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How To ... Help your pet live better in '08 |
In 2008, you're going to go to the gym, eat right, apply for that new job. But what are you going to do for your best friends? Here are some resolutions you should make on behalf of your pets:
ID YOUR PET: Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald of Animal Planet's "Emergency Vets" and "E-Vet Interns" says making sure your pet has ID is one of the most important ways to keep it safe. Fitzgerald says that only 30 percent of the strays that they see at his Denver practice have a chip or a collar tag so they can be easily returned home. He emphasizes that you need to remember to keep your tags up to date.
PREPARE FOR PROBLEMS: Put together a first-aid kit for your pets. He suggests that at minimum you want gauze, sponges, cotton balls, triple antibiotic ointment, penlight and a thermometer. You can also buy prepared kits at some pet suppliers. And in case all else fails, he says, "have the number of the emergency vet by the phone."
EXERCISE THE BODY AND THE MIND: You're not the only one who needs to get more exercise in the New Year -- so do your pets. "A cat's or dog's brain is a terrible thing to waste. They need a job and a purpose in life, or typically end up couch potato pets with waists the size of pickle barrels," says Amy Shojai, author of 22 books about pets. Exercising your dog's body will improve your dog's behavior and the peacefulness of your household. "Dogs have a tremendous reserve of energy, and if it isn't spent in a constructive manner, that energy will spill into other nonconstructive behaviors like household destruction, boredom barking, unchecked attention-seeking behaviors, you name it," says Victoria Schade, dog trainer and creator of the puppy-training DVD "New Puppy! Now What?" "A 15-minute walk around the block doesn't cut it," Schade says. "People need to provide off-leash, pant-inducing play at least once a day." KEEP CATS CLEAN: And don't forget that many cat behavior problems can be headed off if the humans keep up with routine maintenance. Clip your cat's nails regularly and you may have less problem with furniture scratching. And Shojai says, "Resolve to clean the litter box routinely. Most litter box "oops" accidents develop because of a nasty box. Scoop daily, dump out and wash weekly." |
