Lifestyle
Preparing pets for post lockdown life
Prevent ‘Pet Separation Anxiety’ here ATV Today Lifestyle takes a look at some expert top tips.
Animal specialists at Ruggles have listed ways to prevent separation anxiety with our furry friends and how to balance looking after them while letting your hair down once the lockdown is lifted.
Practise a routine now:
Put a strict routine in place now while you’re still at home so that your pet is familiar with the daily structure for when you’re back to normal life.
If you know that when you go back to normal there may be a drastic change such as less play time, gradually start to set this in place now.
Schedule:
Whatever type of pet you own be sure to set a weekly schedule of all the tasks you have to do for them such as going for walks and playtime. Try to think of a realistic time frame that will fit your post-lockdown lifestyle.
Habits:
Whilst at home we tend to feed and let our animals sleep as and when. However, aim to feed your animal around working hours. Different animals require different care, so think of what works best for your pet and then try to incorporate these habits.
Exercise:
Going back to the workplace and having a jam packed lifestyle will make it harder to fulfil your animal’s requirements. If you have a dog, ensure you’re taking them for a long enough walk and still playing with them after work. If you have a larger animal such as a horse, ensure you’re still taking them for regular rides/outings and giving them the care they need. With animals like cats, try to play with them when you’re at home to ensure you maintain a bond.
Build independence:
Try giving your pet more freedom and a chance to have alone time even when you are at home by spending time in a different room. This will help to limit separation anxiety when the time comes.
