Caring for pets should be a joy and a privilege for children, not a punishment. If your kids come to see their pets as nothing but chore-inducing nuisances, then you may be reinforcing negative attitudes towards animals and a lack of empathy for them, the exact opposite of your original intent. If your children aren’t ready to make good on their promises, you must be prepared to do everything yourself, at least for a time.

Get the kids involved at the outset. Encourage them to compile lists of the pros and cons of each type of pet in relation to your family’s home situation and lifestyle. Make charts comparing different types of companion animals. If you are contemplating adding more than one type of pet to the family, be sure that each one’s safety can be assured. How will you mix cats and rabbits, or fish ?

You might also consider acquiring two new pets of the same species. Each animal deserves to have the companionship of a fellow member of its own species. Two cats, for example, could keep each other company when the rest of the household is out during the day. My own two cats, who are sisters, don’t exactly interact with each other a lot, but they do take comfort in each others presence, particularly when something such as a thunderstorm makes them feel insecure. If you like mice, housing several mice together in a large airy home will give them more opportunities for play and provide you with an entertaining daily circus of activity. Read the rest of this entry »

Have your new pets checked over by a vet, especially before bringing them into a home where you already have other animals, to quickly catch, treat and prevent the spread of any diseases that may have been contracted while in the pet shop or shelter. You wouldn’t want a joyous moment to turn into a tragedy. It’s also important to have the vet take care of any necessary shots and routine worming treatments and such.

Have your home all ready for your new arrivals before you actually bring them home. Buy pet beds and food bowls, toys and litter boxes, brushes and leashes. Have everything in place when you welcome your pets to their new home and, of course, lay in a good supply of pet food that will provide them with well balanced diets. Junk food is just as bad for pets as it is for people !

Before your pet arrives you and your children should give your home a good going over to remove anything that might be dangerous to pets. The image of a puppy chewing on a slipper is a familiar one, but that same puppy or a might also chew on electrical cords. Poinsettias are poisonous to cats, plus cats may swallow Christmas tinsel or pieces of string and yarn which can block their intestines. Go around your home and conceal wires, store medications and household cleaning products, and put sharp objects out of reach. Learn which house plants might be poisonous if ingested, and don’t leave heavy objects where they might get knocked over. Make it into a game in which your children search for potential pet dangers and come up with ways to remove each one. Read the rest of this entry »

Animal massage can benefit all animals from companion pets such as cats and dogs to horses and livestock and even zoo animals. The benefits of massage for animals mirror those for people, including decreased stress and improved circulation.

For many, pet massage sounds like a luxury for pampered pets only. However, many canines receive massage to help recover from surgery or injury and athletes such as racehorses or agility dogs receive sport massage to improve performance. Service dogs and dogs used in police or military service have high stress jobs where massage can mean the difference between early retirement and more time on the job.

Many studies have been conducted to verify the benefits of massage. For instance, massage has been proven to lower blood pressure, increase appetite and reduce the perceived pain and discomfort of arthritis. Read the rest of this entry »