A sudden change of schedule can lead to stress in your dog or cat and can cause behavioral problems. Extra attention and a new friend may be the solution.
After a summer of playing ball, swimming, catching fireflies and getting lots of attention from his favorite boy or girl, your dog or cat may not be himself when the kids dash off on the first day of the new school year. The sudden disruption to his schedule and special time may cause your pet to eat too much, not want to eat at all or start eating strange objects such as plants, dirt, toys or clothing. This can result in vomiting, diarrhea and skin problems to name a few. Now is the time to give your four-legged family member some extra attention and to sharpen up on your pet first-aid and cpr skills because no matter how hard you try…life happens.
Back-to-School TipsAdditionally, there are things to keep in mind that can help the animals in your household adjust and stay safe.
- When the school bell rings, don’t let your pet go back to school too. A lonely pet may want to tag along. Keep your pet confined when children leave for school, and if you drive, don’t take the pets with you. Animals learn quickly and may find their own way to school later on resulting in them becoming lost or injured. For severe separation anxiety, place the t-shirt your child slept in the night before in your pet’s bed — as long as he doesn’t rip it to shreds, it will make him feel like his boy or girl is there with him.
- Now that mom or dad may be experiencing a little “empty nesting,” it’s a great time to spend extra quality time with the family pet. Embark on an exercise and training program for your dog. A tired dog is a good dog who will wait patiently for his “kids” to come home from school.
- Love and attention is a bow wow wonderful thing, but you don’t want your dog or cat to become a “velcro” pet sticking to your side every second of the day. Interest your dog in toys filled with treats in between training sessions and belly rubs. Just be careful though not to over-treat your pets and have them pack on the pounds.
- If your cat is seeming bored with the kids away…consider adopting a second cat to keep him company. They will play and exercise together and you will have saved a life.
Dogs and cats are part of the family too, so make sure you focus extra attention on them when their world has suddenly be turned upside down.
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