As more of us return to working at the office, a new survey by Guide Dogs Australia reveals that three in five dog owners have worried about how getting back to work outside the home might be impacting their dogs.
Opting to work from the office and increased social lives are taking away from the time our dogs treasure. But with two-thirds of Aussie dogs displaying unfavourable new behaviours as owners return to the office, puppy parents are encouraged to walk the talk.
The survey was conducted for PAWGUST, a campaign in its fifth year, that is inviting the public to give back to their best mates and beat the guilt by committing to a 30-minute walk together every day in August.
According to this new Guide Dogs survey, it’s not just our dogs that are suffering from this lack of walks. A quarter of dog owners feel guilty daily, and a similar proportion feel it weekly.
All this when dog owners could be reaping the emotional rewards of a brisk walk with a four-legged friend. Over 90 per cent of dog owners agreed this is something that boosts their mood.
This year it takes on a special meaning. Mid-lockdown PAWGUST survey findings revealed over 80 per cent of Australians were relying on their dogs for emotional support throughout 2020. Now lockdowns have lifted, it’s our dogs’ turn to rely on their owners to get them through a time of significant change by making a walk a day a part of their routine this August.
Dog owners around the country can now give back by signing up to PAWGUST. By getting friends and family to sponsor them, they will also contribute to raising and training Guide Dogs, which cost more than $50,000 per dog to breed, raise and train but provide years of independence and companionship to someone with blindness or low vision.
At Guide Dogs we are always grateful to our dogs, and PAWGUST is about encouraging Australians to join us by getting the steps in with their four-legged friend while raising money to help us raise and train more Guide Dogs at the same time.
Join PAWGUST at https://www.pawgust.com.au/pawsitive
Ryan Jones,
Guide Dogs Orientation and Mobility Specialist
