Category Archives: Benefits Of Having A Pet

Benefits Of Having A Pet, Pets

Four Legged Friend Fido

Four Legged Friend: Dogs have always been, and continue to be “Mankind’s best friend”!

Our Four Legged Friend

Dogs especially, have become more important and involved with humans daily activities and challenges.

Dogs are especially helpful to:

  • Our wounded soldiers, who suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and are struggling to recover and resume normal civilian life.
  • Law enforcement personnel  appreciate their four legged partners in various support activities for:

Senior Citizens and Their Four Legged Pet

  • Senior citizens.   For some seniors walking the dog is the only exercise they get. Their four legged companions take their (two legged partners) humans for regular walks.
  • Walking is vital to our senior’s health and longevity, as well as their quality of life.

Dogs As Family Members

In most homes the pets have become official members of the family.  They are totally accepted and integrated. Some pet owners even dress their dog or cat in clothes.

When the pet gets sick, the whole family is concerned.  When it is the dog or cats birthday, the  whole family celebrate and have a birthday party.

Needless to say, children enjoy daily activities with Fido (or other species of pet) and also learn responsibility in caring for their companion.

Protector Of The Household 

Home owners, rely on their dog to sound an (barking) alarm, that may discourage potential thieves especially at night.

Not All People Like Dogs

In spite  of all the positive ways dogs can be useful to our society, not all people appreciate our four legged companion.  Some people may even consider dogs a nuisance because of:

  • barking,
  • biting,
  • pooping,
  • drain on the house budget with additional expenses such as feeding, licenses, veterinarians, leashes, etc.

Fortunately, these people are a minority.  They probably never had a pet and therefore, never experienced the joy, fun, and other benefits, that our four legged-furry companions can bring us.

So, YES our four legged companions are definitely still among our BEST FRIENDS.

PS: four legged companions also includes cats.

Dog Owners And Their Active Social Life

Millennials as pet parents

To checkout our products click here.

Benefits Of Having A Pet, Pets

Grieving Pet Parents How To Deal With The Pain

Grieving pet parents can go through a rollercoaster of emotions after the death of a beloved pet.

Grieving Pet Parents

Pet owner grieving is much like grieving the loss of a person with whom you were close. Sadness, guilt and even anger can war within you as grief runs its course. It can be so difficult to come home and remember that your pet is not there to greet you.

Loss Of A Pet vs Loss Of A Person

As an animal lover, pets are not just animals that happen to live in your house, they are children who just so happen to have fur, feathers or scales. You may find that pet owner’s grief is the same as grieving for a beloved relative and may take time to overcome. Your pet owner’s grief can and will get better, but only if you allow yourself to mourn your loss and realize that this is a sometimes challenging process.

Do Not Keep Your Pain Bottled Up Inside

It’s important as you progress through your pet owner grieving to not let your feelings stay bottled up inside. Do not feel that your grief is somehow less valid because it is centered around an animal. Pet owner grief is just as legitimate as any other kind of grief because owners form a deep emotional bond with their animals.

Talk about your emotions with family, friends or a counselor so that you can vent your thoughts during this trying time. You may want to join a support group for grieving pet parents so that you can share your experiences, get insight from others who feel the same way you do and have had similar struggles.

Taking action may help relieve your pet owner’s grief. You may feel better by giving your pet a memorial service of some kind. You can even ask friends to make a donation to an animal charity in your pet’s name in lieu of flowers. If you have a yard or garden, setting up a grave marker, even a mock one, can give you a quiet space to reflect back on the good times you enjoyed with your pet. You may want to volunteer at a pet welfare agency or event, to help take your mind off your sadness, and give back to a worthy cause. No matter what actions you take, permit yourself to go through your emotions and your heart will mend itself in time.

Grieving Dogs How To Relieve The Pain

Why Losing  A Pet Can Be Harder Than Losing  A Relative

To purchase our products click here.

Benefits Of Having A Pet, Pets

Senior Dogs Require Extra Care

Senior Dogs and Their Care:  Depending on the dog breed, dogs between 5 to 10 years of age can generally be counted in the senior dog category. There are a number of features that signify aging in your dog.

