When people were locked up at home, had nothing to do, and cannot go out to socialize, most turned to the next best thing for companionship– their furry buddies. An article published in CNBC confirms this, saying that 33% of US citizens considered adopting a pet dog or cat during the pandemic.
As social distancing becomes the new normal, pets sustain the need to be physically close to someone. The Centers for Disease and Prevention Control further explains that pets help prevent a person from suffering from depression or loneliness.
Proving their worth, especially during trying times, our furry buddies ought to get the proper treatment they deserve. There are many ways to show your cuddly companion how special they are, but there are basics that you cannot skip when you own a pet.
Learning Their Language
For humans, language is the most important form of communication. Most people joke around and say that the best way to learn another language is to date another person. There is some truth to it; when you love someone, you try to learn how to communicate with them.
Of course, it’s impossible to speak your pets’ language, but you can always show them how much you adore them.
The best, easiest, and most enjoyable way is to pet your pets. For example, dogs like being petted on the base of the neck and their chest. Dogs usually dislike being petted on top of the head, but it is up to you as the owner to know what he or she likes. Individual dogs vary in the sense that they like being petted in specific spots.
In petting, remember to always be gentle. This can be calming for your buddy and for you too. This shared contact is how you develop a connection with your pet.
Training
Training your puppies is beneficial to you and your dog. By starting young, you correct their bad behaviors and produce a well-behaved adult dog in the future. The ideal age for a puppy to undergo training is between twelve weeks to six months.
Just be sure to get a proper trainer who will use positive reinforcement in training your favorite companion. By getting a good trainer, your dog can learn basic tricks like sitting down, approaching you when you call them, and even games that you can play with one another. Having your puppy trained will also avoid incidents where they jump on, bark at, or bite people.
The Meds
Every pet owner should know that having your pet vaccinated is important. It’s not only to prevent the risk of rabies on humans, but it also protects your companion from severe diseases. Such diseases include canine distemper and respiratory tract infections.
Another essential every pet owner must do for their cats and dogs is worming. By doing this, you protect your health and your pets. For puppies, worming should be done every two weeks until they are three months old. It becomes once a month after that until they are six months old. After this, regular worming should be done once every three months.
Food and Water
As with any form of life, pets need food and water. To have a healthy pet, a healthy diet must also be given. Yet, this must not be based on what you eat but based on what your companions need.
A cat, for example, is a carnivore; it needs meat. Cooked chicken, beef, or deli meats are great food options for your feline buddy. By giving them enough protein, you help cats develop a strong vision and a healthy reproductive system.
When feeding your animals, it is also important to know which ones they should not consume. Cats must not eat raw meat because it will make them sick. On the other hand, dogs cannot eat chocolate because it contains toxins that compromise their metabolism.
Where you put dog or cat food is important, too. Plastic bowls, for example, are prone to breaking and absorbing the odor of food over time. It is advisable to use stainless steel bowls or ceramic bowls as both are easy to clean and do not break easily.
Giving enough water to your pets is also of the essence. To keep your pet hydrated, put lots of drinking stations in your home.
Treating them well
As pet owners, treating our pets well is our responsibility. Providing them with the necessities to survive is only the beginning, but you can do a lot more. Proper grooming is important; allowing them to play with other animals and making them sociable is also necessary. But the most important thing to remember is to treat them with respect and love, just like how you treat important people in your life.
