Prep the pets for alone time - Sisters with Stuff

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Our lockdowns are going to end at some point, some people will be going back to work after being home for over a year. If you have been home all this time your pet or pets have probably loved every minute of it. They’ve had you 24/7 and you’ve created a routine being at home, maybe they get to sleep on you while you are working. Or maybe they’ve had lots of walks because you just needed to get out of the house. Unfortunately for some, it will be back to being alone all day while everybody is at work and school. So we are going to have to prep the pets for alone time.

I also wanted to share how we found our pandemic fur baby, she’s now the love of our lives!!

Slowly Introduce a Routine:

This can be a very stressful time for some animals, leaving the house after being home with them can cause a lot of anxiety. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, they suggest slowly start introducing a work routine. Get up feed your pet, walk them if you normally do. Start getting them ready for short intervals where you leave the house. Start with 10 minutes and slowly increase that time. Reduce anxiety by giving them a treat as you leave and giving them lots of loves and cuddles when you return. If they show signs of anxiety, behavior like destroying things is one of them. Shorten the times you are gone and start over again with short intervals and don’t punish them.

Reducing Anxiety for dogs:

For anxiety, you can try things like a compression vest for dogs. It keeps pressure on your dog relieving anxiety from loud noises or other events. They come in all sizes and colors to fit your pet.

ProDogg Anxiety Vest for Dogs, Royal Blue, Medium

**Remember to measure your pet for the paw-fect fit.** If your best friend is stressed out by loud noises, traveling, or other everyday events, the ProDogg Anti-Anxiety Compression Dog Shirt is the best way to ease his worries. This shirt keeps constant pressure on your dog?s body, helping him stay calm during stressful times. The design features a chest pocket for placing cooling or warming gel, as well as a convenient leash opening on top. Hidden Velcro closures make the shirt easy to adjust to suit your pal?s comfort and needs. Made out of a flexible, breathable blend of nylon and spandex, it?s also great for extended wear. Best of all, the compression shirt is machine washable for worry-free maintenance. When anxiety strikes, help your dog feel calmer and more comfortable by dressing him in this shirt from ProDogg!

You can also try all-natural supplements. The K9 Nature Complete Calm Supplements are specifically for anxiety relief without any drugs. They are chicken flavored chews that can alleviate anxiety in stressful situations. It can also be used for car rides, visits to the vet, or groomer.

K9 Nature Supplements Complete Calm Dog Anxiety Relief Chicken Flavor Dog Supplement, 100-count

Help your dog feel calm and collected with K9 Nature Supplements Complete Calm Dog Anxiety Relief. This chicken flavored dog supplement is crafted with the essential amino acid L-tryptophan and natural herbs like chamomile flower, passion flower and ginger root to help reduce anxiety, calm nerves, improve mood, increase stress resistance and also help alleviate GI problems related to stress like nausea and motion sickness. These tasty soft chews are great during stressful situations like during separation anxiety, trips to the vet, thunderstorms and changes in her daily routine. And you?ll feel good knowing that this supplement is made in the USA in an FDA approved current Good Manufacturing Practice (c-GMP) facility!

We’ve got a a great homemade treat recipe for dogs that you can use as special treats. 3 Ingredient Cookies for your Furry Friend.

Reducing Anxiety for cats:

If your fur baby is a kitty there are lots of products to help with anxiety. Pet Naturals Calming Cat Chews work naturally without drugs to help manage stress and behavioral issues. It can also be used for trips to the vet or during thunderstorms or fireworks.

I love this product, it is the ThundErease Calming Diffuser for Cats. It reduces anxiety by emitting a pheromone that mimics a mother’s natural nursing pheromones. No chemicals or sedatives. Just calming pheromones that reduces anxiety and help them feel safe and secure. This lasts 30 days and then you can buy refills.

Exercise:

Before you leave let them burn off some energy, go for a walk or wrestle and play. Engaging in some kind of activity will help them feel calm and relaxed later on. Try to walk them again when you get home, they will enjoy the bonding time. They will need physical exercise if they have been laying around all day. If you have a cat engage them with a toy or string something that gets them up and moving.

Make sure they have a safe space:

If your dog is comfortable in a crate, leave it open so he or she can go in and out. Some dogs have a dog bed that they like to sleep on, maybe include a few toys that they like around their bed. Cats can usually find a secret space and curl up and go to sleep. However, they will all probably end up sleeping on the couch or someone’s bed when we’re not at home to watch them anyway. What can you do?

You know your pet, you know when something is off or they start doing destructive things that they didn’t do before. Always consult your veterinarian for advice if you see changes in your pet.

How we found our fur baby during the pandemic

Another unique situation is pets that have been adopted during the pandemic so this home routine is all they have ever known at your house. We are in that situation. Normally we are all gone during the day. However, I’ve not worked since the pandemic started and my daughter has been doing school remotely since March of 2020. Last August I saw a FB post that a friend had a cat that she adopted but when they brought her home she had violent fights with her other cat so they couldn’t be together. She was just hoping she could find a home for her before she took her back to the Humane Society.

We had pets when we got married and my fur babies were the loves of my life. They all grew old and passed away and I just could not let my heart be broken again. They were all around the same age and all passed away within 3 years of each other, it was awful. My daughter had been asking for years for a pet, she just wanted a pet to love. We said no for a lot of years because it was just easier not having a pet. We had been pet-free for a long time. Leaving for vacations was easy, no pets to worry about and no food or vet bills.

The time was right

When I saw the FB add something just told me this was the right time for a pet, we all discussed that things would change and that there would be chores like cleaning the cat box and feeding and watering everyday. My daughter happily agreed altough now I still have to tell her to clean the cat box. My friend brought her over and we let her wander around the house and smell everything. She would let us pet her but didn’t want us to pick her up. We finally got our fur baby and she is a gorgeous calico. There has been some adjustment time for her to get used to us but I think she knows this is her home and is happy.

How could you not lover her!

I bought these items right away, they were things that she was used to. The scratching post was really inexpensive on Chewy, cats need to stretch their body out so she stretches per paws up to the top and scratches. She also loves the cardboard scratchers she really goes to town on those. You can see she also likes to just lay on it. We adore her and I hope she’s happy in her furever home.

Frisco 33.5-in Sisal Cat Scratching Post, Cream

From frisky kittens to spunky senior cats, felines love to scratch?and the Frisco 33.5-Inch Cat Scratching Post gives your furry friend a place where she can claw to her heart?s content. This vertical scratching post and tower in one is great for nuzzling, and it will save your furniture from becoming a favorite scratching spot. A layer of durable, woven sisal covers all four sides to entice kitties to sink her claws right in. Not only does it take care of the instinctual need to scratch, but this tall tower is the perfect place for a full-body stretch. The double-layer baseboard adds stability while your kitty exercises her nails. The base and perch are both covered in soft plush material that feels good on the paws, especially for adventurous kitties that want to jump to the top. Frisco?s 33.5-Inch Cat Scratching Post and Tower comes with all the tools you need and step-by-step instructions so you can assemble it quickly and let your cat get to scratching.

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