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!

Great idea if you’re thinking of starting to try to massage your dog!

One of the most important things to remember though is not how to do the various strokes. You will learn those strokes as you practice. What’s more important is to find a quiet time when both you and your dog are “in the mood.” Your dog must want to receive a massage, and you must be in the proper frame of mind to give a massage. You should be as stress free as possible, and not thinking of the kids, or what you have to cook for dinner, or how your day was at work.

When you have that time, find a place that’s quiet, and away from the kids and other dogs. Then relax, breathe, and focus. Set your full attention on your dog, and set your intention to help him stay healthy. Then place your hands on him. If you do nothing else than passive touch – placing your hands gently on various parts of your dog’s body – you have made a positive difference in his life. Congratulations!

New Year's Resolutions for You and Your Dog

I’m not much for making New Year’s resolutions; I figure I should be working on myself all year long instead of just once a year. But then I started thinking about my dog Yankee and wondering if I should make some resolutions that include him. What about playing with him more? What about better training? So with that thought in mind, here are just a few ideas if you’re looking for resolutions for you and your dog.

• Spend more time with your dog. Dogs are pack animals and want to be around us. (Isn’t that one of the reasons why you got a dog in the first place – to have him around?) For example, take him with you when you run errands, when you’re window shopping, at an outdoor restaurant, or going to the farmer’s market. Whenever you’re going to be outside is a perfect opportunity to take your dog along.

• Take him for longer walks or walks more often. This will not only help his health but yours as well.

• Engage his mind. Teach him new tricks, work on his training, or involve him in new activities that stimulate his mind. It helps to keep him young and vibrant. You really can teach old dogs new tricks!

• Help your dog lose weight if he needs to. Look at diet options, food changes and exercise choices to make sure he loses the weight. Being overweight is very detrimental to your dog’s longevity, so if you love him as I know you do, get tough and get the weight off.

• Look at opportunities to get involved in competitive events if you think your dog would be interested in that. It’s not about winning; it’s about stimulation, exercise, fun, and bonding with your dog.

• Regularly massage your dog. You’ll help him stay healthy and live longer.

• Involve your dog in therapy work and community service if you think he has the disposition for that. Nursing homes, assisted living facilities, children’s hospitals, reading programs, etc. are wonderful opportunities to volunteer with your dog.

I know I can work on several of these ideas for Yankee, and as one who doesn’t make resolutions, I will do my best to try to keep the resolutions I make about him. What about you?

Best wishes for a happy New Year for you and your dog!