January 24th, National Change a Pet’s Life Day, is an excellent opportunity to pledge a healthier lifestyle for your four-legged friend. This special day is dedicated to helping pets and ensuring they live a happy and healthy life. You don’t need any special diet or fancy tricks, just basic care and attention related to diet and activity can help them become a naturally healthy pet. Supporting your pet’s health is an essential and ongoing part of pet ownership, so why not have your New Year resolution be for your pet to have a healthier lifestyle too?
Staying Active Encourages a Naturally Healthy Pet Lifestyle
Ensuring your pet gets plenty of exercise daily is essential to their well-being. They benefit from the stretching and strengthening of their muscles and developing their coordination skills. Exercise also helps pets mentally by improving their overall mood, releasing stress, and providing them with a positive outlet for their boredom (as opposed to acting up in the house). Depending on your pet and their age, types of exercise could include outdoor walks, playing in the park or backyard, fetching games, swimming sessions, or even brain-stimulating problem-solving tasks such as food puzzles. No matter the activity, be sure to adjust the intensity based on what’s suitable for your particular pet. Incorporating plenty of activity into their day will help reduce stress, make them more fit, and even increase the bond between you two. Need help deciding where to take them? We have city guides available to help you find the perfect spot for a walk!
Proper Nutrition Can Maintain Their Well-being
One of the most important things you can do to ensure a naturally healthy pet is to provide them with healthy food suitable for their lifestyle. Selecting foods rich in essential nutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, fats, and vitamins can help support your pet’s growth and development. A balanced diet tailored to the individual needs of each pet is key while also preventing overfeeding. Too many calories can lead to obesity, which in turn can worsen any existing medical conditions your pet may have. If you would like to switch up your pet’s food, please remember we have food available for delivery from Longwood Vet Center.
Playing is More Than Just For Fun
A pet’s mental health is just as important as its physical health, and regularly providing them with activities can be a great way to keep them happy and mentally healthy. Simple things like basic training exercises or interactive toys are great for keeping their brains engaged and stimulating their minds. When training them, use positive reinforcement to show them how to respond to different situations. Provide them with opportunities to engage their instinctive behaviors by providing them with appropriate enrichment (squeaking toys, cat wands, etc.). If you give your pet regular attention through play, it will show itself through improved behavior and attitude, making for a healthier, happier home life. For additional behavioral tips, you can read more here.
Working Together Can Help Them Stay a Naturally Healthy Pet
This year, resolve to make changes to promote your pet’s health. When it comes to exercise, take them on a gentle daily walk or indulge them in their favorite activity. Whatever the activity may be, make sure the exercise is tailored to meet your pet’s specific needs. Feed them a well-balanced, high-quality diet suitable for their age, breed, activity level, and health status. Keep them mentally engaged with enriching opportunities and quality time together. With these simple changes in place, you will give your pet a much healthier way of life that can bring about more energy and regulate their moods. On National Change a Pet’s Life Day, let’s all make an effort to prioritize our pet’s health!
