The holiday season for many is a time to give and receive gifts. For some this year, the gift may be in the form of a four-legged friend. Adopting and surprising family with a puppy this year may be on some people’s holiday agenda. But for others this season will be a time to reflect on the growing pains the COVID-19 pandemic gave their pups.
At the start of the pandemic, many individual routines shifted. Heather MacKay, who worked in insurance at the time, was doing a desk share pre-pandemic. “I was hoping to start working from home prior to the pandemic,” she says. “And then the pandemic happened, and everyone immediately went home.” According to PEW Research Center, Heather’s transition was similar to the transition of 71 percent of employed Americans.
Months before COVID-19 sent Heather home to work remotely, she and
Phoenix on her paw-rents boat when she was a puppy.
her partner had begun having conversations about adopting a Great Dane puppy. “Our friends have Great Danes,” she explains. “The breeder they use down south had a co-breeder that was having puppies. It just happened to be at the perfect time.” Phoenix Storm, the Great Dane puppy, was born in February 2020. Eight weeks later, Heather’s breeder drove Phoenix from Alabama to her new home in Maine. Working from home, Heather was able to be with her puppy all the time. “I would take her out and make sure that she was eating,” she says. “There was a lot of education involved as well. I was juggling that.” Heather says she began to see Phoenix’ fondness of having her around. “I noticed she was very attached,” she says. “I believe regardless of the pandemic that would have happened, especially working from home.”
Phoenix at school, towering over her classmates now.
Aware that puppies need socialization, Heather began looking for outlets for Phoenix. At four months old and 65 pounds, Phoenix began attending school. “We decided to start her in school/daycare,” she says, “so that she could play and be a dog during the day with natural surroundings and socialization.” Heather added that she brought Phoenix to visit with family members during the worse parts of the pandemic and socially distanced for Phoenix to still get socialization. “She was around chickens, too,” she laughs. “And other dogs and cats.”
