COVID dog syndrome: How to avoid pet problems when you return to the office

With COVID-19 restrictions easing, and many returning to their workplaces after months at home, a new problem has emerged — COVID dog syndrome.

Dogs, particularly those purchased during lockdown, are struggling to cope with being left alone, with cases of separation anxiety, fear and aggression surging.

Dog trainer from Steve Austin Canine Training and Behaviour, Steve Austin, says the issue is “fairly easily solved if you put some work in before you go back to work”.

“The things that dog owners can do is try to make their dog more resilient and more robust by getting the dog to spend small amounts of time at first by itself, in the backyard, separate rooms, even if you leave your dog at your mum’s place, friends place … for a couple of hours at a time, so it learns to cope without you being there,” he told Stephen Quartermain and Tony Leonard, filling in for Ross and Russel.

“They really do prefer humans, so we do have a responsibility to think this through carefully.”

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