PawPrintPets

Making You & Your Dog Happier


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Lockdown pets and the new normal

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What’s happening for our pets during lockdown? How are they coping?

In my book ‘Being a Dog’, I tried to help us all learn how the world appears from the dog’s point of view. It was the same in my book ‘Purrfect Guide to thinking like a Cat’, but of course, for our cat friends instead. Why is it important to get inside their thought processes?

Try saying ‘It’s just a dog’ to anyone who has one in their home these days? Not everyone is lucky enough to own a pet, but dog or cat, they are one of the family. As we know, families are very different in the way that they do things day to day. This means that our pets learn all of our little ways, without even trying hard.

What happens then, when there is a lockdown and things seem to be turned on their heads for most of us? Is it silly to think that the pets might care too?

Of course, they aren’t reading the news or looking at the government statistics, depressing though they are. However, we are affected by all these things. Staying at home, feeling worried, missing our normal routines and being put under huge pressure too. It’s all incredibly different, so it would be naive to imagine that our dogs and cats haven’t noticed.

Does it matter? Well, possibly not. Dogs and cats are hugely adaptable. They cope with all kinds of comings and goings in human life, so why not this? I do think that now we have mostly been forced to slow down our pace, they probably quite like the continuity. Those that are left alone most of the day are probably loving having us around. 

If you are feeling bored, imagine what your dog goes through for the hours and hours you’re at work? 

If you are feeling a bit ‘hemmed in’, perhaps your cat could be considered a little more? Let them have their own space. They need it.

Of course, it isn’t all rainbows. It might be that you are experiencing more problems with your pet because you aren’t leaving them alone as much, especially if you’re seeking extra cuddles or the kids are letting off steam. The good news is that there is still help available if you need it, so feel free to contact me or any properly qualified (ABTC-registered, Clinical Animal Behaviourist) colleagues. We are still running online puppy classes, and they are still filled with well-behaved dogs and puppies wanting to learn. It isn’t a poorer or lesser method, no matter what you hear. Our online class clients are doing exceptionally well, and I think they deserve congratulations because their ‘lockdown pups’ are going to cope with all the changes that will come with our future new normal.

Is my pet naughty? Or poorly?

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This week has been rather difficult for us as we found out one of our older, beloved dogs is very unwell. Our little terrier has always had her fair share of health problems, coming as she did from a puppy farm and not very understanding home. She was then rescued and we took her in. 

Many rescue dogs are rehomed through no fault of their own. In this case it was hard to tell, but this little scruffy bundle arrived from her foster home with lots of suspicions about humans and their ways. She would bite, not hard, but enough, so we had to work with her for a long time and even now she finds some things difficult to cope with.

Why have I mentioned this in an article about health?

Often, we get so used to our pets behaving as they do that we don’t always notice when they aren’t just being tricky to manage. I don’t like the word ‘naughty’, but people I work with often use it when their pets aren’t doing what they expect. 

What this means is that maybe your dog or cat has learned something you don’t really want them to repeat, but it could be that they actually aren’t feeling very well.

Pain and illness can change any animal’s behaviour. Are you the same person when you’ve got a stomach bug or a headache? What about when you are tired or perhaps a bit run down by life? It’s the same with our pets.

With my terrier, she suddenly started whining and crying for more food. Odd, since she has always been slim and never overate. The whining continued even after she had been fed. All she wanted to do was sit on someone’s knee, again, unusual. Now, we could have just assumed she was being a bit needy and greedy! Instead, we monitored her for a short while and then took her to the Vet, described the changes in her behaviour, and the Vet (Priory, in Stamford), gave her a blood test and called me back that day. Yes, our little dog has kidney problems and is now being treated.

My point is this. If you see your dog or cat change, or if they persistently do something, don’t simply assume that it’s just their personality. Don’t assume it’s ‘just old age’ or that your pet is slowing down somehow. Don’t assume they are ‘naughty’ and then take them to a trainer who doesn’t ask you to have a Vet check first – this is essential for their care. Our pets don’t really show illness like we humans do, so be their best carer ever and get that change checked out!

Are dogs and cats alike?

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Dog and cat comparisons

As dog owners we need to remember that just because a cat is a companion, comparing them to dogs is like comparing apples to oranges. There are marked differences between the two, and cat experts advise caution when it comes to treating these two very different species in a similar way. No matter what we see on TV or YouTube, cats are not small dogs in disguise! Each species has their own unique qualities that really do lead people to state that they may be a ‘cat person’ or a ‘dog person’.

Dogs and cats are different species so what are the differences low res

Dog owners feel they can choose and train their puppy for a particular purpose and lifestyle. Cats are very unlikely to change to fit into a human’s social setting and change from a timid cat to a sociable ‘lap cat’. Even getting a kitten and hoping it will adjust has limited effect. Individual cats vary enormously depending on previous experience and genetics, as well as the experience of the cat’s mother whilst pregnant.

Walking cats on a lead is something that crops up from time to time, but cats are generally allowed out by themselves. Dogs in this country aren’t meant to be allowed out without an owner, and it is the norm for people to see a dog roaming freely and assume it is lost. Imagine if this were so with a cat? In contrast, the idea of an ‘indoor cat’ is on the increase but many behavioural experts believe this to be contrary to a cat’s instinctive needs. Cats need to roam, but what if they are near a busy road?

Dogs seem to really put up with a lot more than a cat might. When we ask ourselves why a dog that has been mistreated still returns to the same place, or takes a lot of harsh training without vanishing, this could be credited to dogs’ incredible tolerance levels.  Cats tend to vote with their feet and are not adaptable to changes. They can rehome themselves surprisingly easily if there is too much disruption in their home and they will look for somewhere more to their taste. This no doubt leads to the common problem of a cat being fed by a neighbour who thinks the cat calling at their door is a stray. It might just be they are fed up where they live.

Most dogs give off clear body signals, and of course tend to make a lot more noise for a lot more reasons. Both dogs and cats really do want to avoid conflict wherever possible, but as silent hunters who don’t really have a need for social contact, cats give a lot less away than our dogs do. Learn the differences!