Resolutions for the Little Rascals in Our Lives
Lose weight. Eat healthier. Spend less time at work and more time at play. Sound like the stuff of standard New Year’s Resolution fare? Well, consider this twist: these are resolutions for our pets. Okay, maybe not for our pets themselves but for us, their owners. Either way, make 2012 a good year for you and your pet with one or more of these pet (and human) friendly suggestions.
Health and Fitness
We all know the benefit of exercising daily. Walk your dog or play fetch for just five or ten minutes a day. “We all love our pets, but we’re so busy we forget our pets are often home alone a great deal of the day,” reminds Pam Wiese, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations for the Nebraska Humane Society. It is especially important to avoid sedentary ways during the cold, winter months, she cautions.
Get a yearly veterinary check, and make certain it includes a dental exam. A yearly wellness check will ensure you keep vaccinations up to date, another notable resolution.
Good Citizenship
Remember to license your pet by the March 15 deadline. And keep those I.D. tags on your pet in case she gets lost. The Nebraska Humane Society recommends having a microchip inserted in your cat or dog. When walking your dog, keep him on a leash. And be courteous of other pedestrians by cleaning up after him. Another good resolution is to spay and neuter your pets. Doing so will help keep unwanted animals out of area shelters.
Enrichment
Resolve to spend five minutes a day training your dog new commands or refreshing old ones. Enroll in a training class if your dog is a little rambunctious. Make sure toys are safe and don’t present a choking hazard. Introduce a new toy a month to engage your pet intellectually.
Just a few minutes a day can make a huge difference in the lives of our pets, and by extension, our lives. Pets are wonderful stress-reducers. Where else can you get such enthusiastic, unconditional love by just walking through the door at the end of the day?
