The biggest question is: what are your responsibilities when you have a pet that’s the best of both worlds? Recently, I got a bright, fluffy and red Persian cat who encompassed all of these qualities. Two days after taking it for a hike to the forest, I came back to find her hair tangled with twigs and leaves within her beautiful coat. Here are a few of the points I’ve picked up that will help you as a new pet owner.
1. Understand Your Pet Needs As Much Grooming As You Do.
Have you tried to avoid grooming yourself for days? In other words, would you be able to resist a shower after running around in the forest or the city all day? I assume that a nice bath isn’t only calming for your soul but creates wonders for your skin. Hygiene and grooming are as important for pets as they are for us. Not paying importance to this need for grooming is a form of negligence towards your pets. To avoid this, you first need to know your pet and its breed. Second, knowing what’s needed for its grooming and hygiene is important. If you have a long-haired or a rather curly haired pet, make sure to brush them regularly. If you’re taking them on one of your nature walks, then be sure to brush them and wash them as soon as you’re back. Avoid leaving dirt in their fur, as it may cause the hair to be severely tangled, which may require the hair to be shaved. Some pet owners assume that bathing their pet isn’t necessary. However, the truth is that regular washing of your dog or cat is necessary to avoid attracting any form of parasite or developing skin diseases.
2. Creating A Bond Of Trust With Your Pet Is Important.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a bond like that between a teacher and student, mother and a daughter, or husband and wife, they say the key to a lasting relationship is trust. The possibility to allow someone to approach you at your most vulnerable state is what the word “trust” entails. Therefore, this formation of trust is the first step in any relationship. How is this different in our relationship with our pets then? For an adventurous and outgoing pet, you need to build a bridge of trust, commitment, and love. As we all are aware of, pets are very instinctive animals, they “smell” your fear, love, temper, sadness, and happiness. Therefore, it is impossible for one to trick their pet into falling for them — unlike humans, their strongest sense is emotions. Hence, before going on any adventure, build a connection with your pet. Allow it to be part of your life as much as you would want to be to part of its life. Show your pet compassion and love and allow your pet to do the same. Once you’ve reached the pivotal point of separation anxiety, you know that you and your pet have officially built a bridge.
3. Always Watch Your Pet’s Diet.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that our bodies are our temples and we have to constantly watch what we put in them. Diet is the most important part of every living being on this planet. A perfect diet ensures our health and our energy throughout our lifetime and helps us avoid the hospital in the long run. This same concept applies to our pets as well — a perfect diet allows your pet to have the energy it needs to be active throughout the day. If you’ve got a pet that loves the outdoors, loves playing and being an explorer, then you’ve got to keep an eye on its diet. Some pet owners, out of love, tend to overfeed their pets. In the long run, this is unhealthy. This is because our pets aren’t built to sustain more food than their bodies can handle. Therefore, overfeeding them will lead straight to obesity. This eventually restricts their freedom and their will to be constantly active due to a severe lack of energy. To avoid this situation, check with your veterinarian on what kinds of food you should feed your pet and follow the feeding table accordingly. This ensures that your pet will be constantly happy and active throughout its lifetime. In a nutshell, if your pet loves adventure and has the spirit of an explorer, then let it embrace that freedom. Take the time to have an adventure together and enjoy life. I for one can guarantee that you won’t regret it . Featured photo credit: Dog Travel via flipkey.com
