10 Steps To Greater Wellbeing Dog
Some simple steps to make a difference to your pet this year!
- Reduce stress
Chronic stress, we know, can harm health. So consider life from your pet's point of view. Is there tension in the household? Are you stressed? Are they left alone all day? How do they cope with other animals around? Is there harmony between the animals in the household? Stress can be difficult to see. But behaviour changes like anxiety can indicate a lack of balance in an animal's life. Seek the help of your vet or animal behaviour therapist who can put you on the right path!
- Increase exercise and play
Exercise is vital for health. For dogs, it stimulates circulation, improves heart function and oxygenation and it's the time to check out the pee-mails and other scents. Exercise is important especially for elderly dogs. Even a short trip around the block can be therapeutic. If walking is not an option, consider swimming. And who says you can't exercise cats? They love a chase around the house, to catch bits of paper attached to string and anything else that moves. Ten minutes twice daily can do wonders.
- Improve the environment
Is your pet exposed to cigarette smoke? Are there grasses and pollens that aggravate your pet's skin? Has your home been renovated in the last 6 months? What floor cleaners do you use? Do you have new carpet or furniture? Put yourself in your pet's paws and think about what they might come into contact with on a regular basis. They live close to the floor and their coats are washed by their tongues! So environmental chemicals and poisons are ingested easily. If you walk your dog through traffic bear in mind your pet's nose is going to pick up exhaust fumes. Find a different path if necessary.
- Dental health
Raw meaty bones, toothbrushes, raw hides, special veterinary chews, prescription biscuits, and prophylactic cleaning at the vets are all ways of improving dental health. What suits your pet best will depend on a number of things so your veterinarian is the best person to advise you. It's most important though to recognize dental problems sooner rather than later and keep the mouth and teeth as healthy as you can.
- Reduce vaccination frequency
Annual vaccination is unnecessary and at worst potentially dangerous. Protocols are changing in light of research that shows that vaccination protection lasts longer than 12 months. Instead of vaccinating, talk to your vet about testing for antibody titers. (Wiki) These tests tell you the status of your pet and whether vaccination is needed.
- Reduce chemical load
Your pet has monthly worming for heart worm, three monthly for intestinal worms, de-fleeing, regular shampooing, tick control, medicines, think about everything you are giving your pet and you can quickly see how much of a load all these things are. All of these chemicals are strangers to the body and need to be processed by the liver and other organs. Talk to your vet or holistic practitioner to see if you can down size the chemical load.
- Grooming
Just about all animals love to be groomed. Brushing stimulates the skin and glands in the skin. It helps remove surface allergens, dust and pollution that lands on your pet daily. Grooming also affords an opportunity to connect with your pet, spend some quality time together and enhance the bond. Consider using natural products that have been tested for safety on your pet. Remember that just about anything you put on can be absorbed through the skin.
- Connect with your pet on a daily basis
In our busy days it's sometimes hard to find our own balance let alone time for our animals. Walks, play, grooming and feeding times are opportunities to spend time together. But sometimes a quiet ten minutes together to appreciate your connection can do wonders for your pet, but also for yourself. Communicating with animals doesn't require special psychic powers. It requires quiet time, some space and simply listening with your heart to what comes through from your pet. Most times your intuition will guide you. When your pet looks at you and you feel love, be assured that's what is being said! One of the most underrated opportunities for our own health is spending time with our four legged friends.
- Seek out options for health
If your pet does have a health issue, then make sure you have all your options before deciding on what's best for your pet. Taking a natural path is an amazing way of working with the body's own healing capacity to restore normal functioning and wellness.
- Improve the diet
Nutrition is one of the most important foundations for supporting good health. Many pets are overweight and obesity is the most common nutritional disease in Australian pets. Natural diets offer a potent means to address health issues and to help lose weight and gain vitality. If you take just one step this month, then this is the most important to take!