Here’s a quick story about a typical week day back in 2019, pre pandemic and before I created Collar Country Club....
6AM – Wake up and get our beloved Rosie the Labrador out for a walk to see her through the morning.
7.40AM – Leave the house and head to work, patting Rosie gently on the head and telling her to be a good girl until the dog walker arrives.
9AM – Start to wonder what Rosie’s up to in the house by herself. Probably looking forward to seeing her friends no doubt. I’m sure she’s fine. Probably enjoying some peace and quiet.
2PM – Check on the webcam (angled directly at Rosie’s bed of course) so I can look at the dog post walkies. She looks nice and content! Definitely enjoying the peace and quiet. Is that a newspaper I can see in her paws? Where did she get those reading glasses from?
5PM – Return home from work to a tired and happy dog. Good to see you Rosie! How’s your day been? Did you have fun? What did you seeeeeee? *no response* Did you read about the latest Brexit developments? *no response*
Now here’s a quick story about a typical week day DURING lockdown before I created Collar Country Club.
6AM – Wake up and get our beloved Rosie the Labrador out for a walk to see her through the morning.
7.40AM – Eat breakfast with Rosie sat on the sofa next to me.
Rest of the morning – Be around Rosie every single moment. Bargain Hunt anyone? She’s having a great time with all of this human company!
12PM – Take Rosie out for a nice long walk. She’s literally my short shadow in the midday sun.
Rest of the afternoon – Be around Rosie every single moment. She keeps eyeing up that Daily Telegraph for some reason.
5PM – Wait for my wife to return home after she’s been out with…. Rosie the Labrador.
Rest of the day – You guessed it – be around Rosie the Labrador enjoying the monotonous routine of lockdown. This dog is never out of my sight.
Sound familiar? I’m sure it does! We recently calculated that we had spent 10 hours away from our dog during 14 months of lockdown. Now don’t get me wrong – those 14 months have probably been the best days of Rosie’s life. However as we all know, the coldest and bleakest days of the pandemic appear to hopefully be over. It’s therefore crucial for Rosie and your dog to start to get re-adjusted to life for when we cannot dedicate every moment of every day to our 4 legged best friends. I know we would all love to do this, but - things are changing.
This is why it is vital that you start to get your dog into a routine of being by themselves starting today.
So, here's my *TOP TIP*....
Start a 10 minute routine of leaving your dog in the house by themselves. Trust me, it shall do them the world of good. We all know that soon, we will all be out of the house for longer periods of time. Now is the time to re-adjust your dog’s mindset so they start to understand that a little independence away from you is completely fine and not at all scary. By not adopting this tried and trusted method, it shall mean that you will be going to 0-100mph within a blink of an eye.
One moment your dog is enjoying your company 7 days a week and the next, they could be back to being alone before Homes Under The Hammer starts. Lockdown has taught me a lot of things, including that we still have a long way to go with the quality of daytime TV.
Anyway back to my top tip for your dog.
Purposefully leave your house for 10 minutes every day for 7 days. Don’t fuss over your dog and tell them how much you love them (we all know you do!) Once this time is up, start to increase your absence to 20 minutes per day. You must be dedicated with this, it’s all about creating a pattern your dog understands.
Planning for life now that we are out of lockdown is the key to ensuring your dog can re-acclimatise to their new lives. Brighter and busier days are just around the corner.
Our dog’s well-being is so important. I don’t think we shall experience a time again where our own routines shall change so dramatically. This is why I feel so strongly about doing what’s right for our dogs. I know that offering a dog walking adventure service, provides my 4 legged fur-ball Club members with such happiness. For me, knowing that I’m making a positive difference to a dog’s day is the best feeling in the world. I love receiving the photos and messages from my customers on an evening telling me their dog has happily been snoozing away after a Collar Country Club adventure. That’s why being a dog walker is so rewarding. I cannot wait to continue to make even more memories now that the dogs of Sheffield will need those adventures more than ever post lockdown.
If you feel that your dog can benefit from an enriching, high energy and stimulating Collar Country Club adventure out in the Sheffield countryside and woodlands - get in touch. I would love to hear from you! I can provide you with peace of mind knowing that your dog is having a great adventure whilst you’re out of the house.
Check out our brand new Club member Douglas here. Little Douglas' owners got in touch and look how happy he is on just his second ever adventure!
Until next time.
