Top 5 Pet Parenting Essentials

To simplify things, I have put together my Top 5 pet parenting essentials to help you focus on what is important to the health and wellbeing of your fur baby.

Physical Activity

My top tip for pet parents is to provide your animal with an appropriate amount of daily physical activity. All animals require exercise to remain fit and healthy, but let’s take a look at the ‘bigger picture’ benefits.

Exercise can reduce and prevent problem behaviours. Physical activity expends energy and and relieves boredom. Bored animals with more energy than they know what to do with, can quickly create havoc and will develop a variety of problem behaviours in an attempt to self-manage their emotions and energy levels. If left to their own devices you may not like how they choose to do this!

Physical exercise helps keep your animal’s weight under control, and can even improve digestion. Movement boosts the functionality of the digestive system, preventing constipation and urinary tract infections.

Exercise builds muscle and strengthens bones which goes a long way in preventing injuries and can slow down the ageing of joints.

The most important thing is to have fun! Select an activity that is enjoyable for both you and your animal, and it will never feel like a chore

Mental Stimulation‍

A mentally stimulated animal is a happy animal! Spending some time each day engaging your pet’s brain is a must when it comes to providing an enriched life. Some examples of mental stimulation activities include:

•   Interactive toys
•   Puzzle feeders
•   Training
•   Games 

Mental games engage your animal’s natural problem solving abilities and switches on parts of the brain not activated within the normal daily routine. The increase in brain activity boosts serotonin and dopamine levels which activates the emotional reward centre, whilst also increasing feelings of pleasure.

Animals given activities that help improve their problem solving skills are known to be more emotionally resilient, coping better with unpredictability and short periods of stress.
‍

Good Nutrition

Good food is the building block and vital energy component in helping your animal grow and reaching their full potential. Access to nutrients is important for building and repairing muscles, bones and teeth. A well balanced diet also boosts the immune system, helping to fight off disease and infection.

Cats and dogs require a careful balance of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. Take sometime to research the balance required for your animal, and opt for high quality ingredients, avoiding foods that contain fillers or artificial additives.
‍

Good Health Care

When it comes to healthcare, taking a preventative approach will pay dividends in terms of your animal’s health and wellbeing -  and your wallet!

I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to find a good, reputable veterinarian who you feel you can trust, and work together with, to provide the best possible care for your animal. Choose a vet who listens to you, acknowledges your concerns, and is prepared to look at the ‘whole’ picture and not just the symptoms presented.

Ideally, your vet would be open to the use of complementary therapies to help support the wellness of your animal, and would be knowledgable on natural remedies as potential substitutes for pharmaceutical medications where appropriate.

Remember to take your animal for regular check-ups to stay ahead of any potential issues.

Structure and Training

Providing structure and training is one aspect of pet parenting that we tend to lose focus of once our animals reach adulthood. No matter how old your animal is, providing consistent structure helps them feel safe and secure, as they favour predictability over instability.

Try to be consistent and have a structured approach to mealtimes, exercise, games and training.

An important aspect of structure is establishing ‘boundaries’. Boundaries help animals understand what is expected of them. Companion animals are our team mates and it is a relationship based on co-operation, not dominance. Help your animals by establishing and communicating clearly your expectations of them. These boundaries should be applied consistently by everyone in the household. Our companion animals thrive in environments where they have clear guidelines, support, and nurturing.

Wherever you are on your journey as a pet parent, using these top tips as a guideline will ensure your animal’s mental and physical health needs are taken care of.

‍

‍Claire Oats
Specialist Animal Kinesiologist B.Sc, Dip Kin

Follow Claire on Facebook and Instagram for more tips on pet health and wellbeing.

About the author
‍Claire Oats is a Specialist Animal Kinesiologist and Canine Behaviourist from Perth. Claire has worked with dogs for the last 25 years and specialises in resolving behaviour problems using Kinesiology techniques to remove physiological, neurological and emotional stress.

Please note: Claire's blog is general advice only. For further information on this topic please consult your veterinarian.

‍

‍