A new year means all of us should be learning new things! Things that will make us happier, healthier , better pet parents. This month we are giving you tips on how to handle being a pet parent and understand your pet. We hope you like America Grooming Academy’s January tips and tricks!

Dealing with Pet Grief

Grief is grief and has no distinction on our emotions. So grief from a  pet loss is just as important and devastating as a human loss. There have been many cases of people committing suicide after the death of a pet, so it is a very real and present topic. Many times pet loss grief is significant because to your pet, you were everything. You fed, watered, walked and played with your pet many times a day, and the loss of that routine can stop a lot of people from dealing with their grief. Grieving  is a highly personal and individual experience. For many people the loss of a pet comes in stages, from denial, guilt, anger or depression. Much of the time it’s in these stages where people feel the worst. Understanding these things when the time comes may or may not help you move through stages of grief, to eventual acceptance or resolution. Although many pets live significantly shorter than their human counterparts the loss can be overwhelming for many. Many of us bring our pets home with us after they have crossed the Rainbow Bridge which can also make the process more of a reality.

The first thing to fully understand is that it is OK to feel the way you do. Never let anyone tell you that you are oversensitive or over grieving your pet. The decision and emotional experience is yours alone. Second, locking away your grief is not a way to get over it, in some cases it will linger longer than if you deal with the feelings you have.

Many people feel uncomfortable talking about the extreme feelings they are having over the loss of a pet with family. Whether or not this is the case understand that you are not alone. American families lose pets every day to health, sickness and age and there are many ways to help with the pain. Pet loss support groups can be found all over the country. Many of these support groups have licensed Veterinarians and psychologists to help with any feelings that are overwhelming. Also, knowing you have peers that are feeling the same way, in some cases help to validate grief for a person. When dealing with grief remember one thing above all else, no one should ever tell you how to grief so make sure you let yourself feel emotion. The pain never really goes away, but it does become tolerable.

If you are in need of a pet loss support group please follow the link for more information!

http://rainbowsbridge.com/grief_support_center/grief_support_home.htm

The Science of Pet Body Language

Reading your dog’s body language can not only make you a better pet parent but it can also help you educate other people about dogs in general! Unfortunately dogs can not talk, although most of us talk to them, we hardly ever get an answer….. A spoken one that is! From the curious head tilt, to the knit eyebrows, dogs are talking…. Are you listening?

Dogs give all kinds of body signals and we are going to give you some of the most helpful ones to use in your pack. Dogs use body language to reflect feelings  and what they are thinking.

Stress- Dog’s stress for a variety of reasons, here are some of the signals to look for!

• Yawning
• Turning the head away from something
• Whale eye, showing the whites of the eyes
• Crouching dog
• Tail Tucking
• Shaking or trembling
• Excessive drooling

Happiness- We all know a dog’s tail wags when they are happy But Here are some other signs of happiness

• Sleeping spread out
• Showing their underside
• Play bows
• Backside wiggling
• Licking another dog or person

Curious- Is that a bunny in the yard?

• Mouth closed
• Sniffing
• Intense stare
• Head tilt
• Front paw lifted

So next time when asking fido if he wants a cookie see if you can tell he’s answering your question! For more information on other body languages and traits visit the link below!

https://positively.com/dog-training/understanding-dogs/canine-body-language/

If you love pets, try your hand at becoming a certified pet stylist. AGA has flexible schedules, easy payment plans and we are certified by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education! Call and book your campus appointment today!