Preparing Your Family for Success with Your Pet Sitter!
Embarking on a trip and leaving your furry family behind can stir a mix of emotions.At The Empowered Companion®, we understand this deeply and strive to ensure a seamless, comforting transition for your beloved family. Here are some essential tips to prepare your companions for a wonderful time with their pet sitter while you're away.
🎵 Tune into Tranquility
Music isn’t just for human ears; it works wonders for your pets too!
Before you leave, set the stage for calm by playing some gentle music or leaving the television on at a low volume. This background noise creates a comforting, familiar environment, helping to ease any feelings of loneliness. Additionally, the consistent rhythm of classical, lo-fi, or meditation music can help equalize indoor and outdoor sounds to reduce environmental reactivity and anxiety.
🗣️ Heart-to-Heart Chats
You might be surprised at how much your pets understand.
Sit with them and explain in your soothing voice that you'll be away briefly and that a loving pet sitter and friend will take good care of them. Mention how many times the sitter will visit each day and the love and fun they can expect – your reassuring voice and calm demeanor can greatly ease their minds. Remember that we’re all connected, and the animals in our homes often mirror the energy and emotions we emit.
📆 Countdown Cue
Pets sense more than we realize, including routines and cues.
Establish a simple countdown ritual to be repeated each time you travel or leave the house. Mark a calendar while using a specific cue word or phrase and show it to them each day. You can use one word like “travel” or a phrase like “we always come home.” This routine can become part of your goodbye ritual, helping everyone feel confident and learn to grasp the concept of your return. Over time, as your sweet companions develop their own travel routine that includes seeing you home at the end of each trip, separation anxiety and worry will lessen.
🍽️ Consistent Chow Time
Consistency is key, especially with meals.
If the sitter's feeding schedule differs from yours, try to gradually adjust your pets' feeding times a few days before you leave. This minimizes digestive upsets and anxiety. Contact your sitter a few weeks in advance to discuss their timing for looking after your home and family.
🧸 Familiar Fun
Keep their favorite toys, blankets, and treats within easy reach.
These familiar items are imbued with your scent and provide comfort. Inform your sitter about these favorites to ensure your pets continue to enjoy their regular playtime and snuggles. Additionally, clue your sitter into your travel cue words and routines so they can help build and maintain the same routine.
🎵 Try It Out
Get your companion used to the serene sounds before you leave! Play some soothing music or leave the TV on with serene videos to create a calm, comforting environment for your pets. Gentle tunes or nature sounds can ease loneliness, while relaxing videos like those from theMonterey Bay Aquarium YouTube channel offer peaceful scenes of ocean life to help reduce anxiety.
This article is brought to you by Jaime Kuhn, owner and founder of The Empowered Companion®, a platform dedicated to enriching family life through mindful and compassionate practices with our animal friends.
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