Advice For Raising Pandemic Pets

Pet adoptions have boomed since the start of the pandemic, and dog trainers and pet behavior specialists are booked for weeks in advance. Robert Haussmann, certified trainer and behavior specialist and co-founder of Dogboy NYC, takes your calls if you've acquired a pet in recent months and have questions about training, bonding and other behavioral issues brought up by pandemic life. 

@BrianLehrer My dog gained 5lbs during COVID-we don't walk as much, since we are always home. She is not in dog daycare now. How do I get her moving and keeping busy at home without so much extra food/treats-like the stuffed kong/frozen filled bones? Dog YouTube fitness videos??

— laurita z. (@laurita_z) February 23, 2021

Relating real hard to the @BrianLehrer caller who just asked how to keep her dog from barking every time she's on the phone. Cheezit makes himself known at least once during every call or Zoom I do, & seriously embarrassed me during my class presentation on Medea last week 😳

— Jeanmarie Evelly (@JeanmarieEvelly) February 23, 2021