Health and Safety

New Year's Resolutions for Pet Owners

3 min read

It’s that time of year again when we take a look at where we’d like to improve in the new year. And although it can be tough to create new habits it’s true that you can teach an old dog new tricks.  So how will you try to be a better pet owner in 2018?     Feed your pet the correct food. Is your pet eating the right food for his age, weight, and health? Pet’s dietary needs will change over the course of their lifetime, so we have to stay on top of it.   Feed your pet the proper amount of food. Why is it important not to feed your pet too much? In the short term, their bodies can’t process too much food which results in an upset stomach and soft stool. In the long run, they will gain weight which causes a whole host of health problems. We often feed our pets too much because they always want to eat!  Don’t worry, most pets have the drive to eat more. It’s our responsibility to regulate them by following proper feeding guidelines (which is on your pet food packaging). An easy way to make sure your pet isn’t eating too much is to use a pet measuring cup.   We’ll even give you one for free. Order home or office delivery in the new year and you’ll get a free measuring cup on your first food order.     Exercise your pet mentally and physically. Dogs and cats need mental and physical stimulation Here are a few of our favorite ways to exercise dogs and cats:
  • Walk your dog while doing good for charity by using the resqwalk app. http://resqwalk.com/
  • Hide treats and kibble for them to find. Put a treat on top of the cat tree or hide kibble in a corner, which forces them to find the food and run to get it.
  • Ditch the bowl. If you feed your dogs and cats kibble, it’s time to get rid of a bowl and get creative. Use a puzzle feeder, interactive game or play “hide n seek” with their food. This allows them to use up more energy.
  • Teach an old dog a new trick. As a bonus, training is a bonding experience for you both.
  Brush their teeth and coats. You need to brush your teeth and hair every day, so do they. Poor dental health can turn dangerous and not brushing could lead to painful dreadlocks. Brush their teeth, give them a kelp supplement and chew toys.   Schedule a checkup. As humans, we visit the doctor regularly and so should our pets. Dogs and cats can’t tell us when they aren’t feeling well. Sure, there are signs to look for but they often come once a problem is more severe. Regular checkups let your vet know a baseline for your pet and allows them to check for common problems before they get out of hand.   Update tags and emergency contacts. Have you moved or changed emergency contacts? Make sure all your info is up to date in the new year. A few minutes can mean a big difference in an emergency.   Commit to cleaning bowls, toys, and bedding. Cleaning pet toys isn’t something we normally think about, but they host a ton of bacteria that can make pets and humans sick. Here are simple guidelines as to how often to clean. Daily: bowls and dishes Weekly: beds, blankets, crates and water fountains Monthly: toys. The new year is also a good time to look at replacing old toys. Old toys can harbor germs and toys that are falling apart can be a choking hazard.   Which resolutions will you add to your list?
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