We are all busy these days. Particularly if you and your spouse are both serious professionals, taking proper care of a pet might seem like a lot. But it doesn’t have to be. Establishing rules and rituals for pets is no different than scheduling school activities for the kids. You simply need to figure out what’s best and stick to it.
This is important, because not doing so can lead to health problems for your pet, behavioral issues, and more. And this is not what you want. In fact, if you really want to gain a better understanding of your pet’s true nature, you might want to consider getting a dog or cat DNA test kit. These kits can tell you a lot about your pet’s genetic makeup and how you should handle it.
How to have a healthy pet
In the sections below, we will lay out some simple rules to follow for really treating your pet with the care that they deserve. They are not overly complicated, but you need to be consistent to stay on track.
Maintain a solid daily routine
We all need consistency in our lives, and this goes just as much for pets as it does for humans. In some ways, it is even more important that you give your pets a consistent routine because you can’t exact verbal feedback from them the way that you can from your kids. So keep the following points in mind:
- Rituals should be standardized. This means feeding, walking, and all of the other things you do with your pet should be done at similar times of day every day.
- Work out together. Have you ever seen a man and his dog jogging side-by-side? Or even more interestingly, a man on a bike and his dog keeping pace? If you are a dog owner, this is a great way to both ensure that your dog gets his exercise, and that you can bond over a shared activity.
- Spend time with your pet. If pets feel neglected, you will sense it in their behavior. Cats will shy away from sitting on your lap, and dogs will jump or run away from you. So carve out certain times of day to spend with your pet, and stick to them the best that you can.
Take advantage of technology
There is some great technology out there that can help you stay consistent in your routine. Look into these items:
- Automatic feeders. If you are really pinched for time on certain days and don’t think you will make it home in time to feed your pet according to schedule, look into an automatic feeder. These things turn on automatically and will save you from the hassle of having to make it home on time. Automatic waterers can be great, too.
- Pet cameras. We buy monitors for our babies, so why not for our pets? Some of the new ones are really ingenious; they will do things like watch pets for anxiety levels and dispense treats accordingly. They also allow you to interact with your pets through audio or video, which helps them feel secure when you are away.
- Auto-ship major items in bulk. If you set up auto-shipments for major items like food and litter, it will save you time and be one less thing you need to think about on a daily/weekly etc basis.
Keep pets entertained in your absence
Another way that technology and pet-related ingenuity is steaming ahead these days is in the creation of toys that help keep pets entertained while you are away. This includes things like:
- The Cheerble Wickedbone and Wicked Ball. These are things that you can control remotely by an app. The bone is interactive, and the ball is self-rolling so that your pet will be able to chase and play with it.
- WOOF Pupsicle. For dog owners, this hollow, treat-dispensing ball can be frozen and reused so that your dog can have an occasional treat while you are away.
- Puzzles. There are some great puzzles out there, including the Outward Hound Nina Ottosson Puzzles, that involve utilizing different skills (nudging, spinning, etc) to eventually uncover hidden treats.
- KONG Wobbler. This weighted toy wobbles, spins, and rolls, and forces pets to make an effort in finding their food, thus increasing mobility-related skills.
Set the house up right when you leave
One last thing that you should keep in mind is ensuring that your house is optimized for safety and maximum comfort for your pets while you are away. This obviously includes things like keeping dangerous objects stored securely away, but it also includes making sure that your pet can access a window spot easily so it can look outside and minimize boredom.
And if you have the means, don’t be afraid to find yourself a sitter or dog walker when you need to. There are some dedicated animal lovers out there, and your pet might just find a new friend in the process!
