Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The Greatest Gift You Can Give Your Pet

What do you think is the best gift you can give your pet? Could it be your love? Or your time? Those are definitely important, but I think the best gift we can give our beloved pet companions is the gift of health.

It begins with the basics, food and water. Provide only pure water whenever possible. Tap water can contain chemicals such as lead, arsenic, and nitrates. Then change your pet's water at least twice daily. Keep the bowl clean and in a place protected from dust and debris.

Strive to buy the best quality food you can. It is essential to feed your pet the proper diet, free of harmful byproducts and chemicals which can damage cells. As a pet owner, it's your responsibility to look past the pretty pictures of fresh cuts of meat and juicy vegetables, the cute commercials and the misleading, biased information about "proper nutrition" and question the statements made by the manufacturer. If you doubt any information or are concerned about a particular ingredient, research it and get the facts.

Exercise and play with your pet regularly. This is especially important if you have a dog. If you have a dog, make sure he is properly trained and socialized. Learn to massage your pet, and give him the emotional security he needs. An animal should be a part of the family and his well-being should be included in family decisions.

Beyond the basics, look at the cleaning products in your home and the fertilizers and other toxins on your lawn. Remove as many of those cleaning products as you can. If you want truly non-toxic and green cleaning products, please visit this website: www.yourhealthyhappydog.com.

Look at the toxins you give your dog. Flea/tick and heartworm preventatives are toxic. I personally use a product called Flea Away on my dog and it works really well. It’s a natural B vitamin complex that repels fleas. I buy it from Greyhound Ranch Adoptions (http://greyhoundranch.org/store/fleaaway.htm), a rescue organization that takes in retired racing greyhounds and finds them loving homes. Part of the money for the product is donated to Greyhound Ranch. Don’t give heartworm every 30 days. Space it out to 40 or 50 days, depending on where you live. This will not only help your dog, but save you money!

There are many more things I can suggest to help you have a healthy, happy dog, but this is a start. Incorporate as many of these into your daily life as you can, and it can help your pet live a longer, healthier and happier life. Your pets will thank you for it!