Your pet can cheer you up almost anytime. They can sense when you’re down and immediately try to make you feel better. However, there are times when your furry friend can be feeling low too.
Here are some tips that will help you in cheering up your furry friends during such times:
1. Spend Time with Your Pet
One of the most effective tips for cheering up your furry friend is to spend some time with them. Sometimes, the reason for their sadness can be simply that they are seeking some company. If you’ve been busy with work lately, there is a possibility that unknowingly, you’ve been spending less time with your pet.
When your pet is sad, that is the time he or she needs your undivided attention. You need to make them feel that you love them and care for them.
Go on walks and take them to parks where you can play games. Try to keep them as close to you as possible. Spending quality time with them and showering them with your affection will go a long way in cheering them up.
2. Show your pet you’re happy
Dogs are intelligent species. They can sense when you’re feeling sad or depressed. If there have been some problems in your life lately that are causing you to feel low, you should be careful to avoid displaying sorrow in front of your pet.
Avoid frowning in front of them as it will make them feel more depressed. Whenever you’re in front of your pet, make sure that you offer them a smile and try to be as cheerful as possible. It’ll help them get their enthusiasm back and in turn, you’ll feel much better as well!
3. Reward your pet for positive behavior
Rewarding your pet for positive behavior is a strategy of positive reinforcement that can help you in cheering him or her up. Whenever you notice your pet feeling depressed or displaying any other signs of feeling low, you should offer them a treat or show them a loving gesture like patting their head or rubbing their back.
You must note that you shouldn’t be overly sympathetic because that can create a dangerous pattern of them remaining depressed in order to gain your attention.
To avoid this, offer them love and affection when they are down and as soon as they cheer up, show them how happy you are with their behavior. When your pet notices that you are encouraging them to remain cheerful, they will tend to feel better and avoid feeling low.
4. Comfort your pet with their favorite things
An excellent way to cheer your furry friend up is to give them their favorite toys to play with. Most pets tend to feel comfortable in a familiar environment that can help them feel more cheerful. So, surround them with all of their favorite toys and let them play for as long as they want.
You can also take them to a store and get them some new toys to play with. Let them choose what makes them happy. Other pet supplies can also help you make your pet feel happier. Another thing you can do is to play calming music around your dog.
Just like humans, music can have a major impact on the moods of dogs as well. Thus, you can use music to lift your dog’s mood and help them feel better. Make sure that the volume isn’t too high or the music isn’t something that your dog finds unpleasant otherwise it’ll only make matters worse.
5. Help them Stick to a Routine
Many times, the reason why a pet is depressed can be because of a major change in its life. Things like moving to a new home, a new city, etc. can have a huge impact on your pet’s attitude. They might be finding it hard to adjust to the new environment.
Creating a specific routine for them and getting them to stick to it can help them cope with the changes. A routine will help them know what to expect and soon, they’ll become comfortable in the environment because of familiarity.
Over to you…
Chances are pretty high that if your pet is feeling low, it will rub off on you as well. Once you’re sad, it’ll be very difficult for your pet to feel better. That is why it is important that you follow all of the tips mentioned above.
