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Face mask stress
Face masks became mandatory for everyone this year, first on public transport followed by a requirement to wear a face mask in all public buildings. Most of us are used to wearing a face mask by now. However, the use of face masks can really startle some dogs as it makes it more difficult for them to read people’s facial expressions. This affects the experience of trust between the dog and its owner, as it could be that a dog experiences less trust when its owner wears a face covering. It can be quite frightening for a dog to see lots of (unknown) people with their faces covered and this can result in a dog displaying some abnormal behaviour.
Is your dog affected by face coverings? Here are some tips to help your dog get used to you wearing a face covering.
Put your face covering on in front of your dog.
Give your dog a treat.
Do this multiple times a day and ask others in your family to do the same.
Give your dog a treat whenever you and your dog come across people wearing face coverings during your walk.
Does your dog still feel dodgy during your walk? No problem. Just give your dog a bit more time to get used to this new situation. Your dog already has to cope with lots of distractions and stimuli when outside and this can make it more difficult for your dog to focus.
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