New year’s resolutions are great – if we stick to them. We tend to make them on the spur of the moment but don’t always know how to make them a reality or how to keep working on them, especially with our lives being so busy. And before you know it, it’s the end of February, and you’ve already forgotten about them.
The purpose of this article is to help you with some of those resolutions and goals. You can use the planner on page 56 to write down some notes to help you stick to your plans.
No more parasites
Goal To have a pet free of ticks, fleas and worms.
Why Ticks can cause tick fever, and fleas and worms go hand in hand and can cause various illnesses in your pets.
Plan After every walk, look for ticks, and if you find any, remove them. Use tick and flea preventative products every month, deworm every six months, clean your pets’ sleeping environments regularly and vacuum the house every day.
Fresh breath
Goal Having a pet with sparkling teeth and fresh breath.
Why Besides the offensive smell, not brushing their teeth can lead to dental issues, like gingivitis.
Plan Brush your pet’s teeth at least once a day, give him dental treats now and then, and have his teeth professionally cleaned every six months or so.
Good grooming
Goal To have a pet with a beautiful coat.
Why Your pet’s coat is an indicator of his general health. The better the condition of his coat, the more likely he is to be healthy.
Plan Bath your pet as often as required, but not too often; brush or comb his coat according to the requirements of his coat type; and look out for any lumps and parasites.
Trained pet
Goal To have a trained pet who is well behaved and mentally stimulated.
Why Boredom can cause behavioural problems in pets, while training could probably save his life if he adheres to your cues in a dangerous situation.
Plan Spend a few hours a week teaching him new cues and practising the ones he has already learnt. If he is still a puppy, plan to take him to puppy school and make sure he is socialised throughout his life.
Would you like to read the rest of this interesting article? Get the January/February 2024 edition of Animaltalk magazine from retailers or order a digital or printed copy from www.coolmags.co.za.
