All pet parents want the best for their animals, but it’s not always easy to know how to do better for our furry friends. What do our pets really need from us, and how can we make their lives and happy and comfortable as possible?
Keep reading to learn the eight simple steps you can take to provide a better life for your pet.
1. Do Your Research
The first step comes before you even adopt a pet and it’s to do thorough research. Before committing to a cat, dog, or any other animal, spend some time reading online about them, and look into the specific cats or the best dog breeds you might be interested in.
All animal species and breeds are different and have unique needs. Make sure your lifestyle aligns with the animal you want to bring into your home and consider whether you’ll really be able to provide them with the kind of life they need.
Learn as much as you can and base your final decision on what you can practically and realistically manage in terms of providing for your pet.
If you already own pets, you can become a better owner by doing research about their breed and what they need!
2. Take Responsibility
Doing the research and learning about your pet is important. However, all that knowledge is worth nothing if you don’t act on it and take responsibility!
If you learn that your dog is a breed that requires a lot of exercise, you should commit to increasing their activity levels to keep them healthy and happy. If you discover that you have a dog with a unique coat that requires specialized or more regular grooming, find a professional groomer who can assist you.
Owning a pet can often require some change and sacrifice to your lifestyle or even your budget. A great pet owner will always take full responsibility for the health and happiness of their animals.
3. Make Your Pet Feel at Home
When you adopt a pet, you’re opening your home to them and making them a part of your family. In doing so, it’s important that you ensure their comfort and happiness in your space.
Good and responsible pet owners will provide a dedicated space for their animals where they can relax and feel at ease. They’ll have a comfortable bed, an area where they have their meals, and a safe place for them to do their business, too.
Even if your pet lives outdoors, you should ensure they’re comfortable there, have a space to keep warm, and avoid the sun when it’s hot.
You should also do your best to make sure all your pets are comfortable with one another – introduce your pets to each other in a safe and controlled way, and share your love equally!
4. Build a Relationship With Your Pet
All relationships take work, including the one you have with your pets! These animals aren’t simply there to entertain you when you’re in the mood; they’re a part of your family, and they have their own animal social needs.
Having a strong relationship with your pet comes from regular quality time together. Spend time with your pet, get to know their unique personality, and make them feel safe and loved in your home.
You can do this through training sessions, playing with them, going for walks or other activities, or simply cuddling on the couch. Showing your pet affection and giving them daily attention will help build trust and bring both of you loads of happy brain chemicals!
5. Care for Their Health
Your pets have no control over their own health and wellbeing, so it’s your responsibility to make sure they’re thriving.
Regular exercise is important for all animals, but some need it more than others. Great pet owners will always make sure that their four-legged friends are getting enough movement in their day, even if it means getting off the sofa when you really don’t want to!
It’s also important to pay close attention to your pet’s diet. Even when your pet is begging, a loving owner won’t feed them anything off their own plate because “human food” can easily make our animals sick and overweight. Instead, stick to healthy pet food and pet-friendly treats if you want to spoil them.
6. Take Charge of Vet Visits
Lifestyle is an important part of your pet’s overall health, but you also need to consider health in the form of medical care.
Many pet owners treat vet visits as something you do only on an emergency basis when something is wrong. However, regular check-ups for your pet are just as important as they are for humans!
To be a good pet owner, take the time to find a vet your animals love and that you feel comfortable with, too. Develop a good relationship with your vet and speak to them about your pet’s general health. Get your pet microchipped and sterilized, and schedule health checks at least once per year.
7. Help Them Make Friends
As we’ve already mentioned, pets have social needs just like us. While an animal might be content to interact with its owner, it might be lonely when you’re at work all day, and its behavior around others might be hard to manage if it’s not used to socializing.
It’s your responsibility to socialize your cats and dogs from early on. Socializing your pets means exposing them to different people and animals and teaching them how to behave well around others, even when they’re excited.
If you notice that your pet might be lonely, adopting a brother or sister for them might be a good idea.
8. Train Them Well
Beyond socialization, your pet needs to be well-trained to truly thrive and be happy. Most especially, dog training plays a major role in pet ownership, whether you choose to take on the task yourself or work with a professional.
A well-trained pet generally has a better relationship with its owner and won’t be scolded as often because the pet has learned what behavior is expected of it. Especially when you use positive reinforcement, training teaches your animal how to communicate with you, and helps you to better understand their needs as well.
It’s also mentally stimulating and a great way to bond and build trust with your pet, so training shouldn’t stop when your pet reaches adulthood but rather be a continuous part of owning an animal.
