{"id":351,"date":"2019-01-28T22:02:49","date_gmt":"2019-01-28T22:02:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/?p=351"},"modified":"2019-01-28T22:03:09","modified_gmt":"2019-01-28T22:03:09","slug":"351","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/351\/","title":{"rendered":"February 2019 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"

How Do You Love Your Pet? Great Ideas for Valentine\u2019s Day<\/a>
\nCat Communications: What Is Your Feline Trying to Tell You?<\/a>
\nThe Importance of Exercising Your Dog<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>How Do You Love Your Pet? Great Ideas for Valentine\u2019s Day<\/strong>
\nLove is in the air, especially during February when Valentine\u2019s hearts and candy are everywhere. There are tons of ideas out there for humans, such as a romantic dinner date or a romantic weekend getaway.<\/p>\n

However, if you have a pet, what\u2019s the best way to show him your love on Valentine\u2019s Day?<\/p>\n

There are so many things you can do. According to the article, \u201cTen things you can do to show your pets you love them\u201d at Bestfriends.org, there are things to do to make your pet feel very loved, including:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tFeed healthy foods. \u201cJust like humans, pets thrive when they have a healthy diet,\u201d the article said.
\n\u2022\tExercise your pet to enrich his life, and yours, too! Try walking, running and playing fetch for dogs; interactive play for cats.
\n\u2022\tLearn your pet\u2019s language and how he communicates through body language.
\n\u2022\tBuild a relationship through reward-based training classes.
\n\u2022\tEnsure you take your pet for annual checkups. You can even visit the vet at other times to get your pet used to going there. Check with your vet\u2019s office beforehand.<\/p>\n

There also are other creative ways to treat your pet right on Valentine\u2019s Day, according to the article, \u201c8 Ways to Love Your Pet This Valentine\u2019s Day\u201d at PetCareRx.com. They include:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tSpecially made treats you can make at home.
\n\u2022\tGet your pet a new toy. \u201cAnswer your pet\u2019s pleas with a new toy, and indulge in a play session or three!\u201d
\n\u2022\tGive your pet an indulgent at-home grooming session, including \u201ca quick bath, a loving comb-out, or just a brush massage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although you have to keep the chocolate, wine and flowers away from your pet due to the danger they can cause him, there are many ways to show the love on Valentine\u2019s Day and beyond.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Cat Communications: What Is Your Feline Trying to Tell You?<\/strong>
\nCats are amazing, loving, finicky, and sometimes hard to figure out. They seem to have their own language. What is the best way to figure out how your cat communicates with you?<\/p>\n

\u201cCats use a variety of signals (body postures, facial expressions, and vocalizations) to convey their message and avoid unwelcome confrontations,\u201d according to the article, \u201cWhat Your Cat\u2019s Body Language Is Saying,\u201d at WebMD.com. When humans learn how to \u201cdecipher these feline postures,\u201d it is easier to figure out cats and have a better bond.<\/p>\n

The article offers advice on interpreting cat lingo:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tWhen your cat rolls over to display her tummy, it can mean she is content or the pose \u201cfollowed by fully extended claws and sharp teeth\u201d can indicate her being defensive.
\n\u2022\tCats are not big on people staring at them, as they find it to be a threat.
\n\u2022\t\u201cLearn the nuances of your cat\u2019s vocabulary so you can detect the difference between a plea for dinner and an urgent cry for help,\u201d the article said. <\/p>\n

When your cat wants to show you affection, she has a variety of ways to do that from kisses to chirps and mews. According to the article, \u201cHow Do Cats Show Affection? 7 Cat Affection Signs\u201d at Catster.com, \u201cBecause some signs of cat affection are subtle, they are often misinterpreted and sometimes overlooked.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some signs include:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tUsing their tails, which convey their emotions \u201cthrough how they are held and positioned, and the degrees of fur puffiness,\u201d according to Catster.
\n\u2022\tCheek rubs, which is something some cats do to greet people they trust.
\n\u2022\tShowing affection through head bunting.
\n\u2022\tHanging around their person.<\/p>\n

Although different than dogs show affection and maybe not as obvious, cats show their affection to their humans in many ways, so be on the lookout.<\/p>\n

<\/a>The Importance of Exercising Your Dog<\/strong>
\nExercise is as important for your dog as it is for you. When you have a dog, you literally have a reason to get up and move. <\/p>\n

In order to get into shape physically and mentally, exercise is key. Obesity is becoming more prevalent in dogs and many are considered overweight by their veterinarians, according to the article, \u201cYour Dog: Why Exercise Is Important\u201d at Vetstreet.com. \u201cObesity prevents dogs from enjoying many physical activities; it also decreases speed and stamina and makes it more difficult for dogs to deal with heat,\u201d the article said. Obesity also can bring on a variety of medical issues from arthritic changes and torn ligaments to back issues and cardiac problems.<\/p>\n

Before you start on an exercise plan, speak to your vet. The exercise you do should take the following into consideration regarding your dog:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tAge
\n\u2022\tBreed
\n\u2022\tIndividual needs<\/p>\n

If you walk or jog, ensure it\u2019s not too hot and check hot pavement. Swimming is great, but make sure your dog can swim and that he wears a life vest. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhile some breeds have special needs that have to be taken into account, and dogs do slow down as they age, they still need to take part in some form of daily physical activity,\u201d according to the article, \u201cExercising with Your Dog 101\u201d at petMD.com.<\/p>\n

Additionally, even dogs who are older, handicapped or blind can benefit and need exercise. Make sure not to push your dog. \u201cYour dog should be happily tired, not exhausted, when you are done exercising her for the day,\u201d the petMD article said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also great to mentally stimulate your dog, which you can do by changing up where you walk, and providing new and different play toys or games. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How Do You Love Your Pet? Great Ideas for Valentine\u2019s Day Cat Communications: What Is Your Feline Trying to Tell You? The Importance of Exercising Your Dog How Do You Love Your Pet? Great Ideas for Valentine\u2019s Day Love is in the air, especially during February when Valentine\u2019s hearts and candy are everywhere. There are… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/351"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=351"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/351\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":353,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/351\/revisions\/353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}