8
Wednesday, March 18, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Paw
Prints
Jodi Schneider
Columnist
2020 goals
for your pet
Few things in life give
us more joy than our furry
friends. On top of the emo-
tional benefits our pets give
us, there are health benefits
as well.
The new year is well
underway, but we can still
resolve to make life health-
ier and happier for our furry
companions.
Make this year a fresh
start for your pet 4 perhaps
a new diet and exercise regi-
men or more play time with
you. Whether you need to
get back on track with his
daily walks or make that vet
appointment you9ve been
meaning to schedule, there
are plenty of ideas to help
your pet have a happier and
healthier 2020.
One resolution could be
to be more aware of how
much your pet is eating.
And one way to do that is to
measure out their food each
day. Many pet parents <eye-
ball= their pet9s daily intake
and pour that into their food
bowl, which can result in
overfeeding and weight gain.
Try using a measuring cup.
Cut down on the amount of
treats you dish out or con-
sider swapping in a fresh
treat instead, such as blueber-
ries or small pieces of sweet
potato.
Another goal is to give
your pet more exercise.
Exercise is beneficial to
keeping your pet happy,
active, and at their optimal
body condition.
Taking your dog for a
walk or hike is one of the
best ways to release some
excess energy. When our
lives get busy, it9s easy to
let the dog out in the fenced
yard to <exercise himself.=
Going for a stroll with your
pooch instead can be a great
stress reliever for you both,
not to mention it will get
your hearts pumping. Your
dog will be endlessly fasci-
nated by the smells, sights,
and sounds of your neigh-
borhood, while you both get
a chance to socialize with
others.
While taking your cat hik-
ing isn9t a practical approach
to upping the step count of
your feline friends, incorpo-
rating more playtime defi-
nitely is. Cats love the thrill
of chasing a laser toy, and
toys that trigger a cat9s pred-
atory instinct are a great way
to get them off the couch and
engaged in a little aerobic
activity. It9s great fun watch-
ing your kitties play and
pounce, and if you9re a dab
hand with a smart phone, you
could end up videoing the
next YouTube sensation.
Resolve to groom your
pet every day. Brushing your
cat or dog serves many pur-
poses. It removes excess
fur from the coat, reduc-
ing the amount you find on
your clothes and furniture.
It helps distribute oils from
the skin to the fur, keeping
the coat shiny and healthy.
It will give you a chance to
look over his coat and skin
to check for any potential
problems. Daily grooming is
also a bonding activity that
demonstrates to your pet how
much you love him by taking
care of your pet in a soothing
manner.
If your dog or cat hasn9t
been spayed or neutered, this
year is the time to schedule
that appointment. There are
plenty of health benefits,
including avoiding certain
cancers and other medical
problems. There are behav-
ioral benefits as well, espe-
cially with neutered male
dogs, who are less likely to
mark, roam, or hump. You
will also avoid adding to the
overpopulation of homeless
pets in the United States.
Keeping a basket of toys
for your dog will occupy his
time when you aren9t around
and give you a chance to play
together when you are. Play
also keeps your pet9s mind
sharp. Even five minutes a
day spent tossing a ball or
dangling a toy mouse for kitty
can mentally stimulate them.
Training your dog is one
of the kindest acts you can
do for him. Well-trained
dogs end up spending more
time with the family and are
welcomed more places than
untrained dogs. A trained dog
is a pleasure to be around,
and he9ll benefit from those
positive feelings.
Just as people get bored,
There’s something special
about gathering around a
GLOWING FIRE!
PHOTO BY JODI SCHNEIDER
Exercise is as important for pets as it is for people.
pets can get bored with the
same old routine day in and
day out. Resolve to try a new
activity with your pet in the
coming year. From hiking to
kayaking, camping to run-
ning, try incorporating your
pet into a new exercise rou-
tine. It will get you both out
of the house, and both pet
parent and pet will reap the
rewards of a healthy physical
activity.
Resolve to bring more joy
into your pet9s life this year.
One easy way is by setting
up pet play dates. Play dates
for your dog will help social-
ize him and get Rover used to
new faces and other animals
and people. Call up a friend
with a pooch that is similar in
size to yours and get together
at a nearby park. Interaction
with other animals is great
for your pet9s mental health
and can help improve their
social skills.
Perhaps the most impor-
tant resolution for any pet
parent to make is to bring
your pet to the veterinarian.
Make your pet9s health one
of your biggest priorities.
Year-round
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CORRECTION
Young drummer Frankie
Borla was incorrectly identi-
fied in last week9s story <Jazz
enthusiast launches jam night
at The Belfry,= The Nugget,
March 11, page 3). He was
referenced by the name
Frankie Deggendorfer. Frank
Deggendorfer is the young
prodigy9s grandfather. He is
not a drummer.
Thriving communities start with healthy people.
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