S3 E9: Why Is My Dog Bailey Acting Strange? - With Dr. Carlo Siracusa of Penn's Ryan Veterinary Hospital

Summary: When concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated and the stay-at-home orders went into place in March of 2020, my entire family was suddenly at home a lot more than usual. My dog Bailey, a generally happy-go-lucky eight-year-old Shichon, immediately knew something was wrong. He seemed spooked, he acted stressed and he watched us more closely. Bailey might have even picked up on our general concern as parents - I mean, remember the early days of the pandemic when everything seemed to happen all at once and confusion was rampant? I became curious about Bailey's response and wanted to know more. Dr. Carlo Siracusa is a veterinarian and associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Ryan Veterinary Hospital. He studies animal behavior and seeks to understand our pets' stress level and why certain animals can turn aggressive. The Society Hill resident owns a cat Elsa and yes, Elsa also noticed a drastic change in her owner's work life and even became confused. Bailey and I spoke to Dr. Siracusa through a Zoom connection on April 8, 2020. I asked most of the questions while Bailey sat on my lap and occasionally ate treats. In this podcast: Dr. Siracusa introduces himself and explains his research at Ryan Veterinary Hospital (1:30), I introduce him to my dog Bailey (2:35), Dr. Siracusa asks about my experience with Bailey when our family observed the stay-at-home order (2:55), he explains why Bailey began acting different (4:45), how changes in the outdoor environment can also trigger stress in pets (6:40), why some pets may not like a sudden boost in attention from their owners (7:00), why it is important for pets to have their safe spaces and not be in a constant "state of activation" (9:15), how a drastic change in the home environment can kick in a pet's "survival mode" (9:45), how pets need quiet time at the end of the day, just like humans (11:15), why a dog or cat's resting time can be very different from their owners' (13:15), best advice: make sure you give your pet some space (14:00), Dr. Siracusa explains how his cat Elsa responded to a change in his routines (16:35), Bailey and I bid farewell and thank Dr. Siracusa for his time (18:20).