Pets Find the Back-to-School Season Difficult—Here Are Some Solutions
Help your pet adjust when your kids head back to class.
Even if classes have resumed, your pets might be longing for another summer break soon. Due to regular changes, a more solitary household, and other factors, back-to-school time can be difficult for our furry companions. Fortunately, it need not be.
We discussed ways to make the transition easier with Carly Fox, DVM, senior veterinarian in the emergency and critical care program at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center.
Why Does Pets Find Back-to-School Difficult?
Pets can also have a hard time adjusting when school resumes, so it’s not only your human kids who can have problems.
“Pets may struggle with returning to school for a number of reasons,” adds Fox. “Schedules are usually changing at this time, pets spend less time with their families, may exhibit symptoms of separation anxiety, and receive inconsistent attention and fewer walks or exercises.”
Additionally, dogs do not have a full schedule of lessons to keep them occupied during the day as schoolchildren do.
How to Make the Transition Back to School Easier
Every time a regular change is implemented, there is often a brief period of adjustment. But you can make the transition to school as easy as possible for dogs by putting a few tried-and-true techniques into practice.
Prior to departing, attend to their needs.
While not all pets experience separation anxiety, boredom may affect everyone. Make sure your pets have access to clean water and, preferably, a task to keep them occupied so they don’t cause trouble before you go.
“In order to set your pet up for success, make sure they have access to water, something to keep them occupied (i.e. snuffle mat, Kong, set up hide and seek with treats around the house), and ideally exercise them before you plan to leave so they are tired,” Fox advises. “Some pets will truly just relax and rest when you are not home.”
Keep Arrivals and Departures Understated
Less is always more, even though it’s very normal for you and your kids to want to say goodbye to your pets with a meaningful goodbye.
“The best way is to make goodbyes and hellos very chill and calm,” Fox stated. Steer clear of high-pitched voices and eye contact. A short pat without any fanfare is okay, but ideally there should be no interaction.
Children, particularly younger ones, may find this difficult to understand, so practicing arrivals and departures might be beneficial.
“It’s important to explain this to children and even practice fake exits with them,” Fox stated. “This teaches pets that arrivals and departures are not emotional rollercoasters.”
Pay Attention to Their Bathroom Routine
Can you spend a whole school day without using the restroom? In addition, dogs may require many toilet breaks before the school bus makes its afternoon rounds, depending on their age.
Because they need to use the potty more frequently, puppies (those six months or less) should generally not be left alone for longer than three hours, adults no more than six hours, and elderly dogs likely no more than four hours,” Fox adds.
In order to keep your dog on a regular toilet schedule even when you’re not home for their pee breaks, it’s a good idea to hire a dog walker or check to see if your dog qualifies for doggy daycare.
Although potty breaking is not necessary, it is a good idea for cat owners to clean their litter box first thing in the morning to avoid any mishaps throughout the school day. A filthy litter box is not something any cat likes to use.
Consult your veterinarian.
It’s always a good idea to discuss ways to ease the transition to school with your veterinarian if your pet is really anxious.
“Talk to your vet about environmental and schedule changes you can make to help ease their transition,” Fox advises. “To give your pet one less thing to worry about during this hectic time, start early.”