Adopting a dog During Lockdown: What Happens now?

Many people were rushing to adopt a dog during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. This came as a result of long days in the house, working from home and wanting a furry friend around to cheer the place up. 

Unfortunately, as people are returning to work, they are finding that they no longer have time for their new pet and are sadly returning their dogs. The Scottish SPCA has reported that its centres have reached their full capacity of dogs as a result of the rush to send them back after the peak of the pandemic.

More than 3,000 animals were rehomed and upwards of 7,000 were taken into care.

A rise in demand for puppies also led to an increase in the number of raids and seizures of dogs from low-welfare puppy farms and dealers. 

The Dogs Trust reported that unwanted behaviours are the number one reason that dogs get handed over into their care. Some of these behaviours include whining, barking or being clingy. 

They asked over 6,000 owners about the behaviour of their dogs during lockdown. More than a quarter said their dog had shown at least one new problematic behaviour. In order to prevent dogs being let down, Dogs Trust have issued advice to help dogs adapt to life post-lockdown. 

Their advice suggests that owners should get their puppy used to alone time, which includes making space for them to be by themselves, chewing/playing and building up the time spent apart from them to gradually work towards the puppy getting used to being alone. 

The American Kennel Club said: “Dogs pick up on your mood and take their cue from you about how they should feel about new situations. The more you stay relaxed and behave like everything is normal, the more likely your dog will be to follow your lead and accept it when it’s time for you to go.”