New Year’s Resolutions for Your Pet
For many of us, the start of a new year is an opportunity for self-reflection and goal setting. When determining your resolution for the upcoming year, whether planning to drink more water, or exercise regularly consider coming up with one for your pet as well!
Maintain a Healthy Weight
If you think your furry friend might be overweight, it’s a good idea to consult with your veterinarian to determine the cause and most appropriate way for them to lose the weight. However, introducing a healthier meal routine and increasing how frequently your pet exercises can often do wonders to help them shed some pounds!
Taking your pet for regular walks is a great way to help them maintain a healthy weight. As you’ll want to ensure that your walk is as enjoyable as possible for both you and your pet, make sure you select the proper equipment, so your pet remains comfortable while walking.
Going on the occasional hike is a great way to keep your pet’s exercise routine interesting. Be extra careful during the fall and winter months though, as hiking trails can become slick and slippery as the weather gets colder and snow begins to fall. If you happen to have a treadmill at home, consider training your pet to walk on it for those rainy or bitterly cold days!
Designed for kibble of any size, the Doc & Phoebe's Indoor Hunting Feeder can allow your cat to have fun while ensuring they don’t overeat. Rather than placing their food in a regular bowl, this feeder features three Doc & Phoebe Mice which act as a bowl replacement. Each morning and night, simply fill the three feeders with your cat's kibble, hide them throughout your home and wait for your companion to hunt them down!
More Playtime
Increasing the amount your pet plays each day is not only a great way to help them maintain a healthy weight, but it can also help keep them mentally stimulated and happy! Consider purchasing a new toy for your dog or cat to chase around at home, hopefully encouraging them to stay active. Rather than giving your pet access to all their toys at once, you can also rotate them, so they get excited each time you bring one back.
Keeping your cat focused on the hunt, the Our Pets Tailspin & Chase encourages independent play to keep your feline friend happy and active! Featuring four spin settings and tails that randomly appear throughout six separate holes, this interactive toy can satisfy your cat’s natural instinct to hunt and chase!
Improve Oral Hygiene
If you aren’t already, brushing your pet’s teeth can significantly help to improve their breath and oral health. There are toothbrushes and toothpastes specially designed for pets which are available in a variety of drool-worthy flavours to help them enjoy having their teeth brushed! Be sure to never use human toothpaste as ingesting these products could be dangerous to your beloved companion.
You can also consider using a breath spray specially formulated for cats and dogs to eliminate bad breath in your fur baby. Available in Mint, Bubble Gum, Strawberry and Cinnamon flavours, Slurp’n Fresh Sprays not only combat bad breath but also reduce plaque and tartar on your pet’s teeth!
Water additives, dental chews and raw food are also all effective ways to help reduce plaque and tartar and improve your four-legged family member’s breath.
Improve Grooming Habits
Proper grooming habits such has brushing and nail trimming not only ensure your pet will be comfortable throughout the year it also promotes good health. Regularly brushing your dogs coat every few weeks removes dead hair and skin leaving a healthy and strong coat. Nail Trimming is also a grooming habit that should be done every few weeks. Long untrimmed nails can cause bad posture and broken nails can be painful. While nail trimming can sometimes cause anxiety there are many nail trimmers that have stoppers that guarantee you will not cut anywhere near the nail bed, making the process easy and painless.
Try Something New
Trying something new together is a great way for you and your pet to bond in the new year. Teaching your dog a new trick is not only a great way to spend quality time together, but it can also help keep their mind stimulated and sharp! A great tool for training your pet, treat bags can help ensure you’re always ready to reward your furry friend for good behaviour! You can also consider enrolling your pet in a professional training class in the new year. From obedience to agility classes and more, there are a wide variety to choose from that can help you train your pet while getting to spend lots of time together.
