Pets Get SAD, Too - Patch.com
Does your dog or cat seem down in the dumps? It might be a case of SAD—seasonal affective disorder—the back-to-school season, that is.
Pets like a routine. They are emotionally attached to family members—yes, even cats are—and part of emotional attachment involves the predictability of people's presence. When kids go back to school in the fall, or your work schedule changes, it can throw pets off kilter. They mope around, wait hopefully at the front door or even develop signs of separation anxiety.
Pets that are anxious or depressed because of a change in routine may vocalize more often or more loudly, become lethargic or, conversely, become more active than normal. Other signs of separation anxiety are destructive behavior, eating less or refusing to eat.
What's the remedy? If your pet seems mildly depressed from this type of separation, try to provide more playtime or exercise. That releases feel-good endorphins and takes the pet's mind off the missing person.
It's also important to remember that your pet takes cues from your own feelings. If you're depressed about your child going off to college, your dog or cat will sense that and respond accordingly.
Take your lonesome dog for a walk, or pull out your cat's favorite teaser toy and get in a few minutes of playtime. It's great therapy for both of you. Try to maintain the pet's normal meal-, walk- and playtime as much as possible.
You can also provide comfort by having the child or adult who's going away leave behind a T-shirt or other piece of clothing they have worn. The scent of its favorite person will help your pet relax.
If there is an upcoming change in your family's schedule—your spouse will be traveling more often or your son or daughter is going off to basic training, start preparing your pet sooner rather than later, especially if the person and dog are especially close. That can mean having other people in the family walk or play with the pet, feed it, or run it through training sessions. Other people in the family besides the main caregiver should be capable of walking the dog, taking a pet places, feeding the animal, and getting the pet to perform behaviors such as sit or down. You never know when someone else will need to care for a pet, and a crisis isn't the time to learn how to do it.
Full-blown separation anxiety isn't common in most cases of back-to-school blues, but you can help ensure that your pet takes changes in stride by teaching it from the beginning how to be comfortable when left alone.
Leave the room or the house for brief periods, staying away a little longer each time. They learn that you'll always come back.
Keep departures and greetings matter-of-fact so that your absence doesn't seem like a big deal.
Have them perform a command, such as sit (cats can do this, too), and give a treat before you leave. Some pets enjoy this so much they might even start to nudge you toward the door.
Given time, your pet will adjust to the new schedule and develop a new routine. Soon you'll see it waiting for the school bus to arrive or barking to let you know that it's time to drive to school to pick up its best friend.
14 Sep, 2011--
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNFHYhdXybwb2ZJsPRBXLirnn63IWg&url=http://fountainvalley.patch.com/articles/school-days-longer-for-pets-too
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