Page 7 - AdNews Magazine Nov-Dec 2020

Editor’s Letter
Extra training for pandemic puppies
The COVID-19 pandemic added an extra layer of worry on top of the usual daily horror of making a living, staying the distance in the corporate assault course and dodging family missiles.
For the first month or so, the coronavirus crisis, as it was first labelled, was responsible for a creeping tiredness from constant thoughts of staying safe, dealing with logistics of get-
ting groceries, maintaining
work discipline and running a
household.
Those living in Melbourne did a second round of lock- down, adding another level of exhaustion. Those creative peo- ple at UnLtd, industry's social purpose organisation, did a great job creating a care pack- age for colleagues in Victoria.
Anecdotally, many across Australia also thought it was a great idea to get that puppy they’d been promising. What better time to add a furry mem- ber of the family than when everyone is stuck at home?
But it was just another way of adding pressure. Puppies, while cute and adoring, need to be trained before assuming the position of best friend.
Among those who took delivery of a pandemic puppy was me. And she was a lot of work for the first six to eight weeks, which turned out to be the peak period of reporting at AdNews on what was happening during the crisis.
However, Lamington, the cavoodle, is six months old and well trained. She doesn’t need watching to prevent her from chewing into a mains power line.
In my defence, she was ordered in September
2019, long before the pandemic. Suddenly we were at the top of the waitlist and we accepted delivery (and the substantial fee that went with it).
In an industry known for its office pets, adland was well stocked with new puppies.
On almost every phone call or Zoom meeting, someone admits to having a pandemic puppy. Certainly the peak walk times — early morning and after business hours — are a little
crowded at local parks.
I wonder how these pets will
cope when their owners move back to the office? Although the puppies are likely to see
a gradual departure of their owners from the home base.
In the advertising and media industry, to return to the office is for part weeks, and staying at home for the rest, determined by where (city) people, with local social dis- tancing and lockdowns over- ruling comeback desires.
Some will spend the major- ity of their time at home. Most will be in the office for two to three days a week.
Many surveys, including one by recruiters Hays of more than 4000 people, show a reluctance to return to pre-COVID-19 times
when a job meant commuting Monday to Friday. But flexible working arrangements, including part of the time in the office, come — as long as COVID-19 remains — via deep cleaning, social distancing, tem-
perature checks, masks and hand sanitisers.
The puppies have time to complete the next phase of training — how to amuse themselves when their own-
ers are in the office.
EDITOR
CHRIS PASH
www.adnews.com.au | November-December2020 7