DETROIT - Families throughout Michigan are gearing up for the annual back-to-school blitz. Parents are bracing themselves for those busy routines and getting ready to help their children adjust as well. Mike Palmer, the owner of Premier Pet Supply, warns you might also take some steps to get your pets ready.
In this context, we're talking about your dogs and cats who could suffer some separation anxiety after a busy summer with more people at home, and they may have been getting some extra attention. On Local 4 News, Palmer talked about some of the tricks of the trade to ease the transition and making your pets happier when they are home alone.
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You can start building some new habits right now or just use them year-round. Palmer shared these ideas with Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit.com.
Some Things to Do Now...Practice Makes Perfect
Establish and practice a few "I'm leaving" routines with your kids and your pet without any of you going anywhere. For example, gather your keys and other belongings while opening the front door, but do not actually leave. Focus on getting your pet accustomed to these triggers without following through with the undesired departure. By allowing them to get comfortable with these cues, your pets will not be as anxious each time they're encountered as the kids head back to school.
Skip the Fanfare:
When departing and returning, do so without allowing to become a major production. Politely tell her goodbye and do not engage in hugging or petting currently. Too much fanfare will only make her more anxious.
Teach Your Pet That Space Is a Good Thing
While it is nice to have a constant companion, your pets should also understand that a little space is good. Helping them develop this understanding will go
a long way in alleviating their back-to-school discomfort. Dogs are particularly fond of following family members wherever they may go and while some cats enjoy the same closeness, most also enjoy their own space from time to time, so we'll direct this tip primarily to your pooch.
After School Starts, Try This....Big Meals and Long Walks
A morning rush period followed by a long, lonely day can feel overwhelming to a pet who does not understand what is happening and who is not used to daily solitude. One way to make the back-to-school transition easier is to tire your pet out early through exercise and feeding. Practice waking the family up a little earlier just to take your dog on a long walk so that she can expend as much energy as possible. Follow that long walk up with a heavy meal and your pooch just might be ready for dreamland by the time you and the kids close the door behind you each morning.
Provide Energy Outlets
Even if you're successful in tiring your pet out with a long walk and a heavy meal, that state won't carry her through the entire day. And since cats don't typically take long walks, you're going to have to be creative in occupying them throughout the day, too. Pent up energy can easily overwhelm an animal, and you may come home to a few unwelcoming surprises, as a result. To offer your cuddle buddy a few energy outlets, try these tips:
Place a perch near a window so that kitty can observe the outside world between napsHide a few snacks around the house to let your pet hunt and catch her treatsPlace a few snacks inside a safe plastic bottle or a specially designed toy, such as a Kong, so that your fur baby has to work to get the goodies outLeave special "home alone" toys around the house so that your curious little friend will find them as she roams (when you are home, keep these toys out of reach so that they are only associated with this activity)Teach Children the Importance Of Routines
When heading back-to-school, the entire family will need to adjust to new routines, including new pet schedules. Make certain that young children understand the importance of helping cats and dogs acclimate to new feeding, walking and play schedules. Creatures of habits that they are, four-legged kids may become confused if these times and activities are not adhered to on a consistent basis and such could make the transition a more stressful time for the entire family.
Long Walks Go a Long Way
At the end of the day, take your dog for another long walk. This one isn't just to burn residual energy, but also as a calming practice during which time you can reward her for braving so many hours alone. For cats, substitute this time with energetic play, cat toy chasing and lots of cuddling. Like everything else, this activity should be at the same time each day. With consistency, your pet just may discover that this new back-to-school routine has a few perks and that a little separation isn't so bad after all.
Practice Patience
Despite how you might prepare your four-legged buddy for the transition, expect a little acting out while she is learning how to be alone. Be patient and understand that the emotional experience of separation is a very real one for her. Her boredom might cause her to do things she's never done before, such as shredding the toilet paper in your bathroom, relieving herself in your shoes or barking incessantly. You may think that she carefully plotted these activities to take revenge against you for leaving her alone, but really she's just frustrated, bored and has pent up energy that needs to be burned off.
Thanks to Premier Pet Supply's Mike Palmer for joining us on Local 4 News.
His company has locations in Beverly Hills, Brighton, Canton, Detroit, Livonia, Northville, Novi, Riverview, Rochester Hills, Shelby Twp., Troy, Westland and West Bloomfield.