It's Back to School Time...is Your Pet Ready?

Bandit is ready for school!

Even though we have a few more weeks left until summer is officially over, Back-to-School season really winds down the summer for many. With all the business of shopping for school items and drives to settle college kids into their dorms,  try not to forget the furkids in all of the excitement. After spending all summer playing and lazing around with the family, the excitement of back-to-school can translate into stress for our family pets. To help pets adjust to the sudden empty-house syndrome, try preparing them a few days before. Here are just a few tips:

Gibson doesn't want to trade the pool for school yet!

• If your dog is now going to be alone all day, do a sample run-through of what the new typical work/school day will be. By doing this with your dog a few days before, it will let your pet become accustomed to the new routine before the new routine actually starts.
• Let  your dog escort your child with you to the bus stop, the corner, or ride along in the car if you drive your child to school.
• Keep the mood upbeat. We know how dogs pick up on our moods and energies.
• Let your children tell their furbaby that they will be back after school to play. They really do understand.
• Let the radio or TV play while everyone is away so your dog hears voices and doesn’t feel alone.  
• Call in from the office periodically to leave happy voice messages for your dog.
• Treat your canine to a "doggie" snack when your child has his/her after-school snack. After all, who doesn’t bond well when food is involved!
• Let your child read/study with the dog nearby.
• If your child moves away for college and your house is now an empty nest, you will need to fill the lonely spot your family dog will naturally feel. Some additional hugs, kisses, and extra evening walks will work wonders. There’s no better cure for the blues (for both human and canine) than spending some time together!   
• Consider bringing another pet into the house for your furbaby’s companion. Or, if you can’t, why not foster a dog from a nearby shelter or rescue and bring him/her home for some visits and company with your furkid. It will be greatly beneficial to both!

School is not all work, and no play. It can be fun too! Fellow blogger furpal Sarge, along with several other bloggers got together to hold a really cool Back-to-School Bash that featured some pretty pawsome “classes”…be sure to check out their blogs listed on Sarge’s site for a great school review!. We participated in SAS’s Bug/Crawly House so see if you can find our icky pics!

Please remember, with the arrival of school days, drive careful, be sure to watch out for the hu-kids walking, stop for those school buses, and keep an extra eye on your furkids to be sure they don’t slip out the open doors as the kids leave for and return from school!

Happy Back-to-School time!