Back to school prep for the entire family

End of Summer is coming close

The end of the summer is an exiting time, holding  a promise of a new school year, new seasonal changes, and foremost- some peace and quiet for the tired parents whom are exhausted mentally and financially after a long and hot summer.

While the entire family is busy with the new school’s year preparation, it is easy to forget about our loyal pets, whom are used to having everybody around for the vacant summer days. In order to avoid withdrawal effects, and anxiety of separation feeling among your beloved pets, it is highly recommended to take few easy cautionary steps.

 

Dogs and cats

Dogs and cats are completely different animal, that behave in a completely different manner. The tend to be opposite in almost any term, however, there is one thing they have in common, and that is the need for love and affection of their own members of the pack. Before the end of the summer vacation, try to spend as much time with playing and bonding with them. Try to incorporate long weekend hikes with the dogs, something you could defiantly continue well into the new school year. Also, try to play at least two or three times a week in you back yard, if there is one. If there isn’t, you can go to the dog park or and other longer daily walk. And of course, don’t forget to bring special toys, so your dog could bring back home and continue to play with it, even when your not home. As for the cats, try to play with it for at least ten to fifteen minutes a day, to get it to burn all that excess energy that was build up during the day. If your cat is more into snuggling (especially if snuggling is more your thing), set a time during the evenings, where you snuggle with your cat while brushing its fur or stroking its cheeks.

What is the importance of a routine for pets?

Once you set the daily routine without you being home, and your pets get used to be spending their time home alone, you need to make sure your home is prepared for long hours of absence, so that your pets wont go hungry or be in distress. For that, you need to make sure they have all their food and water freshly changed every morning, make sure all potential dangers are safely locked and kept, close all doors of rooms you want to keep out of reach, and leave some light for them to have in case you return after dark, some people even install a smart home system, where they can follow their pet’s movement via a net of cameras and microphones around the house. This way, you can communicate with your pet in case they get lonely, or if you get too homesick.

Returning home

Once you and your kids return home, make sure you open the door carefully, since your pet was home alone all day, and surly it becomes excited to see you. In this case, the pet might run outside to greet you, and accidentally get under the school bus or run into a moving car. To avoid such cases, open the door carefully, and close it immediately behind you.

Back to school time is a fun and exciting time for the entire family, but it can be stressful and upsetting for your pet. Following these simple steps might reduce the stress levels, helping everyone with this transitioning time.