Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all went by in a blur of activity and now it’s time for a brand new year. Now is the perfect time to take a few moments and focus on our furry friends who put up with all the commotion and repay some of that undying loyalty!
All pets need and deserve good veterinary care. It is easy to forget follow up appointments for our pets, putting their needs on a back burner, and letting vaccinations and health exams slide. Why not go into your files and look for your pets’ medical records? Can’t find them? Call your vet and have them check on it for you. Even if your pets look perfectly fine, annual exams are essential in good preventative care of them. Call and book an appointment in January!
Yes, it is freezing cold and many dogs have had their walks cut short. But exercise is key for any pet’s well-being. Roll a tennis ball down the hall at home. Take short but more frequent walks with your dog. Dust off the laser light and kitty feather toys and give your cats a workout, too! January has most people reassessing their own health and weight – why not reevaluate your pets’ weight and activity levels? Be it indoors or outdoors, keeping your pets mentally and physically stimulated will add years to your enjoyment of your pets! Stop by a pet store and get a new year’s present for your pet. There are so many smart toys and brain teasers for you and your pet to pick from!
While the holidays are still fresh in your memory, consider how your pet handled all of it. Did your pets score an “A” in their socialization, vocalization, and overall good behavior? Or were your home-entertaining attempts dampened by incessant barking, whining, growling, jumping or hiding in terror under your bed? Now is a great time to search the net for training ideas, talk to your vet about the issues, and seek out the help of a pet behavior professional. Marathon County is blessed with a great variety of experienced and reputable pet professionals to help you help your pet! It isn’t just the embarrassment of a misbehaving pet, but chronic anxiety or stress can negatively impact the health of your furry pal and make it difficult to attain the goals you are setting. Seek out the help your pet needs NOW while there isn’t so much on your schedule. Your pet is surely worth it, right?
REMEMBER that rock salts and deicers are both toxic to your pet and irritating to paws and skin. As the temperatures drop and/or the wind chill increases, so do your pet’s chances of getting frost bite. Now is the time to treat your dog to a winter coat and snow boots that FIT! Clearance prices are happening in all the stores, so what are you waiting for?! Not sold on the boots or can’t find a pair that fit? Be sure to gently clean your pet’s paws after going outdoors to keep them from becoming irritated and to prevent your dogs from ingesting the chemicals when he tries to clean his own feet!
Pets feel our stress and we impact them with our hectic lifestyles. I love to cuddle on the couch with my dog when I watch a movie, and he enjoys getting bundled up for a quick walk outdoors. Playing fetch with the squeak toys he got for Christmas can keep him active for a long time indoors, and he even tries to join in exercising to a workout DVD!
Start this year out with time for fun, love, health and happiness for your entire family!
