There’s no time like the present to prepare your pet for summer noises, travel & other stress.

I received one of those Facebook posts with a photo I posted 6 years ago of my dog Meesha. It triggered a memory of how much thunderstorms used to upset her.

I always want the best for your pets and this memory reminded me that I need to reach out to you to talk about preparing animals for summer stressors.

A little preparation goes a long way.

If you’re anything like me, knowing that my animal family members are OK, either when I am away from or traveling with my pets, gives me great peace of mind. Since your pet’s comfort will help to ensure that you have a great summer, planning ahead to provide your pet with physical, mental and emotional support can make all the difference in the world.

There are endless products and techniques out there that may or may not help your pet. However, I like to keep things simple and not overwhelming, so I’m sharing with you some of my favorite go-to’s that you can also do to give you and your pet peace of mind.

Animal Communication

 

Whether it’s you going away, or leaving them at home or elsewhere, to be cared for, or somewhere else or them doing some travel along with you, one of the best ways to help your pets is to communicate to them that they are going to be experiencing a temporary change.  People are often surprised to hear that you can actually give your pet a schedule of how long you will be away, as well as clear information about how they will be cared for.

Playing mental “movies” to your pet that show the who, what, when, where, why and how about a change in their normal routine can greatly help to mitigate related stress.

When I am communicating with an animal about change, I will often go through this “mental movie” that shows them a sequence of events, from the time of day that their family will be away or that they will be leaving with their family, until the family returns. Animals are very good at understanding light and dark and how many repeated days of light and then dark they will experience during the change.  Animals can “feel” a sense of the difference between shorter and longer periods of time, and it is a matter of taking them through this experience ahead of time that sets the understanding about the length of time in their minds.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to continue to remind them about this schedule and you can use my Free MP3 meditation download to accomplish both. Of course, I am also available for consultations to help prepare your pet and/or to do a check-in with your pet during any time of stress.

Bodywork can provide a calming effect on your pet while under stress.

Massage 

One of the most supportive things we can do to help support our pets physically, emotionally, and mentally is to massage them. Even if you haven’t received professional training as I have, you can provide wonderful relaxation for your pets with some simple techniques. Massage also provides the added benefit of supporting the immune system something that can be weakened during times of stress.

An interesting point!

There is a spot called  Yin Tang which can be found just above the level of the eyes, at the mid-point between the eyes. You may want to apply light pressure in a clockwise circle with your fingertip and observe any change of behavior. Of course, discontinue if your pet doesn’t seem to like this, but often this point can help with easing the energy of an animal.

Effleurage is long flowing strokes that help to warm up the muscles and tissues of the body and can be done alone or at the beginning or end of the massage. Effleurage involves using more pressure than how you might normally pet your animal. Make sure to go in the direction of the muscles, not the opposite which can irritate, starting at the top of the head and moving backward down the neck and body toward the tail and down the arms and legs towards the paws.

Petrissage involves using kneeling or twisting motions of the skin or tissue. It’s best to go lighter if you are not confident in your skills or sure of how much pressure to use. It doesn’t take much to have a beneficial effect. If your pet doesn’t mind their paws touched, you can also massage between the pads.

Contraindications for massage would be fever, organ dysfunction or infectious diseases. If your animal is being treated with medication, such as for cancer, please consult with your veterinarian. Also, avoid any areas where an animal may have an injury, such as a sprain or break. Massage should not take the place of proper veterinary care. Please consult with your veterinarian if you are not sure if you should be massaging your pet.

A little bit of planning can go a long way and I’ve tried to make this article as stress-free as possible since we humans have enough of our own stress.

Two Senses NOT TO Ignore!

Scent – Your pet has an incredible number of scent receptors that connect directly to their emotions, with scent molecules bypassing other areas of the brain, directly to the amygdala, the brain’s emotional center. Leaving there with a tee-shirt that you’ve slept in gives them that scent connection to you that will help to support their relaxation and provide some of that human comfort even when you can’t be physically together.

Essential oils have become so popular and for good reason. Essential oils have the amazing ability to work directly with this scent-emotion message system.  One of my favorite oils to use with my pets and myself during times of increased stress is Lavender. Essential oils can be diffused and also applied. For more in-depth information about essential oils download my FREE ebook, Insider Secrets For Using Essential Oils With Animals. 

Sounds – On average, dogs can hear frequencies up to about 45,000 hertz and cats can hear 100,000! It goes to show why animals are so sensitive to sound, especially in unfamiliar environments.

I have used Canine Lullabies as a way to help my pets, especially a newly adopted and stressed-out dog to relax.  Why are these specially arranged lullabies so effective? According to composer Terry Woodford, “Dogs, cats, and chimps can use their acute selective listening to escape what is bothering them even better than humans can. Animals don’t relate to or interpret most man made-music the same way we do. Most of our music is mathematically too complex and alien sounding.  They are attentive and interested in sounds that are simple, predictable, familiar and ordered in a simple structure.” Check out Canine Lullabies

CBDs – CB please!

Using CBDs to help promote relaxation for your pet during temporary times of stress is an easy way to give your pet that extra comfort they need. A study recently completed at Cornell suggests that 2 mg/kg of cannabidiol (CBD) oil twice daily can help increase comfort and activity in dogs with osteoarthritis. While there are no formal studies completed at this time that indicate the effectiveness of CBDs for pets, this article does show the effectiveness for humans. I can say without hesitation that I have seen great benefits for stressed pets, not only from my personal experiences with my pets, but also in the pets of clients, friends, and family.

Since all pets are different, it’s good to start using CBDs at least a few weeks before your trip. There can be some variation in the amount of CBD that will be the most beneficial for your individual pet, so starting ahead of time will give you some room to see what dose works best for your pets.

I hope that I have provided you with some information that might improve you and your pet’s summer.

I would love to hear if you try any of the above-mentioned suggestions and how they work for you.

If I can help support you and your pet during the upcoming summer, please let me know!

Love and blessings,

As always, I am here to help by bringing results that come

from over 13 years of professional experience and a

lifetime of communicating with animals. Compassion,

understanding and dedication are at the heart of any

consultation that I provide.

Intuitive Touch Animal Care, LLC:

• Animal Communication

• Animal Massage/Rehabilitative – Nationally Board Certified

• Energy  work 

• Essential oils education

• Courses

• Personal Intuitive Coaching