Rise and Shine… It’s Sunday morning
A loved pet is a happy pet. Kids today get so busy with exams, test and activity classes that they hardly get any time to just relax. So, let’s get together with our pets on a SUNDAY to make it a FUNDAY.
Sunday morning has a special meaning in everyone’s lives from the young to the old. Glossy paper supplements, waking up late, late breakfast, no rush hour mornings, basically just lolling around…kids watch their Sunday morning cartoons on TV, parents wanting the kids to clean up cupboards and the list is endless. In the middle of all this, your pet doesn’t quite get this. Why is it that his walks are half an hour later than usual, why is nobody rushing around, and why isn’t he served his hurried morning meal. He sees everyone around, but then why is nobody playing with him. Let’s look at making it special for the one loving four-legged in our lives.
A bit of grooming, brushing, bathing and loads of play make your pooch a Happy Pooch!! Read on to find out ways to spend your Sunday morning while your kids and pets are at play.
All these activities not only help your kids bond with your pet but also teach them responsible pet parenting. So get down to work and see your kids enjoy their Sundays with your pet.
Making grooming fun: It may come to you as a surprise, but grooming forms your pet’s physiological and psychological health. A dog’s physical state does, to a certain extent, affects the way he feels and acts. Grooming as an activity also helps build an affectionate bond with the pet parents. Long coat or short coat, dogs need to be groomed regularly. A rub here, a rub there, a tickle here always goes a long way. Brushing, scratching, moving your hands over his body are just few ways you can groom. Grooming also helps in identifying any rough patches, ticks, any lumps or bumps or scratches that might have gone unnoticed.
Shower time: Get your hose pipes, shampoos and loofahs out or just take your pet to the washroom. Make sure you close the door behind you or else you are going to have a wet dog running around. Get your pooch wet and shampoo all the way down to his tail and paws. Don’t wet his face as water might enter his ears. After shampooing, wipe his face, nose, mouth areas with a wet sponge or cloth. Wipe his ears gently as they can be very sensitive. Wash out the shampoo and you have a squeaky clean pet all waiting to be groomed. Wait till he shrugs off all the water before you start wiping him. This activity will surely fire up the energies and what a way to beat the rising heat.
Post-bathing fun: After a shower, towel dry your pet. If you have a long coated pet, you can use the hair dryer on low heat to get a nice fluffy looking coat. Be sure not to use the dryer near his head region. Take a suitable brush and start brushing him section by section- tail, back, legs, mane and finally the head. If he is not ready to sit quietly while you groom him, give his favourite chewstick. With this, he will be busy with his chewstick leaving you to groom him peacefully. Wipe the ears with a clean cotton cloth from the inside as well as outside. You might need your parent’s help to do this. End the session with a good tummy rub and his favourite treat.
Brush the pearls: Nobody wants to be near a stinky pet. Unfortunately, teeth brushing for dogs is not taken so seriously. But it is as necessary as bathing and grooming. Your pet can also has plaque and tartar problems. Surprised? But, 80 percent of dogs show dental problems by the age of four. So begin early and get your pet to also enjoy the session. Pick up a doggy toothbrush, some doggy toothpaste from your local pet store. Now sit with a glassful of water and get down to some teeth brushing. It might help if you do this when your pet is a bit tired, say, after a session of play as he will be more willing to sit in one place and allow you to do whatever you want to. Make sure you don’t use human toothpaste, as it is not good for them. Again, TREAT loads after the session, so your pooch looks forward to more such brushing sessions.
(Shalaka Mundada runs PetSitters, a premium dog boarding facility in Pune.)