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Many of us love to be able to include our pets in the Christmas festivities. It is a time of giving and, as our pets are members of our family, we enjoy being able to gift them something as well!
We have all heard the term man’s best friend but what does it really mean? Sometimes we treat this term to mean a furry friend who helps his master, but this idea goes so much further in the world we live in today. As we pause to remember those who have fallen this Remembrance Sunday, let’s spare a few thoughts for the outstanding and heroic work of some of our pets too.
Dog ownership is more popular than ever with a huge surge seen in puppies bought during lockdown back in spring. Many have become dog owners for the first time and are still finding their feet with a demanding schedule and all the attention a dog needs. Sometimes it can feel a bit like having a part time job - one where you don't actually get paid but comes with great benefits if you get the right dog at the right time for the right reasons.
With many of us now working from home, our dogs are enjoying the extra companionship throughout the day. However, whilst most people are busy working at their dining table, less and less of the UK's dogs are getting enough exercise. Especially now the nights are drawing in and we’re heading into winter.
The PDSA reported that, even though 81% of dog owners do walk their dog every day, 44% of owners walk their dog for less than 30 minutes at a time and 13% of dogs aren’t walked every day. That’s 1.3 million dogs who aren’t getting walked every day!
Dogs need daily outdoor exercise to ensure good physical and mental health. It provides them with mental stimulation and keeps them active, which can help prolong their lives and reduce the risk of obesity,
We Love Pets Veterinary Nurse, Chelsey Wheeler explains: "Walks for you dog are about so much more than just a toilet break. They provide physical exercise, mental stimulation and enrichment with opportunities to socialise and build relationships, supporting both their overall physical and mental health. We have recently seen how being confined to our homes has detrimental effects on our own wellbeing, so why should it be any different for our dogs?"
Although cats have the reputation of being rather aloof and preferring their own company they do actually have social needs. If they are on their own as an indoor cat with no access to the outside world this need must be met by their owner. In fact an indoor cat is completely reliant on their owner for all of their needs - food ,water, toileting provision, company, entertainment and mental stimulation.
If you've taken your dog to a doggy daycare centre before, then you probably dropped them off happy believing that they get to play with friends all day which is much more fun for them than being at home by themselves. All dogs love being in the company of other dogs right? It's just what they naturally do. WRONG! Dogs, like children, are not all the same and they're not all suited to the daycare centre set up. In fact, for many it's really damaging to their behavioural health. We look at the common myths dog owners hold about daycare centres and why you should think twice about whether this is the best pet care solution for your dog.
Vet nurse Laura runs through the considerations parents and carers should make before deciding who their next family member should be and makes some suggestions for the best first pets for kids.
Finding the right dog walker is not always easy, particularly if you want to maintain the same routine and training. Then there's the question of trust - who will you be happy with to enter your home, secure it and take a member of your family out for a walk without you being there. Professionalism is important too - what happens if something goes wrong or your personal data is compromised? Last but no means least, are you getting what you pay for? Is your dog getting the very best from their walk or are they being thrown into a stressful situations spending far too much time in a car and less out in the park having fun?
