Holidays Can Be A Stressful Time for Animals, Too

If you think the holidays are stressful for you, try experiencing them second-hand with no context. Animals are in a weird headspace right now, too. Knowing that there's an obstacle can help us create accommodations to make this complicated time more enjoyable for all involved. Right now, there's no sunlight, schedules are weird, there's tension between visiting family and your partner, there's decorations everywhere that pets ARE NOT allowed to eat or even play with because two-legs are mean... There's so many external environmental factors that affect you both.

Animals are our best friends in part because of how perceptive they are towards their people's moods and emotions. They can feel your seasonal depression (and grief, for those of us who experience it) and your anxiety about the polar vortex covering the western side of the states with a slippery sheet of ice. They just don't know what the heck is wrong with us. And just like humans, they express their discomfort in a myriad of ways that don't always indicate the root of the problem. That is where we have to use context clues to read the room so that we can provide relief.

Often times what this looks like is simply a little more patience, cuddles, deep breaths, or small adjustments to their surroundings. Maybe they just have an excess of energy and a game of tug or chase could help dispel it to make room for relaxation. If they hyper-focused on something (or someone) unproductive, can you break they're focus with a toy or game? There's many different ways that we can respond, and our choices really can change the outcome for our pets.

Listen to your body. Honor your feelings and boundaries. Listen to your pets. Don't forget to eat and breathe and drink water and do things that give you small bursts of joy, whatever that is. We'll see you in the New Year <3

A Message from our Family to Yours