Dog Training Activity: What's with the Mask?
Why are all the humans covering half of their faces?
One less obvious aspect of the current coronavirus pandemic is the impact your change in appearance can have on your dogs. Suddenly, all their favorite humans are covering up half their faces whenever they go for a walk…and everyone outside is wearing them too!
While some dogs make take it in stride, others may find this new accessory a little unsettling. Fortunately, help is at hand. Boston Fetch’s dog training partner, Sit Pretty Dog Training, has created a fantastic video with some great ideas for working through any mask related anxiety your pets may have.
Watch the video to see trainer Aubrey Sperry talk you through the three key steps to help your dog get comfortable with mask-wearing humans.
You'll get to see Aubrey show the first two steps in action, and she’ll cover what to do if your dog is too worried to even start with step one. She’ll also give you some ideas of how to accomplish step three—showing that it’s OK when other people wear masks too.
In summary, Aubrey’s three step plan will reassure your dog that…
Wearing a mask is good. Put your mask on, feed your dog a few high value rewards, then take your mask off and stop feeding.
Wearing a mask doesn't change your communication. Put your mask on, go through a few easy and fun cues your dog knows, reward them for participating.
Seeing other people wear masks is also good. Stand a safe distance from people, reward your dog when they notice a person wearing a mask.
Aubrey explains, ‘It is a very abnormal thing for dogs to see, so I’m not super surprised that they’re worried about this.’ Fortunately, if you follow Aubrey’s plan, your dogs will have a positive association with people wearing masks in no time.
Now we just need to figure out how we can get treats every time we see someone in a mask!
We are Boston Fetch, the local pet care company who keeps your pets happy and makes your life easier by being professional, friendly and flexible. We offer a range of pet services, including dog walking, pet sitting and dog and puppy training in the Boston neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain, Roslindale and West Roxbury. We work hard to to make sure our service is convenient for owners, safe for pets, and fun for everyone, whether 2-legged or 4-legged.