Pandemic rescue dogs, especially the larger variety, can be challenging to train and exercise. Judging from the nationwide stories of dogs winding up back in shelters for rehoming, well-meaning adopters are having more trouble than they might have anticipated.
The Washington Post reports that more than 23 million pets found new homes in the U.S. during the pandemic; that translates to nearly one in five American households.
With that uptick in adoptions, associated services such as daycare and boarding facilities are bursting at the seams. Long waiting lists are common. And while a puppy grabbing your socks and making a mad dash around the house might be cute for a week, nightly zoomies with a 70 lb. dog can get – well, old. And stressful. And not just for the humans. If the household has cats…
On this edition of CoastLine, we explore some of the common challenges – and admittedly some very strange ones – so that the human end of the leash sets up the dog end of the leash for success.
Lynne Swanson, retired DVM; volunteer at Safe Harbor Farm K9’s SMILE project in northeastern North Carolina; author, SMILE! and other practical life lessons your dogs can teach you (while you are training them)
Resources:
Book excerpts, frequently asked questions, and other resources:
For videos on communicating with canines, how to help a thunder-phobic dog, the male dog myth, and other educational videos, find the YouTube channel for Smile Project here:
