The article on dogs needing more socialization with other dogs is on point. I have six core walking/sitting dog clients, and none of them are completely without some kind of behavioral issue. They either have severe separation anxiety, or they are hostile to other dogs. I think part of it is that these are NYC dogs who experienced social isolation during the pandemic, but also a lot of the owners I encounter coddle their dogs(well-meaning, but still)to the point that they aren’t trained or forced to get comfortable around other dogs. It’s a bummer bc both the dogs and their owners are beyond lovely, and I’m not in a position where I can gently nudge them towards getting a trainer or taking their dog to the dog park. I can’t speak on what it’s like outside the city but at least around here I don’t see this trend changing anytime soon.
The article on dogs needing more socialization with other dogs is on point. I have six core walking/sitting dog clients, and none of them are completely without some kind of behavioral issue. They either have severe separation anxiety, or they are hostile to other dogs. I think part of it is that these are NYC dogs who experienced social isolation during the pandemic, but also a lot of the owners I encounter coddle their dogs(well-meaning, but still)to the point that they aren’t trained or forced to get comfortable around other dogs. It’s a bummer bc both the dogs and their owners are beyond lovely, and I’m not in a position where I can gently nudge them towards getting a trainer or taking their dog to the dog park. I can’t speak on what it’s like outside the city but at least around here I don’t see this trend changing anytime soon.
Thanks for sharing your insights on this, Katie!