Dog and quarantine ?

[lulalu]

We adopted an 8 year old dog in December. We spent a good month or so having her bond and adjust to us before leaving her for longer times. 

I was reading about if you have puppies during this time to be sure there is some time away so they don't depend on 24/7 people being there. 

Do you think with an older adopted dog I should be sure we put her in a room alone each day? Once we are out of quarantine and stuff goes back to whatever normal will be, she will have around 3 hours or more most days alone. I just don't want her to get use to this and then have a big adjustment again. 

Edited April 10, 2020 by lulalu

[lulalu]

I should add this is the first time we have adopted a dog. Our only other dog we have owned we got as a puppy, and I swore I would never do a puppy again! 

[Joules]

I wouldn’t. I don’t think being locked in a room away from family for part of the day (when you can hear them out there) is in any way equivalent to being alone for a work day. Instead, once this is lifted, I’d try to be out a little more each day (even if you just drive around a bit or take a long walk) so she gets used to the idea that every time you leave you come back. 

[Pawz4me]

What is her usual personality--is she prone to separation anxiety?

If yes, then I'd leave her once every day or two while you go for a walk or go outside to do whatever.

If no, then I wouldn't be concerned.

You're not wrong to be concerned. People who work seasonally (like teachers) often think summer is the best time to get a dog because they can be with it so much. But that can backfire big time when they suddenly aren't there.

I got a new foster dog a couple of weeks ago, right when our SAH order went into place--also (estimated) to be eight years old. So it's something I'm trying to work through with her, too.

[lulalu]

1 hour ago, Pawz4me said:

What is her usual personality--is she prone to separation anxiety?

If yes, then I'd leave her once every day or two while you go for a walk or go outside to do whatever.

If no, then I wouldn't be concerned.

You're not wrong to be concerned. People who work seasonally (like teachers) often think summer is the best time to get a dog because they can be with it so much. But that can backfire big time when they suddenly aren't there.

I got a new foster dog a couple of weeks ago, right when our SAH order went into place--also (estimated) to be eight years old. So it's something I'm trying to work through with her, too.

She is very clingy, needs to be in the same room or right by me all day. But I don't think after she adjusted to us that she had anxiety. 

The problem is where we live no children can be outside at all. So there is no time we are all able to be gone during the day. 

But as said above might be a good idea. As I am a SAHM I could just build up time apart when this is over. 

[G5052]

We've had our rescued dog for over two years, and she was finally doing really well with us being gone. If I got her water dish and lick mat ready in the laundry room, she'd actually go there herself, knowing that we'd be back for her soon.  

Now we don't go anywhere, and I'm just going with it. We'll gradually have to get her back into that, but this is not the time. I work from home, so she had a lot of companionship even prior to the virus concerns. But of course there were times we left her for up to six hours, and she was fine with that. 

[Carrie12345]

I don’t know that putting her in another room will do much for future *actual separation.  Our dog KNOWS when we’re in another room, outside, or actually gone. He especially knows when my 17yo is any of those things. He knows the difference between the family coming up the front porch with her and the family coming up without her. (He’ll howl till she gets to him if she’s there; he’ll ignore all of us if she’s not.). 

For my dog at least, sticking him in a room away from the rest of us would just make him wonder why we were mad at him.

[Pen]

I think use shower or bath time to practice mild separation time.  And then when things are going back to more normal try to build up additional separation a little gradually if possible.

 

[lulalu]

Thanks everyone!!