Senior Dogs

Senior dogs may not be able to play or walk for long, develop diseases such as arthritis or other deteriorating problems, and have difficulty getting up, going in and out of the car, and climbing up and down stairs.

7 Healthy Practices to Care for Senior Dogs

1) Keep it Moving

It is important for you to understand and keep up with the fact that your dog has aged.

Regular exercises that are best suited to the breed and age of your senior dog are good to keep it healthy. If your aging dogs mobility is limited, due to a floating knee, it’s advisable to consult with your vet.

2) Arrange Vet Visits Frequently

Timely detection of diseases for senior dogs is really important. As the dog ages, the immune system gets weak and it may become more susceptible to developing infections etc.

3) Groom Often

As dogs age, their skin gets thinner and more vulnerable to infections; which is why it is important that you go for grooming frequently.

4) Understand TLC is Important

Dogs do not respond to touch or sound when they are seniors, so you need to be tolerant when caring for your senior dog and abide by the TLC (Tender Loving Care) principle to keep it healthy and happy.

Senior Dogs
Aging Dogs Need Tender Loving Care

5) Provide Appropriate Diet

Senior dogs require suitable diet to stay healthy. Obesity shortens a dog’s life span and so senior dogs must be fed high-quality diet in proper quantities which do not result in obesity.

6) Take Care of the Mouth

This may sound bizarre, but it is important to brush your senior dog’s teeth. A senior dog is likely to not chew its food properly, hence food particles may remain on the teeth for long; ultimately causing teeth problems.

7) Arrange Special Accommodations

Senior dogs with different conditions need special arrangements to sit, walk, climb the stairs, and relax. For example, dogs with arthritis might benefit from soft bedding and carpets. Senior dogs may also enjoy therapeutic wraps for pain relief

Follow these simple 7 steps to take care of your senior dog’s health and happiness, both.

Dr. Becker and aging dogs.

To purchase our products click here.

Benefits Of Having A Pet, People, Pets

Dog Back Pain You Need To Know What’s Causing The Pain

Dog Back Pain

Dog back pain is something that many dogs will have to deal with at some point in their lives. If your dog is having a hard time doing regular, everyday things, such as bending down to eat or hop up on the couch, it could be that your dog is suffering from back pain.

Dogs are not great at telling us what is wrong with them.  In an article written by Sam Bourne he  list  some of the main causes for dog back pain.

  • Slipped Disc
  • Muscle Spasm
  • Genetics
  • Enlarged Prostate
  • Meninges  Disorders
  • Cancer

1.SLIPPED DISC

You might be able to tell if your dog has a slipped disc if they start carrying their back in an arched, or rigid, position.

2. MUSCLE SPASM FROM OVEREXERTION

If you have an older dog,  overexertion could cause a back flare up. Chances are  it’s just a sign of aging.

3. GENETICS

Certain breeds of dogs are predisposed to having chronic back pain, such as:

  • Dachshunds,
  • Shih Tzus,
  • Pekingese, and
  • Lhasa Apsos.

4. ENLARGED PROSTATE

If your dog has back pain and they are also having difficulty with bowel movements, chances are they have an enlarged prostate, which could be putting pressure on the spinal cord, resulting in a significant amount of pain.

5. DISORDERS OF THE MENINGES

The meninges are the membranes that cover the brain and spine. An infection, or inflammation, of these membranes can cause soreness and stiffness along your dog’s spine.

6. CANCER

Likely the most frightening cause on the list, back pain could be caused by cancer, when a tumor is found growing on the vertebrae, nerve roots, or the soft tissues around the spine.

Dogs With Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)

For information on joint injuries click here.

To purchase our products click here.

Benefits Of Having A Pet, Pets

Pet Businesses And The Economy

The Economy And Pet Businesses

Pet businesses: As the economy has become more stable, investors will see future opportunity. There will be a boom of consolidation and acquisition within the pet industry and an influx of capital.

It is expected that larger brands will dive into the pet industry in an effort to gain pet loving consumers as customers.

