Dogs are one of the best additions you can have to your family. They provide companionship and show unconditional love and loyalty to their owners. Dogs can also bring joy to the household, especially as most of them are great with kids.
Dog Care Tips
However, adopting a dog comes with responsibilities. Like humans, dogs also have specific needs to stay healthy and happy.
Meeting your dog’s needs may be challenging if you’re a busy pet parent. With your hectic schedule, numerous chores, and other personal responsibilities, you may have little to no time to bond with your dog and provide for their needs. Dogs are social creatures, and they thrive best on routines, and failing to meet their daily needs could adversely impact their overall health. Dogs health is very important that you need to immediately seek help if you notice something unusual like your dog’s nail is turning black.
Thankfully, you can do a few things to better care for your dog despite being a busy owner. Here are six dog care tips to help you squeeze in some more love and care for your furry friend.
Send Your Dog To A Boot Camp
Are you going on a business trip for a week with no one else left to care for your dog? Or will you be working late for two to three weeks and unable to care for your pet fully? In that case, you may consider sending your dog to a boot camp.
Some believe that boot camps are only suitable for dogs with aggression issues. While that may be true, boot camps can also be a great place to temporarily leave your dog while you’re busy or away for a few days. Besides behavioral training, boot camps allow them to socialize with other dogs and keep them occupied.
The staff or trainers will also ensure that your dog gets their basic needs, such as food, water, vitamins, and playtime, based on your requests or preferences. Before choosing a boot camp for your dog, check their site for more information about their services, inclusions, requirements, and other details you must know.
Organize Your Dog’s Stuff
One of the reasons some people take longer to finish their tasks than usual is due to clutter and disorganization. The same goes when taking care of your dog. If your dog’s food or water bowls, treats, toys, and grooming kits are disorganized, it’ll be difficult and time-consuming to retrieve them when needed.
As a result, you spend extra time searching for your dog’s stuff, which isn’t ideal if you constantly have a busy schedule. To save time and energy from looking for your dog’s stuff, organize and place them all in designated areas where you can easily locate them.
Prepare Their Food In Advance
It’s also recommended to prepare their food in advance. Looking for your dog’s food supplies and preparing them during mealtimes can take too much time. To help you feed your dog quickly and satisfy their hunger without compromising their nutritional needs, here are a few tips you can add to your feeding routine:
- When preparing their meals in bulk, keep the extra food in an airtight container and store them away from heat or sunlight to prevent spoilage.
- Take out the dry dog foods from their packaging and keep them in storage bins next to the canned dog foods so you can easily pour them into the food bowl quickly.
- Place a can opener nearby the canned dog foods for quick opening.
- Dedicate a specific feeding area where you can place your dog’s food and water bowl. Place a mat underneath to avoid spills on the floor.
- Have a hand-held vacuum, small dustpan, or cloth nearby the dog’s feeding area that you can easily reach for clean-ups.
If your schedule for the day becomes too hectic, you can ask a family member to feed your dog on your behalf temporarily. They can easily find your dog’s food when your dog’s pantry is organized.
Cover Your Furniture With Washable Fabric
As a dog parent, you can expect pet hair or fur everywhere. Scrubbing and dusting them off several times a day can be time-consuming and almost impossible when you’re busy. Cover your furniture and the dog bed with washable fabric covers to make cleaning easier and quicker. This way, you can easily take off those covers and throw them into the washing machine, giving you extra time to spend with your pet.
Keep Lots Of Toys Around
For pet owners who work at home, there are probably instances when your dog hovers around you while you work, trying to grab your attention. If you keep depriving them of attention, they become bored, which might lead to destructive behaviors.
To avoid this, get your dog with lots of toys around to keep them occupied. Leave them with options like automated toys, squeaker toys, and regular toys. It’s also recommended that you avoid giving all their toys at once, so they don’t get bored of them quickly. Rotate their toys daily, so they’ll have something new to play with daily. Also, shop for dog boots for rain & snow.
Get Extra Help
When you’re away the entire day and have no friend or family to leave your dog with, it may be best to get extra help. You can hire a pet sitter or take your dog to a doggie daycare. That way, you can ensure your dog is well-taken care of while you’re not around.
Wrapping Up
Having a hectic schedule doesn’t make you a negligent and irresponsible owner, so you don’t need to feel guilty about it. As long as you follow these strategies and actively find ways to meet your dog’s emotional and physical needs, you can still be a great fur parent and ensure your dog lives healthily and happily.
