Time to Celebrate… or a time to Comfort

It is almost 2022!

After the past couple of years we have had I am sure many of us want to go out and celebrate a new year. Being able to have the opportunity to enjoy one another’s company is important but do not forget about your 4-legged friend ho has been there for you throughout the pandemic.

A new year for us means gatherings and fireworks, but for our pups that means crowded space and scary noises. Some pets don’t respond well to such events. Even though we may think having a small group of friends or family over is no big deal for your pet it may cause some anxiety or stress.

When it comes to gatherings think about what your pet is going through. They have spent the past few months/years with just you and now all of these strange people are coming over and taking up their comfort space. I know some may think its unreasonable, they’re just a dog or cat, but having that animal means you are responsible for their well-being and causing them stress is never be overlooked.

There are many ways to know when your pup is getting anxious or stressed, you need to look at their body language. Dogs will do certain behaviors that we may pass off as something else, such as panting. Panting is a clear indicator that they are stressed, we may think they are hot but if the behavior is happening in a situation that is new to them its more than likely stress. Pacing is an indicator of anxiety, we may think the dog is bored and is just walking around but a dog that cannot settle is not okay. Make sure you are looking at their whole body from their ears to their tail, it all goes together to create the big picture.

Even with cats, now I am no expert in cats, but cats also feel anxiety and stress. Cats emotions show a little more subtly, they may even lie down but they could be feigning sleep; basically faking sleep, they lie down but they’ll still be vigilant. The way they sit will also show how their feeling; are their legs tucked under them when sitting? Is their tail tightly wrapped around them or is it moving fluidly? Are their pupils big and round or are they relaxed and almond shaped? Cats have body language too, we need to learn it.

In order for your pup to feel comfortable during events where there are a lot of people or scary noises like fireworks, you need to create a safe space for them. A safe space can look like many things, it could be there crate, a room that no guests are allowed to go into, under a desk if they are more comfortable seeing you. The safe space should be somewhere they are already comfortable with, train them before hand to retreat their. Music is always a good idea in a safe space. Music catered toward dogs, yes that’s a thing, will help to relax them due to the repeated rhythms; it will also help to drown out any other noises that may be scary for them.

Giving them something to do in the safe space is ideal, instead of just sitting there waiting for you to come get them. A food puzzle, frozen KONG, or a Licky Mat will help soothe them and keep their mind occupied.

Cats also need there own space. Cats should always have a space where they can go and hide, and that is vertical. The more enclosed the better for cats, you may have even noticed that some cats will hide under their blanket when they are stressed or anxious. You can use a cat tree, crate or even a cardboard box with blankets. Again train your cat that they can retreat there before the event.

As much as we want to celebrate, we need to take into consideration how all this celebrating could be effecting our pets.