Valentine’s Day: 5 Ways to Show Your Dog a Little Love
Everywhere you turn, our winter landscape is peppered with hearts and cupids to remind us to show a little love. For Valentine’s Day, that love doesn’t have to be romantic love — we can express our affection for everyone we care about — including our cuddly canines. If you’re looking for ideas to show your pup appreciation, here are 5 ways to show your dog a little love.
Dog Doctor We know we need to go to the dentist and the doctor regularly — even when we feel OK — just to make sure everything is working properly and to maintain good health. Our furry friends need the same kind of healing attention, particularly since our pups can’t tell us if they’re stomach is upset or they have aches and pains. Vets see all types of animals every day so they can hear, see and feel the things that are off that pet owners can’t. A trip to the vet once a year as the Humane Society recommends may save you money with preventive care and save your pup undue pain.
Husky Hound Just like humans, to stay healthy between doctor visits, dogs need to eat right and get lots of exercise. Your vet should be able to tell you just how much and what kind of food your dog should be eating to maintain a healthy weight. At home, just do your duty by letting your pup get the kind of running in that he wants to do. If you have a dog that isn’t into exercise, don’t force him to take long walks — do as much as necessary and use treats as incentives to get him to walk a little bit longer. If that doesn’t work, try engaging him in activities he likes — maybe he just wants to play tug of war; that’s ok as long as he gets in some activity. Every little bit counts when you’re trying to prevent health problems like heart disease and arthritis.
Canine Comforts We all love a little pampering and so do our pups! Indulge your dog in a few cuddly items to keep him warm on a winter day. A cushioned pet bed keeps him comfortable and a new toy keeps him company. Dogs are known to get attached to things the way humans do — letting them do that with their special toys is just a way we show them we care.
Dog Dousing We don’t like to be dirty. Daily showers are a habit humans don’t want to give up. Dogs feel the need to be clean, too. Even though they’re equipped to clean themselves, it’s good to give them help every once in awhile to get rid of matted fur, dead skin and anything lurking in their coats that they picked up outside. Taking him to the groomer is an efficient way to get your dog clean. Groomers are trained to handle dogs when they’re uncomfortable and you don’t have a mess to clean up at home. However, doing it yourself is fine if you know what you’re getting into. Either way you do it, The American Society to the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (ASPCA) recommends getting your dog cleaned up every three months.
Frolicking Fidos By nature, dogs like to be around other dogs — they’re pack animals. Setting up playdates with other dogs and going regularly to the dog park where his friends are shows him your love by letting him do the things he loves. Not only that, but getting him out playing with other dogs and people helps him socialize and learn to behave outside the home.
Anyway you show your pup love this Valentine’s Day, let LTD Commodities help! We have ideas and products to make your dog feel special every day of the year.
