It’s almost back to school time!!!!!
Most of us are very happy that our kids of all ages are finally going back to school, but what about our pets. They had the ability to spend the entire summer, a solid 2 to 4 months with their kids. Some pets may have some trouble with the change.
Just like us, animals like to have a routine. With a sudden change in your pet’s daily routine they may experience depression or separation anxiety.
Separation anxiety is when your pet is separated from you or another person in the family that they are close to. They become anxious and some times destructive.
Signs your pet might be suffering from separation anxiety include destructive or anxious behaviors like:
Howling And Barking
Yowling And Meowing
Pacing
Chewing (Themselves, Yourself And Objects Around The House)
House Soiling
Attempting To Escape From The House Or Yard
There are ways to avoid this. Before getting right back into the old school routine. Try it out a couple weeks before school starts. Take a day trip. Have the kids play with your pet before they go to “school” and when they come back. This will help with the anxiety because your pet will realize that all of you will come back and there’s nothing to worry about.
Try and set aside some family time with your pet on weekends and evenings. This can also help with the anxiety because they will know that they have that special time to spend with everyone in the family.
Some people choose to leave a radio or TV on for pets, or toys out for them to play with. If you leave toys out for them during the day, make sure they’re safe, things with strings or ribbon or any other choking hazard should stay away until owners can play with them.
Below Is Some Other Tips And Tricks For Separation Anxiety
- Consider preparing Kongs stuffed with peanut butter or some other favorite treat. Working to get the treat out will provide your dog a distraction from his stress and hours of enjoyment and mental stimulation while you’re gone.
- Check out some doggie day cares in your area. A day or two of supervised play and exercise may be beneficial to your lonely dog.
- Take your pooch for long morning walks to get him plenty of exercise and tire him out.
- Spend quality time with your dog when you are at home; include him in family activities to assure him he’s still an important part of the family.
If nothing works and your pet continues to have anxiety after a couple weeks of the new routine. Schedule an appointment with your vet. Your dog’s anxiety might have an underlying medical cause or your vet might have some additional ideas to help relieve your dog’s stress.