Reducing Stress in your Dog or Cat
Stress in our animals is common, just as it is with us. When stress is encountered, it is important to do what we can to minimize or eliminate it before it develops into health issues. In our animals, behavioural challenges can also be caused by stress.
Stress is a normal part of life and it isn't possible to eliminate it completely. When we know what is causing our animals stress we can then support and assist them in dealing with that stress in healthy ways. We can also assist them in building up their confidence so they can feel able to deal with unexpected stress.
These are common causes of stress in both cats and dogs:
strangers
loud noises
changes to daily life/routine
changes in the home and environments
when you, yourself are stressed or anxious
too much stimulation - too much play or exercise
not enough rest or downtime
Here are some ways to reduce stress in your dog or cat:
provide a balanced lifestyle (enough sleep, exercise, play)
play is especially important for cats (hunting sequence)
increase sleep and calm relaxing time
increase activities where your animal feels safe, calm, and happy
stop stress-causing activities, until your animal can handle them
increase mental stimulation (ex: treat puzzles)
give dogs something to chew, chewing is relaxing and calming
play calming music
Use pheromones, especially helpful for cats
read out loud to your dog or cat as the sound of your voice is soothing
deep breathing around your dog or cat
meditation with your dog or cat
For details and more insight on the points listed above, watch the video below:
Comments