Puppies of the Pandemic

First it was toilet roll and pasta - now a puppy shortage! Can you believe it? What will be next?!

Back in March, as the threat of lockdown loomed, we saw the sudden rise in rehoming and fostering requests for pets. It seemed that in a pandemic-mandated quarantine we thought it might be the best time to bring them into our lives. However, it has now been reported that there is a ‘puppy shortage’ in the UK!

Puppy prices have been forced to rise over the past few months and the waiting lists are four times longer than normal, with the Kennel Club advising that there is now a 12-month wait for some breeds.

Dr Sam Gaines, a welfare expert at the RSPCA, says 'What's particularly sad is there is this huge demand for puppies and literally thousands of dogs sitting in rescue centres being overlooked.'

Demand soared with families looking to take on a dog to battle boredom during the lockdown, and to be honest it has proven to be a perfect time for animals to acclimatise to their new lives with owners being at home more whilst their dog is bedding in. But however wonderful, dog ownership is a lifelong commitment which must be carefully considered. We all know puppies are amazing, but they also bring new responsibilities which can be a concern for owners who are at work or out of the house for long periods.

'We may end up with people having to make a very difficult decision to give their dog up and we are concerned there could be a lot of pets brought into the RSPCA or other animal welfare organisations.' says Dr Gaines. If you know you can’t commit to having a dog full time, there are other options out there. Fostering is great and helps dogs prepare for domestic life, raising their chances of future adoption! Or you could become a home boarder which will bring you all the benefits of having a dog at home, but without the full-time responsibility of owning one yourself - the perfect solution!

Another concern is that due to the lockdown these puppies have not had the essential training they need at a young age. Puppies need to be exposed to a whole range of sights, sounds, people and other animals to make sure they don't grow up to be fearful or aggressive, experts say. Further to this, being with our dogs for such a long period of time over these past few months could cause them to show behaviours known as ‘separation anxiety’. Puppies need to be taught when they’re young that it’s OK to be on their own and have a little bit of independence from their owners. If you are returning to work soon, start to prepare your dog now by leaving them in another room for part of the day so they can get used to you not being there all the time, and ensure you have someone to walk your dog whilst you are gone all day.

One of the best things to help avoid separation anxiety is to ensure you are following a comforting routine with your dog. Create a place for them to go to that makes them feel safe, leave the radio on or try a Pet Playlist on Spotify, you can also use feeding puzzles which will keep them entertained and teach them that good things happen when you leave. Having a trustworthy and professional dog walker who is flexible and has a fantastic reputation is extremely important and it would be good to start enquiring now so your pup can become familiar with them if you need to leave them for any length of time.

Finally, when the world reopens and you can take that long awaited holiday, you need to be confident that your four-legged friend will receive the same amount of love and attention that they are used to. Digs for Dogs provides the perfect alternative to kennels with a Dog Home Boarding service, expertly matching your dog with a loving home boarder to give you complete peace of mind that your pet is cared for whilst you’re away.

If you are looking for a dog walker in your area, you can >>Find your local Digs for Dogs branch here<<