown or a discovery when I say the lockdown, or the partial lockdown as the government prefers to call it, has changed our routines. In our building complex, earlier the mornings saw a few birds chirping before the humans made their appearance to move and flay their limbs on the pathway and then was the turn of the dogs. One would see five strays competing with the domesticated ones for their right to strut on the road as and where they wished.

At least a dozen dogs live in these apartments. Most of them are Labradors or Pomeranians or their descendants with pure or traces of the original genes and characteristics. I would have loved to see a few more canine breeds especially the bigger kinds, but a mere onlooker does not deserve the right to ask for variety in this kind of show, so I just stay content with what is on offer. 

But believe me, their lives too have changed.

Mornings and evenings were the usual time that these quadrupeds would make an appearance. These intervals looked like a combination of potty break and exercise time. Some lucky ones excited and happy to be outdoors, forced their owners to keep up with their pace of having fun as they exercised themselves and burnt off their excess energy. The others, not so fortunate, merely sauntered as their masters and mistresses walked behind them with the leash dangling from one hand and the mobile in the other and their eyes glued on the device.

There were sometimes the lunchtime breaks also when I would be reminded of a cartoon I had seen several years ago: A dog’s idea of heaven is a bellyful of water and a mile of trees. Here replace trees with pots containing plants or tyres of cars parked along the road.

World Health Organization has said, “At present, there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus."

The lockdown has changed a lot for these pet dogs too. The humans of most of them are at home. Even if working, the dog for the most part of the day, has freedom to go get itself petted, molly-coddled or its ears and belly scratched. Most of the owners do it unconsciously with one hand as they move the electronic mouse with the other. For the humans too, except that they might be missing the beer evenings or their boy/girl-friends, dogs are more peaceful and nerve-wracking companions than their co-workers and bosses.

''It's scratch time, Daddy," says Jasper

"Please this side too, Mama!"- Bertie

Now you can see a dog trying to walk its owner at any time of the day.  Only one young man coming with his golden retriever at regular time in the morning, continues to work on training him, issuing him instructions to follow and it is a joy to see that he picks up after his dog when the latter has emptied its bowels.

Some owners are posting cute photos and videos of their own four-legged friends. For those living alone, the company of these loving creatures has made quarantine and lockdowns less lonely and traumatic. I do understand though that the virus onslaught has turned the lives upside down of some people, maybe having a telling effect on their ability to take care of themselves or those around them including their dogs.

Google says searches for ‘buy a puppy’ increased by 115% after the UK first went into lockdown in March 2020, with prices for some of the most sought-after breeds reaching record levels.

Forced indoors these days, limited spaces do not provide many sources to the dogs for their cognitive stimulation. There are fewer cars moving for them to run after. There is less exposure to a variety of sounds and smells or even sights of people, animals, vehicles, birds, insects, which might cause them to get used to this as normal.

People are not meeting others which means that the dogs are also not meeting other dogs. My friend Ruchira said they used to take their Antonio out for exercise and social interaction daily evening but that had to be discontinued when they caught the virus. Now he pesters everyone in the family to play with him.

Darn this virus! Antonio has to play alone

Besties Antonio and Rustam

     Photos; Avani Tewari

The owners are also fretting over vaccination schedules, exercise and diet or desperately looking for ways and devising tricks and games to prevent their pets from gaining weight or getting bored, exactly as one does with a two-year old at home.

He loves me more than I love myself !
Photo: wee_inthemood

Dr Rachel Casey, Director of canine behaviour and research at Dogs Trust suggests in

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/05/bought-dog-lockdown

to prepare them for when you’re not there 24/7 after the lockdown or when you start going out to work. Your pet would need coming out of it.

A big worry for dog owners is the long-term impact of lockdown on their ability to cope with being left at home on their own. The case of dogs with separation anxiety might get worse when left again– but we also expect to see new cases developing, because other dogs, and particularly puppies, have learned to expect company all day.

Our message to owners is start building in minimal periods apart, initially just being briefly separated from you by a door or child gate. If they stay calm, build up the time separated really gradually, so they start to adjust to not being with you all the time… By gradually increasing your time apart, you can ensure they are able to settle on their own and help them prepare for the time when you need to return to work or study.

Our dogs will also need help when it comes to seeing friends and family, both outdoors and indoors. Teaching your dog how to greet new people calmly, how to settle when guests visit or when you’re in a cafe are key skills. Coming back when called, walking on a loose lead and not barking when the doorbell goes are also vital skills that will set them up for success.

In the same vein Melissa Starling says

https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/will-my-dog-get-lonely-after-i-go-back-to-the-office-after-lockdown/

Some of these dogs may have been difficult at the beginning of lockdown, being unusually noisy, destructive, disruptive or needy as a response to suddenly having humans around all the time.

… the dogs that were acquired during lockdown, either as a puppy or an adult dog, and have never known life in your home where they have been left alone for extended periods.

Dogs are keenly aware of contrasts in their environment, so a period where humans are nearly always present in the home contrasts sharply with a period where they are suddenly away from home for most of the day, and that alone can be enough to be disruptive and challenging for them to cope with. Even well-adjusted dogs taught to accept alone time still may struggle with an abrupt change in routine.

If they spend more than 20 minutes pacing, vocalising, drooling, panting (assuming it’s not hot), or directing destructive behaviours at doors or windows, then it looks like we have a serious problem and you should speak to your vet about medication to assist. We don’t want them miserable and they don’t need to be.

If they can go and lie down and nap soon after being left, then try a longer absence if you can. Another way to ease a dog into human absences is to make sure they are relaxed about being left to amuse themselves while you move around the house. This can be achieved with long-lasting chew items such as boredom buster toys or a bone. The goal is to see your dog comfortably sticking with their chew item while you get up and leave the room.

Nap time for Bertram Wilberforce Wooster Pandeya
Bertie's photos: Lily Pandeya

"I had a busy day, now may I take some rest?"- Jasper

                                                   Jasper's photos: K S Asla

Even a couple of minutes exercise – just standing up and then sitting down beside them again is a beginning, she says.

So even as you enjoy your present time with your four-legged friends, there is no harm in preparing them for your own social times later. You do not want them to be praying for the return of the virus so that you can be home again 24x7, do you?

                                                        

                                                                                          - Anupama S Mani