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As restrictions on gatherings begin to be lifted around Australia, many of us will begin to return to work in the next few weeks, VetShopAustralia staff included.
But for many pets, this will be a very tough time as they readjust to not having you around all day. It is inevitable that some pets will experience separation anxiety as a result of this, so we thought we would put together a guide on how to ease your pet back into things and prepare them for a return to normal.
Separation anxiety is when a pet experiences severe distress while separated from their owner. The owner can often be completely unaware that their pet is suffering while they are gone as the pet can act completely normal when they are around. It might only be bad behaviour by a pet that can tip the owner off.
A pet that has separation anxiety can have a variety of symptoms including:
It is always important to take your pet to their vet for a full check up to make sure any symptoms they display can’t be explained by another medical condition.
If you have been working or studying or simply spending more time at home in recent weeks, your pet has likely gotten used to having you around a lot more so it will be quite a shock for them when we all go back to work. To prepare your pet for this return to “normal” and reduce their chance of developing separation anxiety, here are a few things to help them ease into this change.
Start to take short trips outside the house, increasing their time as your pet adjusts to your absence.
Ensure your pet has plenty to keep them entertained while you are gone. Talking your dog for a walk before you leave for work or ensuring they have plenty of interactive toys to entertain themselves with will ensure they won’t spend hours at the door waiting for your return. You can view our article full of great games to entertain your dog right here.
For pet’s that suffer from more severe separation anxiety, your vet may recommend a medication for them, or you may find a pet behaviourist useful to help you train your pet.
For those of us that are lucky enough to work in a pet friendly workplace (like us here at VetShopAustralia), you might be able to take your pet to work with you while you transition back to working from an office. If you don’t have a pet friendly workplace, perhaps a friend or family member can pet sit during the day for you, or you can send your pooch off to doggy day care which will also help them develop great social skills.
We hope these tips have been useful in helping your pet readjust and ensure a smooth return to work for you.
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