Happy Holidays

What is on your animal companion’s wish list?

Maybe your dog would like you to spend a little more fun time with him – playing fetch or going to the park. Maybe your kitty would like some bonding time, just sitting in your lap on the sofa next to you while you read or watch TV. Maybe your bird would like some time out of her cage – sitting on your shoulder or playing with a new toy. We lead such busy lives, with too many to-do items on our daily calendars, but we rarely schedule quality time with our pets just to relax or play. We will make appointments to go to the doctor, get the car tuned up, have lunch with a friend, get a hair cut, but we don’t “make” appointments to simply spend time with our furry and feathered family members. We will schedule a time to take them to the vet/groomer, buy them shiny new collars or set up a seasonal photo session, but are those things your dog actually enjoys? Even if you pick up a cute toy when you run into the pet mart, is that really as good as devoted time with you (the person they dedicate their lives to)?

Some things you might consider as you celebrate the holiday season, giving thanks and sharing gifts, is to give thanks and share some special moments with the non-human companions in your life. One way to do that is to set aside some specific times (daily or weekly), that you will do something that your animal companion enjoys. That could be interacting in play (or some other fun activity such as agility or freestyle), or doing something relaxing like TTouch, meditation (especially to music), yoga, or just plain snuggling (if it is something your animal friend enjoys). It’s not like you can take your dog out to a fancy restaurant, but you could prepare her a home-cooked meal occasionally (meat & veggies preferably).

There are many ways to honor the animals in our lives (see list below for ideas and resources). They give us unconditional love. It is our duty to find ways to return the gift. And as we head into winter, don’t forget to thank our wild animal friends for making our planet a more beautiful place, by putting out a feeder or bread crumbs.