Socialising With Your Pet

With the Summer Holidays well and truly underway and lockdown restrictions gradually easing. This month we have been considering socialising your pet. And what the impact of life in lockdown may have been for your latest family member.

Our 3rd podcast episode, released on August 1st, features special guests Sarah Holmes (Mochdre Vets) and our very own Laura Jones (petplace). In this episode of our podcast, they discuss the highs and potential lows of socialising with your pet.

In the first year of lockdown, the UK gained over 3 million additional pets. Life in lockdown will be all that these pets will have known. It is important to start, if you haven’t already, preparing your pet for social gatherings and interacting with other pets and people.

Out & About – Socialising With Your Pet

Take your dog out and slowly introduce new sounds and smells again. This will gradually allow them to adjust to the world outside.  We have all experienced some form of anxiety around returning to social life, busy spaces, and our own anxieties are passed down to our pets. For instance, if you are anxious on the other end of the lead then they will pick up on this. Making them more likely to have a negative experience, impacting their reactions to others in the future.

Home & Garden – Socialising With Your Pet

When welcoming large groups back into your home and garden it is important to prepare a private area that is just for your pet. A crate that’s covered or a spare room they can use as a safe space would be ideal. You can find anxiety wipes, sprays, plugins that can be used now to help prepare your household to open those doors again.

In the right situation, crate training is fantastic. However, do not use it to fix long-term behavioural issues. It needs to be a safe haven for your dog and never used as a form of punishment.

Staycationing

Above all, having something familiar to them whether it be a crate, a bed, or a blanket can help. It will soothe them and keep them relaxed in unfamiliar surroundings such as cars or staying in holiday homes.

Top Tip for Socialising

If you see a dog with a yellow ribbon on its collar or leash it is a sign to other people. That the dog needs some space and that you need to proceed with caution. The reason is that the dog may not be child friendly, have health issues, have fear or anxiety issues, or is in training.

As always, if you have any questions regarding ‘Socialising Your Pets’, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team. You can pop into the store or get in touch via any of our social channels or website. And also be sure to check out our new podcast, search ‘petplace’ on Apple or Spotify. To listen to the full discussion about ‘Socialising Your Pets’.