We love our pets; they lay on us, thump their legs when we find a good scratch spot, and they’re incredibly loyal when you’re out and about. However, there might not have been much chance to exercise yourself and your pet in the way you wanted during this past winter! Thankfully spring is almost upon us, and we can leave this cold and wet winter behind! Yet, there’s still a lot of trouble out there for our dogs and cats to get into, and with all the new animals around after such a barren part of the year, we may end up going on chases with and for them, desperately gripping onto the leash!
If this sounds like the kind of trouble you’d be getting up to, as your four legged friend doesn’t like to be cooped up indoors and has a lot of energy to run out, here’s some tips for keeping your pets safe and happy in this new part of the year.
Make Sure They’re Microchipped
This is where cat owners need to pay attention specifically! During the spring the sun is going to come out more, and thus your feline companion is going to become a lot more active instead of lazing away inside all day (although they will still want to do this!) Cats have always been thought of as being a little more independent than our canine companions, so make sure they’re just as well taken care of even though they don’t act like you’re their owner!
Similarly, get them microchipped so that after a hard night of partying in kitten season, you can find them again if they’ve wandered a good few streets away. Yes that’s right, if you’re not up to the idea of kittens, this is the time to get your cat spayed or neutered as well! The spring also brings an increase in the pitter patter of tiny paws, so if your cat loves to go adventuring and you can’t keep an eye on her 24/7, it’s time for a trip to the vet.
Go For Good Walks
And this means not just around the block! Taking a dog on a long walk will be great for Fido’s legs and general hip health, and because it’s spring there’ll be so many more sights, sounds, and smells for him to check out. Do this gently and go longer and longer each day; like us, if a dog has been laying around on the couch for the best part of a couple of months, they’re not going to have the stamina they used to!
If you’re going through a field where you know other animals graze, keep your pooch on a leash, and invest in one of those longer ones to make sure they can still run around to their heart’s content while being connected to you. You don’t want to accidentally cause a stampede after all!
Beware of Heat and Sun
Don’t leave your dogs out in the sun for too long, as it’s going to be a lot more present than it has for the past few months, and often enough we have no object permanence when it comes to remembering the change in seasons! If you’re driving down to the big dog park a town or so away, don’t leave your pooch in the car whilst your run to get an icecream for you and the kids, as this might not do you any favors when it comes to your pet’s health.
There’ll Be a Lot of Pests
Spring is the time in which the bugs like to come out of hibernation and back into our homes, so it might be turn to get a flea treatment for any pet you have, and also give them a wipe down every time they come in from the outdoors. This is because dogs and cats can have allergies too, and during the winter we didn’t need to pay them much mind.
If this really is a problem that’s getting out of hand, make sure to contact someone about it, as your entire home may need airing out. Take a chance on services like pestcontrol.us, as they usually operate locally, and often getting a professional in is a lot more effective than trying to spray the bugs out yourself!
Have fun in the sun! Springtime is a good time for our pets, but there’s also a dangerous side to it. Take good precautions and keep your pet’s best health in mind.
