Sit and stay awhile

As we head in to some really hectic months, remember to do nothing every now and then. 

Especially—remember to do nothing with your dogs, cats, and rabbits.

There is almost no better relaxation aid than a cat perched on you, breathing softly, and purring. Not only the sound but the gentle vibration of their contentedness is enough to lower anyone's blood pressure. And cats can be really needy of that alone time when things around the house are louder, faster-moving, and more crowded than normal. Cats are creatures of habit—they don't like changes in their environment. Taking some time as often as you can to curl up quietly can not only alleviate your stress, but your cat's as well, and lessen stress behaviors like hairballs, excessive grooming, throwing up undigested food, more scratching at furniture, and even unwanted activity outside of the litterbox.

As far as bunnies go, well, much the same applies to them regarding environment and stress that occurs when that settled routine changes. Remember how the holiday festivities might look or sound to a family member who is less than 10 pounds and about half a foot tall! Quiet time is reassuring, a way to decompress and regain trust in the surroundings.

Dogs spend a LOT more time than we think resting and sleeping. And, as social animals, they do it in groups if possible. This makes them the ideal companions for sharing quiet napping and sleeping activities as bonding activities. I know, I know…there was all that horrible info out awhile ago about how dangerous it is to sleep with your dog. And a lot of trainers don't like it either (in extreme cases, this may be valid), but what a bunch of pfooey. Dogs UNDERSTAND resting together as part of a relationship. Leave that out, and you are missing out on a big part of the trust-building and simple assurance you can take from each other's presence.  Notice how your dog positions herself on the bed. If permitted, a dog will face away from you…you are actually guarding each other! You are each in a position to quite literally watch each other's back.  

In any case, the universal comfort of the pressure of one we trust during rest or sleep is central, and can help ease holiday stress for everyone. You might just find that you reach a new level of understanding with your four-legged friend, once you have spent some dedicated time doing nothing at all together, and make it a regular part of each day. There is no time better spent.

-woof