Tackling Back-to-School Blues in Pets

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

As the kids head back to school, your pets may find themselves alone more frequently than during the summertime. Make sure your pet is prepared for this transition with these tips and tricks:

1. Before school begins, start introducing alone time in advance. Make sure you leave pets with plenty of toys and safe distractions to help keep them occupied and out of trouble. There is no need to break the budget buying expensive toys to keep your pets busy. Try cutting a slit in a tennis ball, filling it with pieces of kibble or treats, and letting your dog try to get the treats out of the slit. You could also fill ice cubes with a mixture of wet dog food, peanut butter, or mashed banana. Freeze the ice cubes overnight, and then give them to your dog for a refreshing and engaging treat that will keep them busy while you are gone.

Before you leave, consider turning on the TV or radio to alleviate the unsettling effect of silence on pets. This additional background noise helps promote a sense of calmness and distracts them from external sounds that might otherwise bother them.

2. As school begins, be sure to assign a family member to take the dog on daily walks and play with the cat. You might even consider enrolling dogs in daycare, if affordable. Doggie daycare provides many pets with socialization throughout the day. They also often sleep better at night from their busy day of play.

3. Finally, if you think your dog has separation anxiety after school has been in session for a few months, reach out to us. A dog with true separation anxiety excessively howls, barks, drools, pants, whines and paces when you are gone. They might also have frequent accidents or chew, dig or scratch furniture, all to find you. Remember, a typical dog might do some of these things once in a while, but one with separation anxiety will do them almost all of the time. Veterinarians can prescribe calming medications, when needed. Try to take comfort in knowing our pets love us unconditionally, especially while we are away at work and school.