6 Easy Ways to Pamper Your Pet

We all appreciate the pets in our lives.

Josh Billings said “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”

And Charles Dickens left us with “What greater gift than the love of a cat?”

Pets are special! And with all of the love that has been warming hearts in these past few weeks, maybe it is time that we send some on its way to our furry friends!

Many of us have no doubt taken our pets in for general checkups or teeth cleanings, and we have all, our pets included, had to suffer from some dramatic weather shifts this season. So it might just be time for your pet to have a relaxing bit of pampering to make up for all of the ruckus!

No need to spend loads of money on pampering your pet! There are some simple things that we can all do to show our pets how much we care.

Freshen Up Your Pet’s Water Bowl

Most of us no doubt keep our pet’s water bowl nice and clean. This is important. But that is not what we mean when we say to “freshen it up!”

You can help your pet have refreshingly cool water at the tip of his tongue if you just pop a couple of ice cubes into his bowl throughout the day.

The shallowness of the water inside your pet’s water bowl can cause the water to lose its coolness more quickly than water found in rivers and lakes that other animals drink from.

The melting ice will keep the water tasting fresh and delicious for your dog or cat, and they will be sure to appreciate it!

Keeping the water bowl full throughout the day is always important, and may require more attention when weather is warmer. But adding the extra love of a few ice cubes will be the kind of attention that really makes your pet’s life special and more enjoyable for him!

Take Your Pet Out for a Morning Stroll

Start the morning out right! Your pup will no doubt feel quite excited if you take him out for a walk in the morning as opposed to his regular evening romp. A quick morning stroll would be the perfect way to start the morning out right for both you and your pet!

After being holed up all night long either in the house or in a kennel, our pets are always excited to taste the fresh morning air.

Taking your pet for a walk during this time will really excite his senses. Let him sniff along the roadside or let him stop and sniff the neighbor’s mailbox as he will no doubt want to do! Or just take him around the yard!

Whatever you do, spending some time with you in the morning as he welcomes the day will be a very sweet thing for your pet.

Take Your Pet To The Park

Puppies and full-grown dogs alike love to go to the park. A park to a pet is almost like Disneyland is to kids! It is full of interesting sites and smells. New paths, strange animals, and all kinds of different people make the park a true wonderland for them.

For all of these reasons, you will probably want to give your pup the opportunity to go to the park as much as possible.

Be prepared to have a strong grip on the leash when you do take your pet to the park!

He will probably want to pull at the leash if he has not finished training yet. But this is just a sign of how excited he is. If he pulls at the leash it means he is interested in something and definitely enjoying himself!

While you are at the park, your dog may be tempted to leave a bit of a mess at some point. You can try to prevent this by having him go at the house first. But make sure to bring some doggy pickup gloves and bags in case something happens. Don’t worry if it does. Picking up after your pup is just part of the job as a pet parent! Other park visitors will appreciate that you do so.

Groom Your Pet

There is nothing quite as special for your pet as a good grooming. Take a little bit of time out of your busy day to do this for your pet!

Give you pup or feline a yummy treat and have some cuddle time. Then bring out a soft pet hair brush.

Spend a few minutes, maybe about 5-10 minutes or so, petting and gently brushing his fur. Make sure you tell your pet how good he is as you brush his fur. This will make your pet comfortable, and he will also enjoy the experience more!

Your pet will feel great when you are done grooming him. His hair will feel cooler, cleaner, and aired out! This is especially great for your dog or cat if he spends a lot of time outdoors and suffers from getting dirt in his coat. Brushing out those extra bits of dust that don’t belong can go a long way in making your pet feel happier!

Spice Up Your Pet’s Food

We don’t mean literally! No need to bring out the garlic yet! But, there are some yummy hacks to making even simple dry food taste that much better.

Depending on budget, we can’t always serve our dog’s gourmet-style dinners. It might even be hard to keep “Alpo” forever on hand for our dogs or canned food for our cats. Canned food is usually healthier for pets but not always practical.

Some dogs and especially some cats do not even like canned food! But what you can do is add a teensy bit of olive oil to their dinner food to make it a bit more special. The oil will bring out some of the flavor of the dry morsels! It will also help your pet maintain a shiny healthy coat of fur.

Just add the bit of oil (or even water) to your pet’s dish if you want to make his dinner a little bit tastier each night. When you do this, just make sure that your pets will be eating right away. Moistening the dry food is thought by some to be risky if any bacteria has built up on the dry food.

Another thing you can do for you pet at dinner if your pet is feline, is sit with him as he eats!

Unlike dogs, most cats like to have company as they eat! It may be the one time they are more social than their canine counterparts.

Buy Your Pet a Special Toy

Cats and dogs love toys as much as humans do! Any toy that involves chasing is sure to bring your pets much joy. Their animal instincts kick in, and they feel great. Plus, they are able to enjoy the joy of “the chase” in the safety of your yard or house!

Cats really seem to love toys that involve stalking and pouncing. The best kind of toy for this type of game is the kind with a pole that you can hold onto that has some kind of colorful and soft “bait” at the end of a long string. The toy almost looks like a kid’s fishing pole. The string and “bait” are attached to the pole, and the person playing can toss the stringed item, let the cat approach it, and then yank it away. Cats seem to love it.

Dogs tend to like anything they can chase and catch! You could buy you dog a new tennis ball or perhaps a frisbee. You could even just go out to the yard and play an old-fashioned game of fetch with an old stick!

Play with your pets when you get home from work. They will love their new toys, and they will love the time they get to spend with you!

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All of these things and more can make the life of your pet one that they fully enjoy. Add your own ideas to our list to brighten up the life of your pet!