The madness is upon us and I’m not referring to the election results. I’m talking about the holiday season.
Be it shopping, relatives coming to visit, or travel plans, this time of year takes over our lives. Unfortunately, this often leads to changing routines and schedules, and this is something that can be hard on your pets.
Whether you have reptiles, hamsters, cats or dogs, their daily routine is something they become conditioned to and any sudden, drastic changes may be deleterious to their wellbeing.
There may be a time when the family is so distracted by what’s on the “To do” list, that someone forgets to feed the gecko. Maybe you have a cat that is scared when there are too many people in the house, or perhaps your shy dog hasn’t met your dog-loving relative that just wants to make friends with her or give her hugs, something that may lead to a disastrous result.
Or suddenly your pet’s meals are late or you don’t have time or energy for a walk. Changes in routines can often be followed by changes is your pet’s behavior, and it’s usually not for the better. House training issues, especially, can be totally knocked out of whack by an abrupt change in routine.
Young kids that come to visit may want to play with your pets, which are quite comfortable being handled by you, but shrink back or exhibit unexpected aggressiveness when others try to handle them. All of these issues are critical to think about and plan for during this time of chaos.
If you’re traveling, who is going to be depended on to care for your pets? Should you take them to a boarding facility? Have you gone to visit these places beforehand, or developed a Plan B because they’re all full?
What about pet sitters or friends? Can they stay overnight? Are they familiar with your pets? Do they know how to take care of a reptile? These are all issues that should be carefully thought out before it’s too late and you’re completely overwhelmed and start to panic.
You might have friends and family coming in and going out carrying food and packages. Do they know that your dog likes to bolt out of an open door? And, speaking of food, it’s your responsibility as the caretaker of these creatures to make sure that no one is giving them turkey bones, greasy or sugary foods that may upset their delicate GI tracts and make them ill all over your carpet or in their cages.
Things to consider to make your life easier during this time are hiring a dog walker, or taking your dog to day care, a few days a week so they can still get exercise and perhaps reduce some unease at any changes.
Talk to your friends, if you’re planning to travel, about coming to your home and caring for your pets and remember to leave very specific instructions if you have exotic animals like birds or reptiles. Ask for recommendations from vets, or friends about pet sitters and have them come to your home so you can see how they interact with your animals.
This is an overwhelming time of year for most of us. But if you take time to map out a plan for your pets ahead of time, the results can be more time for you and less stress for them.
Lisa Ellman has been working with a wide range of animals for over 20 years. Her passion, however, is dogs, and in 1996 she founded Good Dogma Obedience Training. With a foundation built on positive reinforcement, Good Dogma provides basic obedience training and behavior modification for the family dog and human members of the pack. Lisa’s comprehensive theory on training is a simple one: “Train the human, condition the dog.” Good Dogma is a monthly feature of Simply Clear Marketing and Media.
