With one nine-month-old pup, she had been with her new family about four months when the lockdown occurred. Just prior to the pandemic, she lost her new, older canine sister to illness – which meant for the first time she did not have an animal buddy to learn from as previously she had cat companions. This was her third home in three months since being born. You could say she was having a very traumatic experience. She was unaware now of what was normal, what made unfamiliar sounds, if the sounds were to be feared or not, why her people disappeared in the middle of the day or what it meant for her family to go on vacation. She did not understand where they went, why I was showing up or would they return.

Help your pets as you identify your new normal in transition with these five steps. I have written about the anxiousness that can occur during the pandemic which can trigger behavioral changes. They can go through periods of separation anxiety after weeks and/or months of having you all to themselves only to wake one day to you being away more. You can start helping them today, by doing these five steps

You are striving to return to a normal state. How can this affect your pets? Since the official lockdown reopened last May, I have observed and experienced some animal companions who have had their own struggles with their people going back to leaving the house for a regular job or even going on trips. They became accustomed to seeing and being with you for most, if not all, day.

In the last month, a lot of self-care messages have been showing up in those around me like clients, friends, family, and myself. These are being delivered and received in various ways. As I began writing this blog, the angel number 11:11 showed up as confirmation to the importance of this message at this time…new responses are needed now.

Over this past year, the vastness of perspectives has expanded more and more. We are learning just how many individual ways there are to look at subjects of all types. We all hold personal meanings per our unique experiences.

Pets ask for more time in a variety of ways and for different reasons.