The New Now - How Social Distancing Can Help Your Dog

Where has everyone gone? Things may seem a bit apocalyptic right now. If you have a dog living with fear or aggression, she's probably not missing the traffic jam of people on the streets. This new normal of social distancing can be a great time to reset your dog's response to people and changes in the environment. 

Dogs living with fear and/or aggression generally dislike environmental changes. This pandemic may actually help reduce pooch pandemonium. With less people outside, the environment becomes more predictable. Social distancing can help keep your dog below her fear or aggression threshold. You may now advance your dog's behavior modification more quickly without large groups of people outside walking, skateboarding, leaving scooters on sidewalks, and bicycling. 

Take advantage of social distancing. Take advantage of less people bragging about how great they are with dogs and insisting on petting your dog. Find an out-of-the-way place to sit outside with your dog and watch the world go by at a much slower pace. Feed your dog for watching the world go by, staying quiet, and paying attention to you when asked. 

Go on decompression walks in remote areas where your dog can sniff as long as he likes. Follow your dog as he chooses his own sniffari adventures. Improve your canine observation skills. Can you tell the difference between sniffing that is followed by peeing vs when your dog may be sniffing for a critter?

While social distancing is very punishing for some people, dogs living with issues may actually thrive during Coronacation. Let the world melt away, be comforted by nature’s quiet solitude, and take advantage of living in the new now with your dogs.