Tag: lifestyle

Back-to-School for Your Pet: A Checklist to Alleviate Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Posted on August 19, 2021 - 2:30 pm by
A brown and white dog lying in a dog bed on the floor.

Your dog has likely spent more time with the kids these last few months than usual, due to summer vacation. More time licking up the trail of cookie crumbs behind your child. More time rolling in the fresh-cut grass. More time curled up, fur to skin. But like all good things, summer comes to an end and back to school for the kids can lead to separation anxiety in dogs.

To help prevent your dog from feeling the angst of separation after the school bus leaves, we’ve compiled a back-to-school list for your pets. But like every school checklist, you want to work on it early, so your dog can gradually adjust to the new school year.

ESTABLISH A ROUTINE

Dogs are creatures of habit who are comforted by the predictable. They like their meals served at the same time every day. If your kids will rise earlier for school, start a few weeks before school starts and set the alarm a few minutes earlier each day to help your pet get used to the new schedule. Make sure to plan for one-on-one play time with your pet each day.

MAKE EXERCISE A PRIORITY

A tired dog is more likely to nap than mope or stress around the house all day. Make a point to walk your dog each day before the kids leave to help work off excess energy. More sleepy time is a great way to curb separation anxiety in dogs.

GIVE YOUR DOG ALONE TIME NOW TO ALLEVIATE SEPARATION ANXIETY LATER

If your dog currently goes everywhere with you or your kids, start leaving them home alone for small amounts of time each day. Go for a short walk or run a quick errand on your own, then gradually increase the amount of time you and the kids are away from your pet. If you return to signs of pet distress, such as urinary accidents, destructive chewing or neighbor complaints of nonstop barking, start with even shorter separation periods, such as just going out the door, counting to 10, then returning.

AVOID THE SOUND OF SILENCE

After a summer of full-time commotion in the household, quiet can be unsettling for dogs. Try leaving a radio on with soothing music, or a white-noise machine to eliminate distracting outdoor noises.

PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT FOR YOUR DOG

Dogs can become destructive when left alone simply because they’re bored. Now’s the time to stock up on pet-safe toys (never leave your dog alone with any toy that can potentially be chewed into pieces and swallowed). Fill a Kong with something tasty, such as peanut butter, cottage cheese or chicken baby food (make sure there’s no garlic powder or onion powder) and place it in the freezer so it’s ready to keep your dog busy when the kids go out the door. Or leave interactive food puzzles to challenge your dog’s mind and body.

PLANT A CAMERA

If you’re away during the day, consider using a video camera to keep tabs on your pet. Some products even enable you to talk with your pet and dispense a treat. Watch for signs of stress in dogs, including panting, pacing or destructive behavior. If your dog seems anxious, consult your veterinarian.

EMPLOY PHERMONES

During nursing, the mother dog releases pheromones, which have a calming effect. Synthetic versions of these, in plug-in diffusers, sprays or collars, are available at pet stores or online. They might help give dogs a recess from separation anxiety while the kids are at school.

PLAN FOR COMPANIONSHIP

If your dog will be alone for long stretches of time, look into having a dog walker stop by your house. Or check out the nearby doggy day cares where they can play with other pets.

SEEK HELP FOR SEPARATION ANXIETY IN DOGS

If your dog is truly distressed when left alone, consult your veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist about separation anxiety in dogs. They can suggest the right behavioral therapy, and possibly medications, to help soothe your pet’s anxieties and make them more comfortable at home.

Remember that back to school for kids is also back to school for pets. It can be hard on our four-legged friends who don’t understand why that long yellow car is taking their pals away, but with a little prep work, they’ll be mentally and emotionally prepared for the switch!

Benefits to Spending More Time at Home with Your Pets

Posted on April 30, 2020 - 3:00 pm by
Taste of the Wild

If you’re spending more time than usual at home with your cat or dog, you may be searching for new ways to keep your pet mentally stimulated. But did you know that pets can also help your mental and physical health?

There are quite a few practical benefits to spending more time with your pets. Dogs and cats are scientifically proven to help our physical and emotional conditions. So it’s good to know that while your pet seems to make you feel good, he or she really is making you feel good.

Pets relieve stress

In 2012, the data made it official: even thinking about your pet could make you feel more positive in the moment. Multiple studies separated subjects into three groups: one was placed near a pet, the second was asked to think about pets, and the third wasn’t exposed to pets in any way. The first two groups were more positive about imagined goals and, when asked to perform difficult tasks, did so with lower blood pressure than the group that was sans pets. Just having your dog or cat on your mind puts you in a better frame of mind. Think about that the next time you’re Zooming with the office.

Pets force you to be healthier

Being stuck at home is a great excuse to park it on the couch and dig in for long sessions in front of the television. When you combine this tendency with fewer grocery visits and less discriminating diet choices as a result, it’s easy to see how your physical health could take a turn for the worse. But you know who isn’t interested in chilling with Netflix? Your pets. They see your increased presence at home as an opportunity for more walks, more fetch, more activity in general.

And the science backs up the thought. According to the New York Times, dog owners spend close to 300 minutes each week walking with their dogs, which is about 200 more minutes of walking than people without dogs. That’s 5 hours of physical activity; or almost 3½ hours more than non–pet owners. We can reasonably expect that gap to increase now that we’re spending more time at home with our pets. What are you going to do, let them stare at you with the leash in their mouths all day?

You literally feel better around your pet

In addition to less mental stress and better physical health, pets make you experience healthier emotions thanks to chemistry. Science Magazine reported that pets increase oxytocin levels in the brain. Oxytocin is a hormone most notably released when a mother gazes into a newborn baby’s eyes and vice versa. It creates a sense of trust and bonding between the two parties. The study reported in Science showed that when an owner and a pet gazed into one another’s eyes, oxytocin levels rose 130 percent in the dog and 300 percent in the person. The test results suggest that the bond between an owner and pet is similar to that between a mother and child.

Separate studies have shown that simply petting a pet releases the “feel good” hormones serotonin and dopamine in similar ways that snuggling children do to mom and dad. Gives new meaning to the term “pet parent.”

Pets are great co-workers

If you’re working from home for extended periods, pets offer additional benefits. They’re always happy to see you. They’re not likely to try to microwave fish for lunch, although they would if they could. If you do a lot of video conferencing, no one ever seems to get tired of surprise appearances by cats and dogs. They’re not going to rat you out for taking frequent breaks to go outside for fresh air. They encourage naps on the job. And as we’ve already established, just thinking about your pet can help you work through complex problems. Imagine what you can do when he or she is curled up on your lap.