The Invasion of Pandemic Pups

Thanks in part to the pandemic my neighborhood has become a giant cement dog walk. Whereas people living in the suburbs can open the door to let Spot out to exercise in their backyard, we cannot. Instead, a Manhattan pet “parent’s” routine looks more like this: A 30-minute, three-times-a-day stroll along sidewalks crisscrossing through neighborhoods of brownstones, tall apartment buildings and/or canyons of steel and glass. 

Furthermore, our pets must be leashed. And by law, we are also required to clean up after them.  This means plastic bags are as essential as dog biscuits. For the more fortunate, however, this chore can be shared with a dog walker at $30 to $40 a pop. (Can you sense my temptation to use a similar word with just another vowel added?)

No choice but to give in

I’ve previously established on this blog site that I am not a naturally-born animal lover. However, I am softening, ever so reticently.  There was no choice. Learning how to maneuver with agility the tangle of leashes and chatting pet owners at every corner in my neighborhood became a necessity. Plus, the stats were against me.  So, either get over my anti-dog attitude or risk being perpetually cranky.  

How did I manage this transformation? My technique was simple. Over time I started looking for something cute, amusing, or quirky related to the pooches and/or their owners.  Sometimes it was a neon pink tutu a dog was wearing; other times it was noticing a poodle stuffed in a backpack as its owner peddled merrily along the city’s green bike path; or maybe observing an elegantly dressed New Yorker at a Starbucks sharing a hardboiled egg with her pet snuggly seated in her lap. The dog and owner look-alike exercise—one which is backed up with scientific proof, by the way—works effectively too.

Cutting corners

These type dog-centric sightings never fail to provoke in me at least a quiet chuckle. Occasionally the secret mix of randomness and absurdity can give rise to a sincere belly laugh. For example, last week a friend showed me a video from Rick McGuire’s site which documents "train-riding oddities" in New York City:  www.subwaycreature.com. It revealed a young man who had cut holes in the four corners of an Ikea bag. In it he had stuffed his Dalmatian so that he could technically claim MTA rules were respected. You see, our city requires that dogs be “carried in a bag” on public transportation. It was hilarious seeing the “dog-in-a-bag” walking onto the E train.  Ingenious, right?

But back to pandemic pups, the topic of this week’s post.  Since March 2020 getting a dog has been a lifeline for many Americans. Most pandemic pet owners claim that their animals have improved their mental and physical well-being plus made working remotely more enjoyable. This was certainly the case for Candace Jones and her husband Steven who live in Buck’s County. I asked what encouraged them to welcome a dog into their home.  

Another set of ears

Candace divulged that she was the instigator of the idea. “So, in the fall of 2020, when it became clear that we would be hunkering down at home for the foreseeable future, I thought we could use someone else to talk to.  Since we couldn’t have friends or family visit us, we thought we’d get a puppy. It was hard to agree on a breed because Steven doesn’t like most small dogs.

“Eventually, I convinced my husband that the poodle and golden retriever mix would be good. We found our goldendoodle online but not at one of those puppy mills.   Still, it was a little scary getting a dog online!  We were lucky. Our dog Coco is a great addition to the family. She kept us smiling during the pandemic. A real stress reliever. I tend to think all pets serve a supportive function.  And since Steven and I both walk her regularly, neither of us gained weight during Covid!”

Pandemic pet adoption boom

 According to the ASPCA Candace’s was one of the 23 million American households—or nearly 1 in 5—which adopted a pet (dog or a cat) during the pandemic.  Adding a pet (now let’s just focus on dogs) comes with pros and cons. Yet the high cost of pampering a pet during lockdown has not been a deterrent.  In a Washington Post article last January, Jacob Bogage reported that “Americans spent $21.4 billion on nonmedical pet products through November, plus another $28.4 billion on dog food, according to market research firm Euromonitor International.“ 

 Consider, if you will, that these substantial figures do not even include the cost of any medical care! In fact, with the recent explosion of dog ownership it is almost impossible to get an appointment with a vet!  Yet even with these various challenges and burgeoning costs, owners are steadfast in doing what is necessary to afford their pets, including eliminating other things in their budget.

 Lacking social graces

 Fast forward and the world is a different place from where we started two years ago. Pet owners are facing a new level of normalcy as they return to work. Their biggest concern now is who will take care of their animals?  Already the waiting list for doggy day care and boarding centers is months-long. In the interim pet owners are desperately turning to friends and family to assist. Let’s face it.  No one wants their animals to spend the day alone.

 A further complication exits particularly for the newly adopted dogs. Many of them were not trained to socialize with other animals during lockdown. Without this skill set, owners cannot easily avail themselves of the various animal care services.

