Pet Health is not Rocket Science

You can spends hours upon hours upon hours on the internet searching for ways to have healthy pets but it all boils down to one thing:  Common Sense.

At this point, you should feel good about yourself since you already have Common Sense.  How to achieve good, solid pet care and realize the effects is simply a combination of Common Sense+Time+Energy+Desire, with a lot of Love thrown in to motivate you!

Over the next week, we’ll explore diet, veterinary care, identification, and grooming in brief, straightforward terms.

Exercise

The time it takes you to play or walk with your dog doesn’t have to be more than one-half hour twice daily.  Even once daily is a Good Thing!  Say you want to walk the dog but don’t want to go on forever.  Easy:  Walk with him or her 15 minutes in ONE direction and then turn around and walk the 15 minutes back. Fifteen minutes too much?  Go for seven minutes one way and seven minutes back. Just getting out is One Goal Achieved!  If you think that your pet is going to care that there is no beach, no flowers, or no trees, you are mistaken.  They don’t care as long as they are with you doing something fun…and you are together.  If you are both panting when you’re finished – you’ve done a Great Job!

Hampered by mobility issues?

Not everyone is able to get out and walk.  If you suffer from any kind of immobility or health issues you can still work yourself and your dog into a puff.

• If you have a chair that revolves (like a secretarial chair) get a dog rope and play tug-of-war with your pet;
• When the weather is nice, you can toss toys to your dog while you sit in a chair dangling your feet in a wading pool (the pup can always dive for the toy);
• While sitting in your chair you can exercise your dog’s brain with teaching.  If your goal is to teach your dog to SIT, hold a treat over his head so he is forced to look up while saying, “Sit” (you might have to apply a tiny bit of pressure to his hind end the first time so he gets the idea).  Only when the dog has his butt on the floor do you immediately give him the treat.  It’s a reward!
• If you don’t have slippery floors, you can also train your dog to Fetch by tossing the toy.  Once the dog brings the toy to you and drops it on command, immediately give him the treat.

Benefits

You got exercise, your pet got exercise and he is tuckered out… thereby less likely to eat your couch as a result of boredom or inactivity.

Fun Facts

Although these vary by person, a leisurely walker will cover a mile in approximately 17-18 minutes.  You could lose 2-3 pounds if you walk a mile a day for a week. Some may lose more, some less; it depends on your size and what your diet is like. Eating healthy will help with weight loss for both you AND your pets!  Fun Facts we hope you share.

Important:  Just because a dog has a big backyard does not mean you can just throw him out there and expect him to amuse himself.  Problem-solving is not something they are hard-wired to do; they must be taught.  If a dog is starving, he will figure out how to get food but that is called INSTINCT.

Goals

Immediate Goal:  One-half hour a day play/exercise.  Your health and the health of your pet.

Future Goal: You might like this so much you’ll do it again in the afternoon.

Always Goal:  To enjoy yourself, enjoy your pet, have fun and Be Healthy!

Tip of the Day:  Keep a little diary, a calendar, or even a single piece of paper to track your progress and look at it daily.  Add or subtract activities in which you engage with your pet.  You might be surprised by the end of the week or month.

We’d love to hear from you and the steps you’ve taken so we can share with others.

A microchip is a necessity NOT an accessory™.

Please protect your pets.

Sharing makes me feel Good!