Some tips to start 2013 on the right paw:
- Walk your dog. Don’t stay in. With the exception of toy breeds (Which are toys, as stated), they like walks, get off your rear end and get outside.
- Treat your dog to a professional grooming. Get the dead hair off, and it will also reduce shedding!
- Up the quality of food of your dog. If you can afford it. Talk to your vet about what they recommend- if you can’t afford one the vet likes, be honest, and they will make recommendations of alternatives. If you are feeding raw, research it. Beware of anecdotal evidence.
- Walk your dog- your dog is doing you a favor. Just letting them outside is NOT a walk.
- Train your dog to be polite around strangers- not to jump up. An obedience course is so important.
- Volunteer with your dog in pet therapy, visit an elderly person, palliative care facility
- Walk your dog- a good dog is a tired dog. A rope in the back yard is NOT a walk.
- Have a dental on your dog before the teeth get too bad. At our Timberlea vet clinic, which is about to open, we plan to have reasonably cost dentals, with a maximum cap so that most people can have yearly dentals if required.
- Cuddle your dog- dogs have clinically been proven to lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and help reduce stress. It will help him and you. Take time, and of course, walk the dog.
- Visit your vet if you haven’t been in a few years. A yearly check up is so important, I hate giving excuses to owners when they could have picked up a problem much earlier….
Finally, did I mention, walk your dog?