With students around the country returning to classrooms and procedures, pets also face a change in their daily lives. After spending the summer with their families at home, many dogs and cats must now adapt to longer periods alone while humans go to work or school.
To help pets and their families to move in this transition, the best friends of the Animal Association, the National Animal Care Organization devoted to saving the lives of dogs and cats in shelters, provides guidelines to reduce the shift to a more preoccupied schedule.
Adaptation to the routine of returning to school can be difficult for pets as they are for their owners. Amanda Farah, the national training and behavior coordinator at the best friends, said families can reduce tension through the practice of “fake departure”. Pet owners are encouraged to pick up back bags, put shoes, and seize the keys without leaving the house. Farah said: “The pets learn that this sermon does not always mean leaving them alone, which may help prevent separation anxiety.”
Experts also recommend gradually re -creating organized procedures. Meal times, arrivals, and playing sessions may have turned during the summer; Adjusting the reversal of school day can help animals to adapt smoothly. For example, feeding a dog or cat slightly early every day to match the next school routine gives them time to adapt without unnecessary pressure.
Create a quiet environment is another major element. Some pets find security in a calm room or cage, while others prefer to accommodate a sofa or bed with a blanket that smells the owners. Providing a safe and predictive space helps pets disregard and participate while humans are.
Physical and mental enrichment can also make transmission easier. Walking in the longest morning walking morning, interactive cats, and puzzle nutrition devices can maintain and expel pets, reduce insomnia or boredom. Farah emphasizes that these activities are not only related to exercises, but also mental participation: “The brains of difficult pets help them feel the achievement and content during the day.”
Even how to say goodbye things. Families are advised to keep the departure optimistic but low key, providing a small treatment and using a positive tone. Dramatic or emotional farewell can prevent pets from linking time alone to anxiety or distress.
For pets that cannot remain safely alone, families may think about daytime sponsorship of pets, ensuring that animals are comfortable and honorable throughout the day. Farah said: “Although it may be difficult to leave them for longer periods, most pets adapt and spend their time or entertainment safely,” Farah said.
For more information about helping pets to adapt to the procedures for returning to school, please visit Bestfriends.org.