Change is inevitable. In this topsy turvy world of ours, we adjust. Often! While change is never comfortable, we can usually feel it coming. Like the change of seasons. As the leaves start to turn, darkness steals seconds, and then minutes, each day, and there’s a chill in the air that wasn’t there yesterday. And while we are tuned in to the seasonal change as Daylight Savings Time comes to an end for most of us, our pets are not.
In fact, even more than us, pets are creatures of habit. They depend on us to feed them, love them, let them outside, and take them for daily walks and frisbee sessions. And because we love these furry members of our family, we’re naturally concerned with their worries. As we plummet into shorter days and colder weather, and the kids are back in school, how can we make sure the transition is smooth for our Children of the Fur?
How Changes in Routine and Schedules Create Dog and Cat Anxiety
Even minor changes in routine can create stress for our dogs and cats, because they thrive on predictability. In fact, pets use a combination of biological cues (like our sleeping, eating, and grooming routines), and environmental cues (sunrise, sunset) to anticipate daily events. Trust us: Your dog is acutely aware of what time every delivery truck rolls through your neighborhood each day, because they roar through like clockwork. But when these routines are “off,” it can lead to confusion, anxiety, behavioral issues, and even physical health problems, like digestive issues.
Simple Ideas to Help Our Pets Better Adjust
- To help your pets adjust, consider gradually changing your routine in the weeks leading up to big changes, by 10-minute increments. If, in the summer months, your alarm goes off at 7 a.m., start a new alarm at 6:50 for a few days, followed by 6:40, to finally get to your new waking time of 6:30 a.m. Though each change seems small, 30 minutes really adds up to your pets.
- In the meantime, do your best to maintain other consistent activities like exercise and play. When it starts getting dark earlier in the evening, don’t skip the walk, altogether. Instead, plan for a walk in the morning hours, before work and school, which can provide a new (and fun!) routine for all of you.
- Have you ever noticed that your pet picks up on physical cues when you’re getting ready to leave the house? Things we don’t even think about, like a spray of perfume, grabbing a sweater or coat out of the closet, or turning on the radio are big red flags to our fur kids. You’ll often catch them staring at us, as we prepare to leave. To calm anxiety, try to act as nonchalant as possible, and not make a big deal of coming and going. Even when we return home, instead of getting hyped up (even though we want to), as our pets welcome us, it’s best to keep an even-keeled demeanor to make coming and going less eventful, so they don’t feel the heavy emotional sting of when we’re away.
- A pet that’s bored or anxious may turn to destructive behaviors, especially when you’re gone. To curb boredom, consider providing enrichment puzzles to keep your pets stimulated while fall activities amp up. Whether it’s bringing the kids to football practice or pumpkin patch and apple orchard outings, fall gets busy as we enjoy cooler weather, and school is in full swing.
- Extra exercise and fresh, outdoor air can help burn off excess energy and promote relaxation for your pet, making our furry companions more comfortable, overall.
Most importantly, we look to our veterinarians to be an excellent source to help us mire through change with our fur kids. Just like we would consult them for physical symptoms like an upset tummy, emotional symptoms—though often not seen—are equally important to help alleviate. So don’t be afraid to reach out to yours!
With being aware of our pet’s needs, overall, and sensitivity to our changes in routine, we can ALL enjoy a happier, healthier fall season and sweater weather.
