Separation anxiety and traveling are not the happiest combos. Especially if we talk about international travel, then things can, unfortunately, get quite complicated. Pets in particular can get very upset about traveling. This is because pets create a strong bond with their owner and the environment they are in and do not easily leave it. What is more, pets can be very stress-prone in these situations and do not bear it easily at all. However, you can minimize all the stress and fuss about traveling with some smart tips and tricks that will make everything much more bearable.
To that end, make sure you check out these awesome tips on how to reduce separation anxiety when traveling with your pet!
Start with very small steps
If you have a pet, then you will probably have to travel with it at least once in your life. For that reason, it will be very useful for you to start preparing and practicing from today. The easy and good thing of this preparation and training process is to teach your, say, dog to relax and accept separation from home, is that you can do it in a very controlled and safe environment.
For instance, if you have a friend that also has a pet, it would be a great idea to take your pet to it once a week, or if you can’t, then at least once a month. (Of course, if you don’t have a friend that is also a pet owner, then you can easily go to the park, woods, or any fun place that your pet will enjoy.) This way, your dog or cat will be acquainted with car traveling, cart, and separation.
However, the advantage of this is that it will last short, and your pet will meet another friend of its kind that it can play with, so it will associate traveling with pleasant memories. This can play an enormous part in reducing the separation anxiety with your pet next time when you will have to travel long distances. Your pet will be much less agitated and the anxiety level can be much much lower than it would have been if there were no prior training such as this one mentioned here. So make sure you take this important step before you book a flight.
Seek professional help
It is always a good and wise idea to consult an animal behaviorist for any piece of advice. This way you can learn more about your pet and its feelings. Likewise, you can also find out more about ways to make your pet feel happy about traveling.
On the other hand, you can also make things much easier by contacting people who specialize in pet transport. For example, make sure you seek help at Pet-Express, which has been widely trusted by pet owners to easily relocate their pets all over the globe. This way, you can effectively reduce separation anxiety and leave your pet with professionals.
Pack up when your pet is not around
One of the useful tips to reduce the anxiety with your pet about traveling is to pack up when your pet is not around. This is because your pet can become scared if it notices that something is happening. After all, they are often afraid of a change and may perceive things at a much bigger scale and thus have a stressful experience. To that end, make sure you carefully follow the steps and pieces of advice on how to make their traveling experience pleasant and fun.
Put familiar and comfortable things in the crate
Another very useful tip to preventing stress in your pet when traveling is to put some familiar and comfortable things in your pet’s crate. This can be their favorite toy or blanket. The rationale behind this is that these objects still retain the smell that is familiar to your pet, which can make them feel safe when they are separated from you. For this reason, they may feel much more comfortable and at ease. Therefore, make sure you don’t miss implementing this important tip when traveling long or short distances.
Try natural calming products
Many irresponsible pet owners try to sedate their pets when traveling. Please be aware of this and make sure you never do it. This can be very dangerous because, if sedated, your pet cannot regulate its body temperature, which can be harmful to them especially during the flight. For this and many other reasons, it is not recommended at all by professionals.
Instead, you may easily try with many natural and cheap calming products that you have at your disposal, or that you can get in any market. For instance, essential oils such as lavender or chamomile oils can have a safe calming, and soothing effect on pets as on humans. Therefore, you may try spraying these products in their carts. However, make sure you spray balanced doses following the size of the cart and your pet. Ideally, consult a veterinarian for guidance and/or advice.
Keep calm
Animals can very well and easily spot the changes in behavior and emotional state in humans. In this sense, if your pet notices that you are disturbed and stressed out about the trip, they will likely feel so. To prevent this, make sure you keep calm all the time and play with your pet when you can. Similarly, give your best to make everything smooth and never stress out. Instead, believe in yourself and your pet!
Our pets make our lives much better and more fulfilling. For this and many other reasons, they deserve the best treatment we can give them. Therefore, let’s make sure we ensure that they never suffer and always give them our love and care. One of the ways to show them your love is to carefully plan their travel with minimal consequences to their emotions. You can achieve this if you implement some of the pieces of advice mentioned above, and of course, make sure you always contact a professional for the best results. Good luck!
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