Lifestyle /
Pet Care During Winter
Pets Too Experience Winter Blues
With the lack of usual exercise during the colder months, your pet receives less stimulation and can be prone to a variety of issues such as weight gain, irritability, anxiety and — believe it or not — clinical depression. FETCH! Pet Care CEO Paul Mann offers up these tips to help pet owners have happy and healthy pets during winter.
Indoor and outdoor exercise
Most dogs need an outing two to three times a day, not just to take a piddle, but also to get some exercise and stimulation. Let your dog romp around in the snow, as this will trigger her play instincts. Running, jumping and chasing are natural ways to energize your pet, burn calories and boost metabolism. If the weather doesn’t permit an outing consider playing good ole fetch, tug-of-war or wrestling to provide a fun workout, stimulating your pet’s appetite.
For cats opt for string, laser pointers and toys that you can drag around to get your cat to burn energy. A perch near a window where your cat can watch the birds is also great for stimulation.
If those don't appeal to your pet how about investing in a motorized animal treadmill. According to Mann there are many on the market today that are both enjoyable and effective for exercising both cats and dogs.
Calories
It’s likely that your pet doesn’t need to eat as much food if he isn’t out and about as much. Reducing food and calorie intake means less weight gain and more energy. It’s all about portion control.
Try feeding your pet using a measuring cup so that you know exactly how much food they're consuming daily. You can even call the pet food company for dietary recommendations to prevent the possibility of over-feeding when a pet becomes less active. Mann also states that an automated pet feeding system can be helpful. How does it work? It uses a wireless tag attached to a pet’s collar to regulate and monitor one pet's or more pets' food intake to ensure the pet isn’t eating too much or too little at once or throughout the day.
Light
Like us, pets react to illumination. According to Animal Behavior College, “The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals found that approximately 40 percent of dog owners saw a considerable downturn in their pet’s moods during the winter months” “Light is intimately tied to the functioning of the pituitary and endocrine glands, and can stimulate the body to release hormones that have an uplifting effect on mood.” If it’s too cold to go out, let natural light in or turn up your home lights. A great tip is to replace bulbs with the daylight variety to produce a daytime environment. Mann recommends Pawsitive Lighting a company who has developed a light box to help combat winter depression.
Rousing aromas
Scented toys can really engage an animal’s interests by provoking their stalking instincts to find the source of the smell.
For cats, try catnip and “play sprays”and squirt onto climbing structures within the home. A multi-story cat climber or “tree” with strategically placed low-calorie treats or scented play toys can help boost your cat’s activity, getting his heart pumping.
Use these tips from Paul to ensure your pet’s winter season remains a happy and healthy one.
Feature Image: yourpetsyourplace.com.au
Blog courtesy of Paul Mann, Founder and CEO of Fetch! Pet Care—the nation’s largest and most trusted franchisor for professional pet sitting, dog walking, and pet fitness/exercise services—serving thousands of pets and pet parents throughout the United States from coast to coast. www.FetchPetCare.com.
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