Res and Rec: Pet Care

Here’s a Sneak Peak on Pet Care from my upcoming eBook, Two Step Solutions:  Making Life Easier for Everyone.

Reservations

We love our pets and they provide comfort when no one else is around.  Remember that for your pets to be loved well, you and your health must come first!  Pets cannot live without your assistance at some level so you gotta be first, they are second.  Now ask yourself how many do you really need right now and can you adequately care for them?  If your answer is “well, maybe not,” can your loved ones adequately care for them and you too?  Is there any risk that their presence (for example severe allergies) poses to your health?  Can you train them to obey you to avoid behaviors that might be increasing a risk to for you to fall?

Recommendations

If all of these factors are not o.k. then making their care as convenient and safe as possible is important.  For example, consider keeping the food and water bowls near the area where food is stored and water is easily accessible.  Can an automatic feeder or fresh water bowl save you time and energy?  Is there any way to simplify their clean-up such as an automatic pooper scooper in the cat box to a large tray underneath the bird cage to catch the seed shells?

For dogs, many cities now have pooper scooper services available for outside of the home.  Long-handled scoopers are available in larger pet stores that eliminate the need to bend over to clean things up.  Further, is there a groomer who will pick up and deliver your best friend?  Ask your local pet store staff for ideas or check online forums with a “Google” search.  Sometimes rubbing your furry friend with a damp towel sprayed with a very weak solution of pet shampoo provides a nice touch up, extending time between grooming appointments.

One of the biggest helps at our home with a beloved, larger pup was to simply place the food and water bowls in an area with a ceramic tile floor.  No matter what method I tried, I could not stay ahead of the water and mess on the kitchen floor:  a large plastic tray, large plastic mat, rubber-backed rug, or big towel either became soaked over the course of the day or wicked the water underneath it.  When I was sick for a few years, I simply could not keep up with cleaning the floor multiple times per day.  And the risk for either mold growth or damage to the floor as water seeped near the baseboards was of concern as well.  Yes, I know that most dogs don’t eat and drink in the bathroom!  Well  in our situation we are grateful that the floor is tiled in our bathroom and Elle didn’t seem to mind after that first treat that lured her in there to make the change.  My hubby and I just keep a small dog towel hung out of the way for quick clean ups as needed when using the bathroom.  Done!

Our German shepherd Elle as a pup!

For more tips on pet care, chat with the owner of your local pet store or ask in pet-specific groups in your favorite social media.  People love to talk about what works for them and share resources on Facebook, Yahoo Groups, breeder websites, etc.

Before you go, Gentle Reader, hit the “FOLLOW” button for more Active Tips and a special offer when the full book is released later this Spring.  In the meantime,

Take care, Julie, O.T.