More than half of pet owners say pet guilt is the real deal
The right way to buy your way out of the dog house
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A recent survey of pet owners confirms so-called pet guilt exists. If you are an owner, you get where this is going. The survey of 2000 owners by Vetster revealed 56 per cent of pet owners (some call themselves parents,) feel guilt related to the animals they share their home with. Angst can stem from not spending enough time with our cat or dog or feeling responsible if our beloved pet is having a bad day.So what do we do? Many of us overcompensate with efforts to ‘fix’ things, according to Vetster’s medical director, Dr. Sarah Machell.
That includes taking extra long walks (40 per cent,) doling out extra treats (57 per cent,) or delivering massages, belly rubs and attention (48 per cent) if they feel they have done wrong.
“Remember that guilt is a normal human emotion and if you reframe your feelings around love and care, you’ll be able to set healthy boundaries, training and routine with your animal,” Machell says. “Be mindful of overloading treats and relaxing on your training to compensate. It’s beneficial to keep the rules in place so (your animals) aren’t confused about how you’d like them to behave.” |
