Matt Whittaker, manager of Pets At Home Swindon, writes about the fight against fleas

September is just around the corner and with it the back to school blues. However, it won’t just be the children who won’t be happy summer is over. It may sound silly, but your pet dog and cat can suffer from the back to school blues too!

They’ve been surrounded by the family for weeks now, so they will have got used to all the hustle and bustle children can bring – and, of course, having lots of fun, games and attention.

But all of a sudden they’re back to being on their own during the day, with less company and less fun.

However, just follow our few simple tips to ensure your four-legged friend doesn’t feel neglected come September.

1 Prepare your pet for solitary time a couple of weeks before school starts by leaving them on their own in the house for an hour or two at a time.

2 Keep all arrivals and departures low-key, with no big fuss. For example, when you arrive home, ignore your pet for the first few minutes, then calmly stroke them. This may be hard for you to do, but it’s important!

3 Lessen the feeling of loss by leaving behind an item of clothing, as having their scent around will help your pet relax.

4 Leave the TV or radio on to reassure the pet that someone is at home.

5 Where possible, try to play with your cat or walk your dog before you leave so they will be more inclined to sleep while you are away.

6 Make sure they’re back to their normal dietary routine. If you’ve over-treated during the fun weeks of summer, now is definitely the time to stop!

7However, for pets which are struggling to adapt back into a term-time routine, giving one healthy treat as you leave the house can help to keep them occupied while on their own.

8 Don’t punish bad behaviour such as chewing the furniture; make sure they have enough toys around to keep them entertained and prevent this habit .

Like humans, most pets should get back into their normal routine after a couple of days.

If not, come and visit the experts in our stores for a friendly chat.

Remember: if your dog or cat has an ongoing behavioural problem please seek advice from your vet or a specialist behaviourist.