A continued increase in co-branding, private labeling, partnerships and licensing deals will continue. This growth is due to companies looking to bring more products and services to their current and prospective market.

Pet businesses  who move and act to change with the times and align their businesses, products and services to the current and future wants and needs of the new pet loving consumer will be much more successful in the short and long term. They will also be in a  better position  to evolve and become a respected leader in their market.

Pet Businesses Trends and New Innovations

Many innovative and creative companies and individuals are designing and bringing to market a wide variety of products and services.

  • Toys
  • Games
  • Pet Care
  • Therapeutic Garments/Wraps
  • Pet Insurance
  • Pet Clothing

These products and services  will do well in contributing to a more full and happier, healthier lifestyle for pets that satisfies even more of their senses.

We will see everything from scent related toys to unique and helpful services come to market in the coming years that will help pet lovers engage, entertain, and manage their pets lifestyles more completely.

Reasons You Can’t Go Wrong With the Pet Industry

Pet Businesses And The Economy

Pet Industry Trends

To purchase our products click here.

Benefits Of Having A Pet, Pets

Pet Industry Trends

Pet Industry Trends 

Pet Industry Trends: Where to Expect the Highest Business Growth?

According to industry trends and projections, the pet business will continue to boom unabated in the future. While the forecast is healthy across the board, certain segments in the pet industry are seeing a significant amount of growth.

1 Natural Pet Products

Natural products, in general, are gaining wide-spread popularity. This is because people have become more conscious about improving and sustaining the health of the planet.

Consumers are also increasingly leery of the potential toxicity of synthetic chemicals and other harmful materials.

In addition to a desire to decrease their pets’ carbon paw prints, pet parents are opting to purchase natural products in an effort to maintain and/or improve the health and well-being of their beloved companion animals.

The top-selling natural pet products are:
• Holistic cat and dog food
• Cat Litter
• Natural flea and tick repellents
• Holistic grooming products
• Products for older pets, particularly for dogs
• Toys made with natural fibers

2  Made In The USA

Recalls and pet health concerns over foods, treats and toys made in other countries, causes  pet loving parents wanting the products they purchase for their pets to be made in the US.

Quality will be very important to the present and future pet product purchaser, and healthier and safer will be an overwhelming consideration in their final decision.

High quality products means US companies will charge higher prices. Companies that source and make their products in the US will have an advantage not only now, but in coming years.

3  Pet Industry Trends And Retailers 

With big box and many other large companies now targeting the pet loving consumer with products and services, retailers will need to step up their game in the coming years. By providing a more full service and/or niche service to their current and prospective customers, retailers will have an edge in becoming a trusted and reliable, full lifestyle resource for pet lovers.

4  Manufacturers and Service Provider 

Manufacturers and Service Provider will need to be more innovative and bold. You may think that everything a dog would need in life has been invented and is currently or soon to be on the market, but think again.

5  Pet Industry Trends And  Dog Clothing  

Dog clothes are made to be either functional or for show.

Functional dog clothes are for protection from the elements and allergens.

Clothes that are purely for show would be used as costumes for holidays and special occasions.

Dog Coats

Dog coats are most commonly used for protection against the rain and cold and to provide extra warmth.  Coats are also used as fashion accessories.

Dog Sweaters

Dog sweaters are both functional and fashion accessories. They provide extra warmth for dogs that are hairless or suffer from the cold.

Dog Shirts

Dog shirts can be used to help keep a dog clean and as fashion accessories. They can also be used to help protect a dog who is excessively scratching itself  or prevent hairless dogs from getting sunburned.

Dog Dresses

Dog dresses are purely fashion accessories and are mainly worn on toy and small breed dogs.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is threatening legal action against dog owners who ‘over-dress’ their pets. Officials claim that putting on items such as boots, all-in-one trousers and hoodies, could be harmful to dogs.

If they feel an animal’s welfare is at risk the owner could be prosecuted.

Experts said there are a few occasions where dog clothing is acceptable, such as with small dogs and short-haired varieties.

