Ask Your Pet

Dear Jennifer,

I’ll be going away for a week on vacation next month. This is the first time I’ll be leaving my dog, Frito, in a few years. I’m worried that he’ll be anxious and act out while the sitter is staying with him. Is there anything I can do to get him ready and help him be calmer while I’m gone?

Thank you,

Kristi

Dear Kristi,

This is a very common concern I encounter in my practice, and yes, there are definitely ways that you can help Frito to prepare and cope with your absence. I generally recommend against starting to prepare companion animals too far in advance, because there’s no sense in prolonging any anxiety they might experience. So, when I do a session to tell an animal about an impending trip, I try to do it no more than a week in advance. An exception to this would be if the animal will be seeing or hearing preparations for the trip ahead of that timeframe, because they understand far more than most people realize.

When you start to prepare Frito for your trip, keep in mind that animals pick up on the images in our minds, and the emotions we’re feeling. So, get yourself into a calm, loving state, and tell Frito you’ll be going away, the length of your trip, who will be taking care of him, and very importantly, that you’ll be coming back home to him. Visualize yourself going out with your luggage, and coming back home and greeting Frito in a joyful reunion when you return. You can show him the number of days you’ll be gone by picturing it getting light, then dark, then light again. And, make sure to picture his dog sitter for him. If he doesn’t know the sitter, it’s always a good idea to arrange a meeting in advance.

While you’re away, you can connect with Frito to help him feel less anxious. Find a quiet moment, and bring Frito into your mind. Imagine you’re hugging him until it becomes so real that you can almost feel him. Then, just send him feelings of love and reassurance, and an image of you returning home to him. You can even send him images of things you’ve done on your trip. Just make sure you always send that image of your joyful reunion when you return, so that he really trusts that you’ll be back.

In addition to the above technique, it’s helpful for Frito to have something that smells like you close to him. For example, if he has a bed he likes to sleep in, perhaps put the pajamas you wore the night before your trip in his bed before you leave. It will also be helpful if the sitter sticks to Frito’s usual routines as much as possible, and knows to always communicate with Frito with calm reassurance and positive reinforcement.

I hope you enjoy your trip!

Many Blessings,

Jennifer Dickman

Jennifer Dickman is an Animal Communicator, Intuitive Coach, Reiki Master-Teacher, and Animal Reiki Specialist. She conducts sessions worldwide via phone, video, and email. Please contact her at jennifer_dickman@ymail.com , www.JenniferDickman.com , and follow her on Instagram @JenniferDickmanOne, and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AnimalCommunicatior (misspelling intentional), or her Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/healingpetlosswithanimalcommunication