How do you feel about the relaxation of the lockdown restrictions? Relieved? Anxious? If we could ask our pets the same question, we\u2019re fairly certain their answers would put them in one of two camps; those who are looking forward to the peace and quiet and those dreading not being with us 24\/7.<\/p>\n
If your pet falls into the first category, they\u2019ll probably resume their daily napping-schedule quite happily. The pets (mostly dogs) who might struggle are those who rely heavily on contact with us in order to feel secure. Young dogs and puppies, who have never been left at home, might also feel anxious when their \u2018pack\u2019 (your family) start going back to school and work.<\/p>\n
What is separation anxiety?<\/strong><\/p>\n Most dogs learn at an early age that, when we leave the house, we\u2019ll always return. Knowing this helps them to feel secure when they\u2019re alone. Some dogs take longer than others to learn, and they feel anxious when they spend time away from us.<\/p>\n Dogs who are scared of being left alone might express their anxiety by misbehaving. Some become destructive and chew household items or furniture; others become very vocal and bark or whine continuously until we return home \u2013 which will be distressing for them, and probably your neighbours too; and some may even go to the toilet inside the house \u2013 which is out of character for them. Your dog may show one or even all of these symptoms.<\/p>\n There are a few things we can do now to prepare our pets for the end of lockdown. These ideas might also help dogs who struggled with separation anxiety before the lockdown began.<\/p>\n Encourage independence<\/strong><\/p>\n We can teach our pets to feel secure when we\u2019re out by gradually spending longer periods of time away from them when we\u2019re at home. This is especially important for dogs who like to physically touch or be near to us at all times\u2026. our four-legged shadows!<\/p>\n Build resilience<\/strong><\/p>\n If your dog is particularly attached to one person, it\u2019s a good idea to share the load of their daily care. This helps your dog to feel secure even when their favourite pack member isn\u2019t at home. Ask other family members to become involved with your dog\u2019s feeding, walking, snuggling and playtimes.<\/p>\n Your dog will gradually learn to feel safe with whoever they\u2019re spending time with.<\/p>\n How else can we help our dogs adapt to life after lockdown?<\/p>\n Exercise<\/strong><\/p>\n If you plan to increase your dog\u2019s daily exercise after the lockdown has ended, make sure you do so gradually. We\u2019ll all be trying to lose our lockdown-pounds and increasing the amount of exercise we do is a great way to achieve this. Make sure you and your dog take things slowly to avoid injuring body parts which haven\u2019t been used for a while!<\/p>\n Puppies<\/strong><\/p>\n If you have a puppy or young dog, introduce them to places that you couldn\u2019t visit during the lockdown period. The more smells, sights, and sounds your dog experiences as a youngster, the less they\u2019ll fear as an adult dog.<\/p>\n Please contact us to ensure your puppy has received the vaccinations and preventative healthcare they need to keep them safe when they start going out.<\/p>\n And what about cats?<\/strong><\/p>\n For the vast majority of adult cats, their life during lockdown was probably not massively different from their usual routine. They may have felt inconvenienced by more attention from their humans, but many cats avoided this by seeking out new sunbathing\/ hiding\/ sleeping places!<\/p>\n If your cat has lived indoors during the lockdown, it\u2019s worth checking they\u2019re up to date with their preventative healthcare before they go outside again. We can provide you with your cat\u2019s usual flea and worm treatments so please let us know if you\u2019ve run out. As soon as we can, we\u2019ll resume all vaccinations, so we\u2019ll contact you when your cat is due for a check-up and booster.<\/p>\n For new kitten parents, please arrange for us to vaccinate, neuter and microchip your new addition before letting them go outside. Because of the lockdown, your kitten might be older than usual before this happens. It\u2019s especially difficult keeping young cats indoors during the summer months so we\u2019ll do all we can to ensure they\u2019re ready for the butterfly-chasing season!<\/p>\n All pets<\/strong><\/p>\n It will take all of us some time to get used to our daily routines again after lockdown has ended. If your pets have enjoyed lie-ins and late nights, it\u2019s helpful to resume your usual routine before you go back to work. Your pet will feel more secure, knowing what time dinner is served!<\/p>\n If you\u2019d like further information about any aspect of caring for your pet after the lockdown has ended, please call us for a chat<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How do you feel about the relaxation of the lockdown restrictions? Relieved? Anxious? If we could ask our pets the same question, we\u2019re fairly certain their answers would put them… <\/p>\n\n