2020 is proving to be a bit different than previous years, with face masks becoming part of everyday life. Whilst we know and understand why wearing a face covering is so important, our pets may be confused, stressed or afraid of them. In order to start positively associating face coverings to your furry friend, why not try some of the below tips at home to help them feel more comfortable with the idea?

Start off by showing your dog your mask, holding it in your hand. Allow them to take a closer look and a sniff to establish that it isn’t anything of harm. Use treats to reward good behaviour and positive association to the mask

Once your dog is used to your face covering, try putting it on in front of them. Keep the mask on for a few seconds, offer your dog a treat, act calmly with a positive tone of voice then remove it. Try and do this a few times throughout the day so that your dog is used to the mask being put on regularly. It is important that family or other members of your household do this with your dog too however you do not want to overwhelm them, so doing this exercise one person at a time may help.

Once your pet is comfortable with you wearing your mask, you can then try putting it on out of view and start entering rooms whilst wearing it, coming into the house with it on and taking your dog on walks around other people wearing face coverings. Remember to reward good behaviour with treats and engaging activities, especially when passing strangers in masks.

Some dogs can adapt to changes in their environment quickly whereas others can take time. As a pet owner, you know your dog’s personality best. If your dog seems distressed or uncomfortable, you may need to repeat each step a few times but be patient, your four-legged friend will be marvellous with people in masks in no time!

And why not practice using your Aqueos Face Mask.  A 3 layered 100% cotton face mask to help filter the air and guard against droplets that enter/leave through your mouth and nose, which may reduce the chance of spreading airborne and droplet illnesses.

The masks are machine washable up to 100 times. The outer layer uses cotton nanotechnology for ultra water resistance, and the inner layer are breathable and moisture-wicking muslin cloth

Nanotech is an ultra water-resistance cotton. This layer of nanotechnology cotton is placed on the outer side of the mask to prevent water droplets penetrating the mask. Nanotechnology fabrics are fabrics specifically manufactured to have special qualities like hydrophobicity, water-resistance and high durability. These enduring characteristics are created by weaving nanofibers (nano-whiskers) that have certain properties and by adding nanoparticles that can provide traits such as bacterial resistance and the “lotus plant” effect, which creates resistance to dirt and water