It has been Doggy Heaven since Lockdown was announced in March 2020, with pups all over the country having plenty of time with their owners, getting lots of love, playing all day long, and best of all, never a moment alone.   

However, this is all about to change with lockdown guidelines being lifted and the imminent return to school and work.  Separation anxiety for your pooch can result in destructive behaviour, such as chewing the furniture (and other interesting objects!), excessive whining or barking, and urinating and defecating all over the place.

So be kind and prepare your furry best-friend now to avoid anxiety when the dreaded first few days of being “home alone” arrive.   

Here are our top tips to help keep your doggo free from stress: 

• Start by training them to feel secure when you aren’t around, by leaving them alone for a few times each day, starting with just two or three minutes, and gradually building this up to longer.  This way they will have trust that you will be coming back, and it will stop them feeling distressed when the big day finally arrives.   

• When you do start the “home alone” training, give them something to play with such as their favourite yummy treat on a lick mat or in a ball, a new toy, or an old favourite one they particularly love chewing ( as chewing reduces anxiety).

• Motivate them to explore the garden or outside area alone. 

• Mix up the obvious “leaving” signals that they recognise, such as identifying your work uniform with being left alone – so start wearing it around the house for a couple of hours each day, and this will stop them linking your uniform with you leaving, and the same applies to actions like putting on your shoes and grabbing your car keys – make sure they see you do these actions but stay home with them. 

• Start going back to your normal pre-lockdown routine with regards to walks and food times (involving other household members as you did before!). 

• Make sure they sleep in their own bed, and not on the sofa cuddled up with you! 

• Introduce PawVit’s Calming Formula which is specially designed to calm and ease your dog in stressful situations, so it is perfect for separation anxiety.   

PawVit’s Calming Formula includes: 

• T-Theanine, an amino acid naturally found in green tea, which promotes relaxation, reduces stress and anxiety. 
• Taurine, also an amino acid that plays a major role in the brain as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, helping calm your doggo! 
• Inositol, which plays a role in nerve conduction, and is commonly used for panic and obsessive disorders. 
• It also contains Vitamin B1 and Ginger Root!

By planning ahead, you can make the return to post-lockdown easier and less stressful for you and your woofer!