11 Life Hacks Every Pet Owner Should Know
11.11 Singles Day is just around the corner, and boy, are we excited to bring you some of the best pet care deals we have to offer. Whether you’re single or in a committed relationship with another hooman, sharing your life and home with a pet can be one of the most rewarding things in the world. And like most rewarding things, there are hurdles and challenges to get there; the decision to bring home a pet will require your utmost commitment and dedication to meeting your pet’s needs for their entire lifetime. So, to assist you in this endeavor, we have prepared for you 11 life hacks that every pet owner should keep in mind in order to enjoy a more lasting and harmonious relationship with your fur buddy.
Keep a good-sized carabiner on your pet’s leash.
When a dog is outdoors, there is always a risk of running off and getting lost. With a proper carabiner, you can securely attach your dog’s lead to a post or a tree when you’re outdoors. The Fuzzyard Dog Lead is made of sturdy neoprene material with a comfortable hand loop and a steel spring-loaded latch to securely attach your pet’s leash to his collar. You can also use a carabiner to wrap around waste bags or to attach multiple leashes when walking several dogs together.
Add parsley to food as a mouth freshener
More often than not, your pet’s undesirable mouth odor may be brought about by the type of food that they are eating. Make your pet’s breath smell better by adding some parsley on his food, as parsley is generally known for its mouth-freshening properties. Alternatively, one could procure a scented dental chew like Altimate Pet Dental Chew with Toothbrush Mint or Vitakraft Crispy Crunch Dental Pepper Mint Cat Treat to achieve a similar effect after meals.
Use window squeegee or microfiber cloth to remove dog hair
Do you find yourself constantly dealing with tons of dog hair on your bed or carpets? Use a window squeegee to easily remove those loose hairs by scraping it along surfaces where there are lots of dog hair so they can be disposed of properly. Other ways to pick up loose dog hair include using dryer sheets, rubber gloves, or packing tape. You can also use a microfiber cloth that is lightly spritzed with water. The microfiber’s electrostatic charge will attract the hair so you will have an easy time cleaning up the hairs.
Cover your pet’s sleeping spot -especially if it’s on your bed
If you allow your pet on your bed or furniture, keep these surfaces clean by using a cover, such as sheets, slipcovers, or blankets. You can easily throw these covers in the washing machine regularly.
Use a wobbler to make mealtimes more stimulating
Keep your canine buddy or furball busy and stimulated during meal times by stuffing a Kong wobbler with their favourite treats. Check out this classic Kong Wobbler for dogs and the Kong Cat Wobbler.
Use soda and vinegar to remove stains and stench
If you are constantly dealing with potty accidents in your home, you need something to remove the stains and the stench or else your pets will keep coming back to the scent spot and repeat the cycle over and over again. One of the most effective (and cheap!) solutions is to put some baking soda and vinegar on the spot. These common kitchen ingredients are known for their deodorizing properties. If, despite the baking soda and vinegar, your pets are still returning to the scent spot, keep them away by spraying the area with Absolute Plus Scram Animal Repellent.
Slow down your dog’s eating speed with a ball
A dog that eats too fast can possibly develop stomach issues or even bloat, which can be a life-threatening issue. Slow down your pooch by putting a ball inside his food bowl while he eats. Just make sure that the ball is big enough to prevent your dog from swallowing it. This will force your pet to work around the ball and eat slower.
Know the foods that are toxic to your pets
Have a list of common foods that are toxic to dogs and make sure to keep them out of reach. On the top of the list are seemingly innocuous foods like chocolates, garlic, onions, alcohol, xylitol, grapes and raisins, and peach to name a few. Feed them the correct foods, such as Primal Freeze-Dried and Taste of the Wild for the dried food lovers, or wet food like Royal Canin or Fancy Feast, and you won’t have to worry about missing your 11.11 Singles’ Day shopping spree from a vet’s clinic.
Learning your dog’s body language
Dogs assume various postures to indicate what they are feeling, as much of the information that they want to relay to you is performed through their facial expressions and body postures. Being familiar with your dog’s body language will enable you to react accordingly and to address any issue immediately.
Switch up the toys once in a while
Entertain your pet by rotating their toys on a regular basis. Just like humans, dogs and cats can get bored with their toys after some time. Alternating their toys can preserve their novelty and stimulate your pet’s interest in interacting with them, and by extension you. When purchasing toys for your pet, be sure to contribute new additions to various collections to keep your pet looking forward to a “new” batch of toys each week. There are tons of options to pick from: from plush toys and interactive toys for both cats and dogs, to scratchers , teaser toys, and catnip toys for your catty furball.
Fleas! Expose them and get rid of them
See if this sounds familiar: you come home one day to find your dog scratching itself furiously. You believe it to be a flea infestation; however, when you take a closer look at its fur coat, you are unable to find any fleas! Try this for a change: place a white towel under your dog while you run a hairbrush through his coat. If your pet has fleas, you will see pepper-like objects on the towel. These are called flea dirt and are actually digested blood excreted by fleas.
While not exactly life-threatening, fleas cause mild to severe itching and discomfort which can cause your pet to scratch itself hard to create open wounds. This in turn opens your pet up to further skin infections, and even possibly diseases by certain fleas. Safeguard your pets from fleas with Absolute Plus + Neem Flea and Tick Control that can be safely used for cats and dogs.
These are just a few of many life hacks that can make owning a pet much easier and nurturing for both the owner and the pet. While some of these life hacks require some form of DIY or another, others are easily available on our store. Be sure to check some of these items out on our running November Deals page, and stay tuned for even more unique deals on our 11.11 Mega Deals this 11th – 13th November!