The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nearly every aspect of our day-to-day lives, and that is true for our pets as well. Pets may see their family more often than they’re used to or during different times of day, but when the day comes that it is safe to return to old schedules and routines, your pet will likely need more time to adjust than you do. Whether you have had your pet for years or have a new addition to your family, establishing a routine and finding time for training activities can not only make the most out of increased time spent at home, but can also set your best friend up for success when it comes time for current schedules to change again.

Juliana Willems, Certified Behavior Consultant Canine and Certified Professional Dog Trainer at Dog Latin Training, offers recommendations on how to use your extra time with your best friend, which actually includes some time away from your best friend, to help them adjust to any routine.

Bringing a new dog into your family during this pandemic is a good idea for many reasons. You are home to help the dog adjust to his new life. You have ample time to dedicate to house-training, exercise for the dog and teaching good manners. This applies to bringing home both adult dogs and puppies. The most important task to focus on during this time is teaching your new dog or puppy to be home alone without you. Because you are home 24/7, your new dog will get used to being with you all the time. This could develop into separation anxiety when your schedule finally returns to normal.

To prevent separation anxiety, plan to spend some safe time out of the house each day right now, so your dog practices being home alone. In addition to separation training, for young puppies you will need to get creative about socialization. The critical window between 8-16 weeks is when puppies decide how they feel about the world, and a lack of positive exposure to people, places and other dogs can have a negative life-long impact.

You can learn more about successful socialization practices during a pandemic in this article. Bringing a new dog into your family during this pandemic can be a bright spot through a difficult time, and these few proactive steps will set you up for a lifetime of happiness together.