By Liz Farley
Board Member
A New Year, a new you, right? Many of us make New Year resolutions for ourselves to exercise more, eat healthier, relax more, work harder and so on. But have you considered any New Year resolutions for your pets?
Two of the most common resolutions us humans make are to exercise more and lose weight. Why not incorporate your pets too? Take a walk with your dog, play more around the house with your cat, teach your dog new tricks; try some new foods in their diets.
Petswelcome.com gives us a few other goals or resolutions you may want to consider for your pet:
• Protect the chompers — Does your pet have morning breath that lasts all day? It might be time to start developing better habits of cleaning those teeth. If your vet recommends a good cleaning, go for it. Or perhaps you can work on cleaning their teeth at home. Do your research and consult with your vet;
• Preventative care — Even though your pet might be acting and looking healthy, a yearly visit to the vet will make sure your pet is doing well and catch any signs of problems early on. This will make sure your buddy is taken care of and happy;
• Move that body — We can all use some more movement in our days. Take longer walks with your pup and shake it up. Make a resolution to go for at least a 30-minute walk twice a day or a 15-minute jog with your dog. Get that chubby cat fit by playing for at least 5 minutes a day. A physically-stimulated pet is often a happier pet and healthier;
• Make sure all poisons are out of reach — Take a look around your place; if there’s any toxic chemicals get them out of sight, out of reach and out of the way of your pets and children. Make sure all cabinets close well, that spills in the garage are cleaned up and all medications are safe in the bathroom cabinet;
• Battle boredom — If your dog is social and loves to play with other dogs, think about enrolling her in a dog daycare where she can go play for a few hours a week. If your cat is becoming a bed hog and sleeping more, playing less and shedding like it’s her job, cut down on the portions of food a little and try to get her to play a bit more. Teaching your dog new tricks stimulates them mentally and increases the bond between you two; and
• More TLC — How about some more grooming sessions to keep the fur shiny, remove dead fur and keep the skin from getting dry and icky?! A trip to your dog’s groomer for a fresh wash, cut and primp may be in order if it’s been a while. Make a resolution to spend a little more TLC on your pets to make sure they are clean and that there are less hairballs, less dog hair on your bed and less dry skin that can make them itchy.
The Central Aroostook Humane Society wishes you and your pets a very happy and healthy 2013. Visit us at 26 Cross St. in Presque Isle and consider adopting a pet or volunteering at our shelter. Please spay and neuter your pets
