We don’t want you adding worrying about your pet's mental health to your already long to-do list, but having an awareness of it can help you to better understand your furkid’s behavior.
At least, that’s the mission that actress Olivia Munn is on as she joins forces with Petco to help pet parents recognize the signs their fur baby may be struggling.
Munn is the owner of two rescue dogs, Chance, who’s seven, and Frankie who’s five, and for her, the duo are so much more than just animals.
“My dogs are definitely like people to me,” she explains. “They have so much personality, and I just love them so much.”
Petco and Munn’s partnership comes after both became concerned about the challenges facing pets as lockdowns around the world start to come to an end and more and more owners are returning to the office.
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“As we’re all getting back to our regular lives and our routines are changing, we’re going to be leaving the home again,” says Munn. “And so there is a lot of social and separation anxiety happening with our dogs. And that feeling that comes over you when your dog is uneasy, it stays with you.”
Munn says she’s recently noticed a difference in her dogs’ behavior, especially Frankie, her youngest. “Frankie was marking around the house every day, which he’s never done before. And when I would pick up a shoe, he would jump into my arms because he thought I was going somewhere. My dogs are very attached to me and their mental health is so important.”
If you’re noticing anxious behaviors in your own dog, you can head on over to Petco’s website where they’re offering a free virtual training seminar until the end of September.
Called the “Well-Adjusted Dog: Preparing for Separation and Social Anxiety,” you’ll learn how to identify anxiety in your pup as well as some helpful relaxation techniques to soothe stressed-out furkids.
And if you have a cat? No worries, the information in the training seminar is just as helpful for feline furkid owners as it is for those who have a canine companion - so don’t let the title deter you!
