How to Get Your Pet Comfortable With You Wearing a Face Mask?

Our furry canine companies have a remarkable ability to observe and read our facial expressions, picking up on various social clues.

With face masks being the new normal, though, your doggo may feel anxious or scared on account of the lack of social signals in their environment. Plus, certain face masks muffle owners’ voices, which can become confusing for dogs.

Fortunately, our four-legged friends are great adapters; and with the right training and acclimation, they’ll soon become used to the idea of being around humans with face masks. Here are some expert tips on how you can go about it:

Gradually Introduce Your Pet to Seeing You in a Face Mask

Start by simply showing the mask to your pupper. Hold the mask in your hand and let your pet sniff around to ensure the mask isn’t a threat. At this point, train with basic puppy commands to get them used to listening and responding to your commands with the mask in your hands.

If your fur baby is still agitated, cover your mouth and nose with your hand and interact with them. This will get your dog used to seeing your mouth obscured.

Once your dog is happy and relaxed, gently put on the face mask and spend some time playing with them.

Positive Reinforcements Can Go a Long Way

It’s important that during this training, you reinforce your pet’s positive reactions and behaviors with tasty treats, pets, and praises.

With enough training, your dog will soon start to associate the facial coverings with positive experiences. For dogs that take more time than others, consider placing a mask near their food bowl or wearing it while you get treats from a designated treat drawer.

To help your pet understand that there will be times when you won’t be wearing a mask, during training, lift the mask up and again give your doggo a tasty treat.

Prepare Your Dog for Strangers Wearing Masks

When you think it’s time, move your training session outside to get your dog used to seeing strangers in masks. Be sure to keep a distance from strangers at this point, and only get close when you think your fur baby has fully adjusted.

Remember to reward your pup every time they look calmly at another person in a mask without becoming agitated. 

If you don’t have the time to take your fur baby out for their daily exercise and socialization, get in touch with us for our a variety of pet care services, ranging from pet sitting and dog walking to pet taxi services and affordable rates.

Call or text 773-985-0420 to learn more.