Preparing Your Pets For the Back to School Season
Back-to-School Can Be Hard For Pets
When the littles go back to school, the whole family needs to be ready and do their part, even if that’s taking the dog along for the walk to school.
Back to school means a lot of changes for your pets. And, the fact is, pets don’t really like changes. Disruptions to their daily routine can throw them for a loop.
At the start of Summer, they deal with change when the kids get out of school. But that’s so much easier to manage.
It does take a little getting used. Some pets may be a little overwhelmed with the new level of chaos.
The lack of structure is an even bigger adjustment.
Everything is a little louder but there’s more fun times with their family. There’s more adventures, more cuddles, more time with the humans they know and love.
And, then back-to-school season comes along. And that’s a huge adjustment for our pets.
Quiet, lazy mornings are replaced with organized chaos. Everyone is rushing around getting ready. No one has time to cuddle. Then suddenly, they’re out the door and it’s quiet...
Too quiet. Where did their humans go??
Disclosure: As an Amazon associate, this post contains affiliate links. If you follow one of these links and make a purchase, I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps support this blog and my ability to keep bringing you important articles regarding the care and life enrichment of your precious fur kids.
Why Routines Are Important for Your Pets
Just like most humans, pets do better with structure. A good, consistent routine is one of the best ways to make them feel safe in their environment, reduce stress and anxiety, and support their overall health and well-being.
Pets who don’t have a routine may become stressed and unsettled, leading to possible behaviour issues such as excessive barking or meowing, scratching, marking, or destructive chewing.
Regular feedings and exercise are important for your pet’s physical health, as well. This will allow them to digest food properly and will give them time to do their business before you leave them for the day.
Animals use environmental cues and their biological clocks to help them anticipate their day, especially those special events like meal time, their walk time, or the arrival of their humans.
Pet Routines Are Great for Humans,Too!
The benefits of routines for your pets don’t end with your pets. Setting up a routine to take care of your pets will make your life easier, too.
With a schedule and expectations of what needs to be done by every family member, you can ensure that your pets needs are met and that everyone is doing their part to help.
These routines will also strengthen bonds between you and your pets as you build trust.
The fact is, even if it’s just you, or you and a partner, everyone can(and should) take part in your pet’s care and having a routine will help. There can be many little details that contribute to take care of your pets so having a set routine and clear expectations will make sure that your pets are well taken care of and happy.
Cats Miss Their Humans Too
While cats don’t always wear their hearts on their sleeves like dogs do, they bond with their families as much as dogs do.
How to Ease Your Pet into a New Routine
It’s easy to understand why some pets don’t react will to back-to-school changes to their routine. But you can make it easier on everyone, including yourself, by coming up with a routine that works for everyone.
Easing your pet(and your family) into the new routine by starting at least 2 weeks before the school session starts is going to give you some time to test routines, to see how your pet reacts, and to head off any issues before it’s “go time”.
Start getting up at the time you’ll need to be up for school. That does mean everyone who will be part of the back-to-school routine so they can all adjust, not just your pet.
You can do a full trial run(or two) before back-to-school. Plan a day where the whole family will be out of the house for the same amount of time that you would be for a school day and give it a shot.
Determine what you need to include in your pet’s daily routine and who will be responsible for these tasks. The following are tasks that should be included in your pet’s care:
Regular Feeding Times- Consistent feeding times give your pets a sense of security, help them with proper digestion, and regulate their energy needs
Bathroom Breaks- If you have a dog, they will need regular bathroom breaks and someone will have to be responsible for that so you’re not up at 3am, letting them outside for an emergency. You will probably notice your cat having a somewhat regular routine and someone needs to keep their litter cleaned daily so they keep going back to the litter box.
Exercise- Walks and play sessions are vital for your dog’s well-being, both physically and mentally. Cats may not need as much exercise but they still need about 30 minutes a day, split into short bursts to mimic hunting. You can include training sessions as part of their exercise.
Grooming- Brushing your pets is great for both keeping their fur under control and for bonding with their humans. You can also include brushing their teeth and nail trimming as regular parts of their routine
Training Sessions- Obedience training, teaching and practicing tricks should be a regular part of their routine and can be included as exercise. These training sessions can be both physically and mentally stimulating and great for their overall health.
Rest Periods and Sleep- Your dog needs about 12-14 hours a day to sleep. Cats need even more time to sleep. The average time is 12-16 hours but kittens and senior cats can sleep upwards of 16-20 hours a day! That means, to fit in their other needs, you will have to have a good routine in place so they can fit in those precious naps.
Head out for your family outing, once all the tasks are complete.
Leave on some music to provide some background noise for your pets. Meditation music, classical, even reggae(dogs love reggae), are great choices.
The music provide soothing sounds for your pets so it’s not too quiet and also block out some outdoor noises so they aren’t constantly stimulated listening to every little sound in the neighbourhood.
You can leave them with a treat puzzle or long lasting chew. Just be sure it’s something that can’t cause them to choke or that they can destroy.
I like to leave Lucy with a Kong Wobbler with a few pieces of treats or kibble inside. It gives her a distraction long enough to at least let me leave for the day. And then it’s nap time!
Hunter is more relaxed about my departure but sometimes I’ll give him a couple of treats or some catnip. But, usually, by that point, he’s settled in for a nap already and I just leave him to relax.
If you have a camera in your home, such as this Furbo pet camera, you can check in and make sure your pet is doing okay. Chances are, if they’ve had their morning meal, exercise, bathroom break, and play time, they’ll probably be napping!
Waiting for Their People
While pets can’t tell time, they do have internal clocks and gather clues from the environment to know when their humans will be home.
Build a Routine for Every Family Member
If you have a family, ideally, everyone can take part in the care of your pets. You can assign everyone responsibilities, based on their skill level. Since, even brushing and play time is part of the routine, it’s great for everyone to take part.
This is where a pet care chart comes in clutch! You can list all the tasks that need to be completed for your pet care and assign those tasks to your family members.
Then, as they’re completed, they can be checked off the list. You can use a reward system to encourage the kids to take part or just make it a game or competition. Do whatever you think will motivate your family. You know them best.
Get your FREE COPY today!
If you want a pre-made chart that you can customize for your family, sign up for the Purrs and Wags weekly newsletter and get your free copy today!
Click HERE to learn more!
Keep Your Sanity!
Whether you’re the only human in your house, you have one more human to help, or you have a house full, it’s the humans’ responsibility to take part, in any way they can, with the care of your pets. The great new is, it can be rewarding and fun for everyone!
Even if the school year has already started, chances are you’re here because the start to school year hasn’t quite gone as planned.
That’s okay. You can start now and get that routine in place. Don’t worry-you can start any time and your pet will adapt and relax with your patience, understanding, and love!
Related Articles:
Boredom Busters for Your Pets
Ways to keep your pets entertained, even when you can’t be there to take part!
Ten Tips for a Happy and Healthy Pet
Learn the best ways to keep your pets happy and healthy
