Time at home together for the past few months has provided a wonderful opportunity for many families to add four-legged buddies to their homes. They have either adopted or volunteered to foster a pet in need.

As the COVID-19 directives move through new phases, many of these adopters and foster folks are now able to return to work. This also means routines are disrupted which affects not only the humans but the dogs, too.

An important function of the Blue Ridge Humane Society is not only to find homes for pets, but to help keep pets in those homes. A suddenly misbehaving dog can unfortunately lead an owner or foster to think the only solution is returning the pet to the shelter.

So lets look at the Rule of Threes, first, to understand how your new dog has adapted to his home initially, and then why you may see undesirable behaviors as things change.

For the first three days after you bring a new dog home, they feel overwhelmed, scared, or unsure. They may not eat or drink for a while, they may shut down - their personalities are repressed.

Some dogs may test new boundaries by trying to escape. Give the new pal both patience and time; it gets way better.

After about three weeks in their new environment, dogs will start to settle in, feel more comfortable because by now they have figured things out. As they get more into a routine, they start to show their true personalities.

But along with this growing confidence, new behavior issues may also arise that should be addressed with consistent training.

Finally the first three months have passed and most (not all) dogs by this time are pretty comfortable because they have forged trusted bonds with their humans. Their routine is set by now, and along with that comes a sense of security within this new family.

One unexpected positive of the COVID-19 stay-at-home order has been that entire families have remained at home with their new pets. The dog has provided welcome company for the family. In return, the pup has received affection and playtime.

There is an established routine with everyone present to participate, and dog and family have created strong bonds. Many foster families have actually adopted their foster dogs; they have fallen in love and now have new family members.

All good, right? For the most part, yes. As the COVID-19 guidelines progress into new phases, big changes happen. Adults start to return to work and childcare resumes in limited capacities.

What does this mean to the dog that enjoyed being the center of attention 24/7 with their humans? As their people become less available, dogs will experience disruption in their routines just as they were feeling settled in.

Even dogs that have been longtime family members, not recent adoptees or fosters, will have their routines disrupted. Behavior issues in the once calm dog can surface now, like stress or separation anxiety.

To alleviate stress, its a good idea for families going back to work to develop a plan to make their dogs alone hours more interesting. Enrichment activities could include interactive puzzle toys to leave out for the dog. Dog TV is an app on television. Leaving music on while youre gone may help. For techies, there is even a smart phone app that allows you to operate a treat dispenser remotely.

Maybe a trusted neighbor who knows your dog well could provide an outdoor break with playtime. Rotate these enrichment techniques to stave off boredom dogs can lose interest in often-repeated activities.

Arriving home from work, you should anticipate that your dogs energy level will surge. Time for exercise then, maybe an extended walk - but even this activity could uncover new issues. Being sequestered, families and their dogs havent routinely been to dog parks or socialized with other people, including other children.

Be aware that having spent so much time with only your family, your pup could have become very protective of you. Closely supervised socialization may be needed now when meeting other people and dogs.

During these unusual times, dogs certainly feel stress, but humans do, too. Adopting a dog, especially an adult dog, is stressful. Add to that the stress of being sequestered for weeks and weeks, being laid off work whatever your situation may be. Now add the stress of going back to work and the new challenges of your dogs changed behavior.

You could be thinking this dog is just not a good fit; returning the dog to the shelter appears to be a difficult but necessary solution. Please consider that it might be your own stressors that have understandably exceeded anyones normal limits under these abnormal circumstances.

Maybe we can try to accept that stress is a human normal reaction to these times. But we can manage, one issue at a time, with help.

Blue Ridge Humane Society can help you relieve one of these stressors: behavioral issues your dog may be experiencing. Let us partner with you and your dog to manage your new routine.Your dog needs his new home, and he is still the dog you adopted and love.

For advice and counseling on pet behavior issues, reach out to the BRHS Pet Helpline at 828-393-5832 and leave a message with your contact info and questions. Our staff will get back to you with advice, ideas, and possible resources.

The Blue Ridge Humane Society, Inc., is a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization providing animal rescue and adoption services; low-cost vaccine clinics; education programs and training classes; pet food assistance; emergency vet assistance; and the Spay/Neuter Incentive Program (SNIP), which is a collaboration with Henderson County, the City of Hendersonville, and the Henderson County Animal Services Center.

Learn more by visiting http://www.blueridgehumane.org or call (828) 692-2639.

Gail Buzby is a member of the Board of Directors for the Blue Ridge Humane Society.

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Returning to work: But what about the dog? - The Topsail Advertiser