We’ve had a wild house for the summer. Four kids, neighborhood friends, visiting family…there have been a lot of interesting things going on. And then everyone went back to school and things quieted down and now here we are.
I think my dog is bored with me.
I’m not nearly as exciting as a houseful of kids, and while I play with him and pet him, it’s not the same. He just lays there. Or he rolls over on his back every time I walk by, hoping for a belly rub and a few minutes of attention. And I wondered — do many dogs get lonely this time of year?
It turns out, yes — dogs do get lonely when kids who’ve been home all summer go back to school.
“Play with me? Anyone? Pleeeeeease?”
I asked our family vet, Dr. Anna Lindsey at Clear Creek Animal Hospital, about this and she said animals who already have separation anxiety can have a hard time when the kids leave. “We do know that the absence of an animal’s bonded human can trigger a stress response.”
These animals can bark or howl, destroy stuff, or even hide and refuse to eat.
The most important thing we can do to help our pets is to keep them busy when we are home. Take them for nice, long walks and make sure they have toys to keep them occupied (maybe even a new toy at the beginning of the school year?). And if you do all that and your dog is still anxious, she says there are some all-natural supplements for those animals that need a little extra help. Talk to your vet about what your pooch might need.
Most dogs seem to get back into a routine after the first few weeks. And around here, when all the little humans come running in around 3:30pm, he’s a happy, happy boy who gets belly rubs all afternoon.
Do you have a pet? How are they doing while the kids are away?
Comments Photos courtesy Laura FalinFor more kids’ activities and easy recipes, you can find Laura at Peace but not Quiet, and on facebook and Pinterest.
