Is Your Pet Singing the Back-To-School Blues???

Category: Pets | Tags:

Date: September 28th, 2011

When your child or children go back to school, your pet can get stressed out with the sudden empty and silent home. This might lead to behavioral problems stemming from boredom, anxiety and loneliness. Some pets can even become aggressive if left home alone all day. Dogs especially are extremely social and enjoy being around people.  Here are a few tips to make the adjustment easier for your pet!

(1) Get your pet use to being home alone. This is called “alone time” but should only be done in small increments of time to start with.  It is later extended until the school day ends and the kids are back at home.

(2) Keep your pet active. This could mean instead of taking your dog out twice a day, increasing his walks to three times a day.  Encourage the kids to participate in walking your dog, taking him for mini walks when they are home. This is a great way to combine exercise for your kids and your dog! It has been proven that kids who walk their dogs have a stronger bond with their dogs. Remember also that a fast paced walk after school improves your pet’s health and gets rid of any excess energy.

(3) Take your pet to school with you to drop off the kids. Dogs simply love this and actually look forward to jumping in teh car and leaving for school. They get to see where their favorite siblings spend the day. It is also reassuring for them to know where everyone has gone to after the summer holidays. Wait until school ends and your dog will soon be ready to jump back in the car to bring his favority family members back to where they belong- this time with a huge grin and a tail wag!

(4) Include your pet in reading and homework time. This is where it gets really interesting. Smaller breed dogs do well sitting on couches or up on the table next to the homework. Your dog will gaze admiringly at the kids, and this has proven to improve homework and especially reading skills. Children love reading to their favorite canines or solving math problems out aloud. This in turn encourages bonding.

(5) Leave a reminder at home. A favorite has always been to leave a kid scented T-shirt, old sneaker or sock. Something that has a familiar scent. This will calm him.  If he has access to a bed next to a window overlooking the driveway, make sure that the blinds are open for him to see you returning from school or work.

(6) Schedule some couch potato time.  Disney Channel or Animal Planet on the TV can leave the dog fully entertained and your home won’t feel so quiet. It will also reassure him that everything is still the same and that his favorite family members will soon be back to watch the same channel.  After all, Disney was on during the summer so nothing has really changed.

(7) Stay low key when leaving in the mornings.  This is perhaps the most important step you can take. Car keys, backpacks and lunch boxes are clinking and clanging – and your pet is by the door waiting to be included in all this back-to-school excitement.  If you cannot bring your pet with you to drop off, then the next best thing is to leave quietly without causing any anxiety.  No big goodbyes!

(8) Reduce the stress. Try feeding your pet at the same time everyday, don’t change his feeding schedule even if your child’s feeding schedule has changed.

(9) Keep boredom at bay with interactive pet toys.  These toys are fun, and provide a mental workout for your pet. The Dog Pyramid in a bright red plastic is a safe, chewable toy. Air Kong squeaker tennis balls and squeaker bones are also safe favorites. Remember that these interactive toys cannot replace you for a long period of time but will keep boredom and destruction at bay. Buying your pet new interactive toys around the same time that back to school supplies are bought is always fun.  Your pet relies on you.  Your pet needs metal stimulation.

(10) Get your pet sitter involved in the process.  Busy pet owners cannot always devote the time it takes to implement these ideas and activities.  Your pet sitter can help with most of the tips outlined in this article. A 30-minute visit can breakup your pet’s time alone while providing the exercise and one-on-one attention that can help prevent your pet’s “Back-to-School Blues.”

Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety and other forms of stress when left alone. This can show up in cases of mild whining, lethargy, panic attacks and aggression towards humans and other dogs.  Some dogs even plan their escape routes as soon as the front door is opened.  Others will simply follow you around before you leave and while all the while, refusing to eat and appearing ill.

Pets read our emotions clearly.  By making very little fuss as everyone leaves for school and work, and by changing your pet’s associations with everyone’s activities as they leave, your pet will be less anxious and stressed.  Your pet relies on you, so it’s important to create your schedule around their needs.  This can be challenging for everyone especially if you have things to do after school and work. In the end, your organized schedule should make the time you spend with your pet more enjoyable.

The information and tips above are provided by Pet Sitter’s International.