Kids might be in virtual classes, but that doesn’t mean dogs need to stay home.
While this back to school looks different than past years, one thing hasn’t changed and that is the excitement of socializing and seeing your buddies. Much like kids, dogs are social creatures and need to see their buddies, too. However, there’s no need to keep dogs at home this fall.
Form a “doggy pod”
Many parents are forming “pods” for their kids to gather in small in-person groups to give kids a social outlet and educational guidance. You can give your pet a social outing by taking a page out of the 2020 Back To School playbook:
1) Find two or three like-minded dog parents who you know have healthy pets and also want their dogs to socialize in a safe space.
2) Create a weekly playgroup schedule allowing each dog parents the chance to oversee the pups in their enclosed backyard for 1-2 hours. Make sure there’s shade and plenty of water. Make sure your dog has had all their vaccines and is old enough to socialize on someone else’s turf.
3) Take turns, alternating back yards.
4) Let us know how it goes!
Doggy daycare
Playcare is another option to give your dog the opportunity to socialize. It’s so important that dog owners get their pets re-accustomed to hanging out with other people and pets.
The AVMA recommends a few other indoor and outdoor ideas in this article. Socialization, i.e., training pets to be comfortable around other animals, people, places, and activities, is a huge part of owning a pet. Both cats and dogs need to be socialized. Let us know your favorite methods of socializing in the comments below!
As always, we’re here for you 24/7. Please reach out if you have any questions about your pet.