 Who suffers the most?

 Separation anxiety—for both the owner and the pet—is yet another important consideration as people reacclimatize to a post-pandemic lifestyle. For people with preexisting pets, this is less of an issue.  However, unless pandemic pet owners trained their animals to be left alone, they could be in for some nasty surprises.  For example, animal panic attacks resulting in the destruction of property; excessive barking; and worst of all, “inappropriate elimination.”

 While many other people wrestle with the physical and emotional realities of having a pet, I prefer to remain dogless. But I am not indifferent.  Rather, I prefer to allot my “dog time” to such activities as pondering why pet owners treat their animals like people.  In fact, this humanization of dogs has been a personal fascination of mine for years.

 I’m not the only one. In fact, there is even a form of anthropology called “Anthrozoology” which studies human-animal interactions. What happens when humans start treating their dog as children and why?  Is this normal, I’ve wondered? 

 Becoming a pet parent

 Experts think so. Many doctors, scientists and sociologists agree that we humans are wired to find a mate, love, and reproduce. Thus, nurturing our offspring is part of our DNA, So, what happens when a person opts not to have children? One solution is to transfer this natural need to nurture to a different species. Yes, to an animal, or as sometimes laughingly referred to a “fur baby.”

 In return, pets serve as an antidote to their owner’s loneliness as well as provide a level of social comfort. Not only does an animal offer unconditional love, but it also encourages socialization with other people through walking your dog. This is certainly the case in my neighborhood where gaggles of pet owners gathered each morning, afternoon, and evening to exchange stories about their Bridget, Brownie and Bruce.

 Dogs are not people

 Owning an animal offers multiple benefits especially for younger adults who tend to live more isolated lives than older generations.  However, we must acknowledge that bonding with your pet is different for every individual. While some owners might exaggerate their parent-pet relationship, others are very mindful and respectful of their animal’s species-specific needs.

 For example, instead of feeding Fido scraps from the table, serious owners will find more appropriate ways. One way to meet their animal’s instinctive need to forage is by feeding them meals using a food puzzle. This is a plastic gadget with holes in it which the animal is forced to work for a food reward.

 These same informed owners also recognize the differences in nutrition, socialization and learning required of their pets versus those of a real child. This is particularly true of child-free animal owners who invest considerable time, money, and emotional energy in training their pets. Afterall, navigating a human world does not come naturally to an animal. 

 Similarities and differences

 Yes, I giggle when I hear dog owners say things such as “Come on Lucky.  I thought I already told you that you need to hurry up here.  You’re making Mama late.” But I also now realize that many pet owners thoughtfully care for their dogs. While it might look different, participating in training classes instead of attending a school function or taking your dog on a “smell walk” instead of reading to your children, the intent is similar.  As a parent of a child or a pet, the role is fundamentally the same: to develop emotional, physical, and social stability.   

 Even though I have come around to having more respect for dog owners, I am still amazed at the extremes some of them will go with their pets.  Take for example this NYTimes canine marriage announcement.  

Who gets to kiss the bride first?

On Dec. 4, 2021, Twixie and Cowboy, both 2-year-old Brussels Griffons, were married at the Dallas home of the bride (Twixie), in the backyard. She wore an appliquéd lace bodice with a ruffle of layered tulle at the waist. The groom donned a handmade silk-cotton tuxedo and top hat.

In front of a makeshift chapel set up for the occasion, a ceremony was led by Sam Palmeter, whose Brussels Griffon, Grinch, attended and is a friend of the couple. Fig, another Brussels Griffon, served as a flower girl.

Later, four-legged guests enjoyed a meal of puppy chow from Vestals Catering in Dallas (which also caters events for humans), as well as a puppuccino bar and activities including a ball pit.

The nuptials cost about $25,000. Twixie’s owner, Tara Helwig, 37, a fitness coach in Dallas, and Cowboy’s owner, Makayla Wilson, 22, an epidemiology data analyst in Phoenix, split the bill.

This canine nuptial makes dog strollers, pet slings, and matching PTs for the entire family including the pooch—which I still silently mock—seem like child play or should I say, puppy kibble?

 An electric child replacement

 All I can say is there is no dog in my future even if it might appear in this post that I am trying to convince myself otherwise. But I have softened somewhat on the matter. For example, if someone wants to send me a Kia EV6 robot dog for Christmas, I would not be unhappy. It would make the perfect child replacement.  Not only is it environmentally correct, but it will never require a walk or plastic bag….just an electric recharge. See for yourself:  Kia EV6 - Robot Dog - YouTube