It’s completely natural to do: you think about your pet all alone at home for several hours at a time and you start feeling guilty.
You start asking yourself:
- Are they lonely?
- Are they bored?
- Do they feel abandoned?
- Are they sad?
These very thoughts are what drive many people to the idea of taking their pets to a boarding facility because they believe that they will get more attention there. However, I am here to ease your mind about leaving your pet at home.
1) According to an article on Pets Adviser dogs sleep anywhere between 12 to 18 hours a day depending on their age. Cats, according to PetMD sleep an average of 18 to 20 hours per day. Your pet is not at home staring at the walls in boredom all day long feeling sorry for themselves. They are enjoying long naps on their favorite couch, bed or blanket. To break up their time and burn energy, having a pet sitter come in to play, exercise and snuggle with them 1-4 times a day (depending on the pet) will plenty fulfill their daily needs.
2) Dogs and cats are creatures of habit. They love their routines, their same napping spots, their same toys and the same smells and sounds that they are used to. Unless they are with you most pets do not like leaving the comfort of their home, so having someone come in to take care of them throughout the day rather than transporting them is actually more beneficial to your pet.
3) Yes, our pets do get sad when we leave them behind. We form very strong bonds with our animals and they love us just as much (if not more) than we love them. They don’t enjoy being away from us however, having a pet sitter come in and give them one on one attention, play, exercise and treats is as close to a mommy and daddy substitute as you can get!
It’s always hard to leave your pet behind when you travel but don’t fall into the trap of believing that you’re a bad pet parent if you leave your pet at home while you’re gone. Getting a pet sitter has many great benefits for your pets and they will be grateful for it!
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