We hope you got lots of great tips from our Pet Parents interview with pet expert Jenn Fadal. We really enjoyed spending time with our friends at Uptown Pups in Atlanta Georgia. They were such great hosts during all of our interviews. For more information about the store, and to order some of their cool pet supplies, visit them here www.uptownpupsonline.com.
For more information on what Jenn discussed, keep reading. And for more on Jenn, check her out here:
And here:
Are We a Pet-Obsessed World?
In a word…YES!
Did you hear about the Italian cat left more than 13 million dollars in a will? What about elaborate day spas charging hundreds of dollars a night for pet pampering or owners buying diamond pet collars and necklaces? Some owners are even planning “Bark” Mitzvahs for their dogs. You can’t make this up! Today’s dogs and cats not only have their own wardrobes and chef-prepared meals, but they also have their own YouTube pages, Facebook pages and blogs, making them online celebrities. Have you heard of Boo, Miskha the talking Husky or Henri Le Chat Noir?
Of course, this is the tip of the iceberg. You certainly don’t have to commission a professional portrait or throw your furry friend a birthday party to show your pet how much you love them.
Simple Steps for Keeping Your Pets Happy and Healthy
It doesn’t take much to keep your pet happy and healthy. Besides giving them lots of love (of course!), all you need to do is feed them nutritious food, give them plenty of opportunities to exercise and take them to the veterinarian for annual check-ups.
When looking for a healthy food option, check out Hill’s Ideal Balance natural pet food. It was created by a team of pet nutritionists and provides 100% balanced nutrition, guaranteed or your money back. For more information, visit www.HillsIdealBalance.com.
Regular exercise is also necessary to keep your pet (and you!) in top mental and physical shape. And although downward-facing dog is becoming quite literal in some yoga circles, all your pet needs is a simple walk around the block, a game of fetch or a trip to the neighborhood dog park.
Treat release toys are another fun, easy way to keep your pet entertained. These toys are great when you want to eat dinner or read a book in peace. You can also put your pet’s dry food in the toy and feed them their meal that way. It helps slow down a fast eater and can become part of a pet weight loss program.
High-quality food and regular activity are critical, but routine vet visits are a must for helping identify and treat potential health problems early on. To support your pets health, many veterinarians are recommending a line of affordable, vet grade pet care options from VetIQ. VetIQ offers everything from pet prescription medications and over-the-counter flea and tick preventives called VetGuard Plus to health and wellness supplements like Minties Dental Treats. They’re made in the U.S. and are very accessible, as you can buy them at traditional retailers nationwide such as Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kroger and Rite Aid.
SOME PRODUCTS TO CONSIDER:
VetGuard Plus for Dogs (SRP: $24.99 for 4 month supply) Vet grade, triple-action formula that kills fleas and ticks, prevents eggs and larvae from becoming adults and repels new pests. VetGuard Plus is available for small, medium, large and extra-large dogs. VetGuard for cats is also available.
Minties (SRP: $6.88 for 6oz bag) Available exclusively at Sam’s Cub and Walmart) Supports total oral health with a triple-action formula that helps clean teeth, freshen breath and control plaque and tartar. Available for tiny, small, medium and large dogs. Also available in trial and larger 12oz and 27oz packages. www.MintiesBones.com
Other offerings from VetIQ include great-tasting Hip & Joint Chews to provide total joint health to support your dog and increase mobility, flexibility and ease joint discomfort, bite-sized, multivitamin and mineral Vitamin Chews that promote your dog’s overall health and vitality, and many other health and wellness supplements.
For more information on the VetIQ line of products, visit www.VetIQ.com.
Easy Solutions for Keeping Pet Owners Happy
We’ve got tons of products designed to help pets lead happy lives, but what about keeping owners happy? After all, your furry friend’s wagging tail may elicit utter joy, but that happiness can disappear quickly when you spot an accident on the floor. It’s all about keeping the right products on hand for a quick clean-up.
You can permanently eliminate pet stains and odors with the 2-in-1 power of Pruven™ Oxy Powered Stain & Odor Remover with Scotchgard™ Protector.
The Oxy power helps break down the mess, leaving carpets clean, while the Scotchgard™ protection from 3M helps prevent future soiling so stains won’t re-appear. Pick it up at Wal-Mart. http://www.pruvenpet.com/
Spring and summertime bring pool time along with trips to the beach and lake, so keep a stock of super-absorbent microfiber towels on hand. They’re great for getting your pet dry in no time.
Warm weather means pets spend a lot more time outdoors. They can also get loose more easily, so take advantage of new technology on the market. Today’s pet identification tags have scannable QR codes; some contain 1-800 #’s, both of which will lead the person who finds your pet directly to you. Pet owners can update information via a central database anytime and include vet info and emergency contact numbers. These options are much better than tags with a faded phone number or possibly even a number that has been disconnected. There are even GPS tracking systems that enable you to go online or on your smart phone at any time to follow your pet.
Other Pet Trends
- The all-natural and earth-friendly market continues to grow every year. Just look in any pet store, and selections are getting larger. It’s easier than ever to find eco-friendly toys and collars, including bamboo and hemp collars, toys made out of recycled bottles and tires.
- Pet travel is on the rise with more than 80 percent of pets traveling with their owners. There are more dog travel bowls on the market as well as functional leashes for hiking and walking multiple dogs. There’s also a larger variety of leash lengths. Even car companies are catering to pet owners by making their vehicles more pet friendly. Easy- to-clean, sturdy material and larger cargo space are a couple of examples.
- Daycare is booming. Even people who work from home or aren’t traveling send their dogs to doggie daycare a few times a week. They realize that socialization is important and, like human kids, the more exercise and mental stimulation they get, the better.