Jess Bland, professional dog walker  from My Pet Friend, said: ‘Dog clothing certainly serves its purpose when it’s cold and wet, but it has to fit properly. ‘Although dogs would survive in the wild, they’re generally used to being indoors.  ‘There is a case that they need coats in the winter, especially shorter-haired dogs and smaller dogs.’

Dorset RSPCA spokeswoman Jo Barr said: ‘Dog owners should be aware that under the Animal Welfare Act  they have a duty of care to ensure that all of their pets’ needs are met.’  One of those needs is to express normal behavior and it could mean that with restrictive clothing they are not able to do that properly.

Pet Parents Are Driving The Pet Industries Growth

Pet Businesses And The Economy

Reasons You Can’t Go Wrong  With The Pet

Click here to check out our products.

Benefits Of Having A Pet, Pets

Reasons You Can’t Go Wrong With the Pet Industry

One of the industries that many investors are currently betting on is the pet industry.

1. The Pet Industry Is  Recession-Proof

The pet industry seems to defy all odds during recessions and has been very little affected by economic crisis so far.

2. The Industry Is Predictable

Seasonal demand limits the cash-flow to a couple of weeks per year, which means you need to stack up on inventory based on an estimate of future demand. As seen on the Google Trends traffic, the pet industry has peaks in December but maintains a steady level of base demand throughout the year.

3. There Is No Need To Educate The Customer

One of the biggest expense for a new product is to educate the customer on what the product does and why it is so important. The vast majority of new pet products need no explanation whatsoever. Pet owners already know that health, training and the entertainment of their furry family members is important and are happy to give new products a shot in the hope that it will benefit their pets.

5. Good Margins

For retail businesses, you are looking to have an average margin anywhere north of 60 percent. While dog and cat food margins are mostly around fifty percent, the most popular items such as chewing toys and bones have 70 percent margins. Food for pets accounts for slightly more than a third of the entire market, with 23.04 billion spent in pet food annually. Designer collars, luxury clothes and other high-end accessories for dogs also have great margins, which helps to keep the average margin high.

6. Growing Market

There was a steep increase in demand over the recent years as the number of pets has grown to 312.1 million. Since 1994, the market has more than tripled in size and grown from 17 billion to 66.75 billion in 2016 in the U.S. alone.

Dog owners spend an average of around $1,641 and cat owners approximately $1,125 per year. Less than two thirds of the costs are spent on vet visits, leaving the remaining two-thirds up to retailers and service businesses.

Michael Lucroy, DVM

Dog ownership

Pet Parents

To purchase our products click here.

Benefits Of Having A Pet, Pets

Do Dog Owners Have A Better Heart Than Non-Dog Owners

The Positive Effect Your Dog Has On Your Heart Health

Everything about owning a dog seems to lend itself to better heart health. Just the act of petting a dog lowers heart rate and blood pressure. A Chinese study found that people who own dogs get better sleep at night and are sick less often. Other studies show pet owners have slightly lower cholesterol and are more likely to survive a heart attack.

Having A Dog Can Help Your Heart 

There is growing  evidence that suggests  having a dog may help improve heart health.

Most dog lovers know their pet provide them with love, warmth and comfort. Most know that walking their companion is good exercise. But few  know  the calming effect  their dog has on their heart.

Dogs’ Calming Effect

Dogs’ calming effect on humans also appears to help people handle stress.  Research suggests that people with dogs when subjected to stress their heart rate and blood pressure go up less and return to normal more quickly, dampening the effects of stress on the body.

Your Dog And Cardiovascular Disease

Having a dog, is probably associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. This does not mean that there is a clear cause and effect relationship between the two. But it does mean that pet ownership can be a reasonable part of an overall strategy to lower the risk of heart disease.

Lower Blood Pressure And Your Dog

Several studies have shown that dog owners have lower blood pressure than non-owners — probably because their pets have a calming effect on them and because dog owners tend to get more exercise. The power of touch also appears to be an important part of this “pet effect.” Several studies show that blood pressure goes down when a person pets a dog.

If you own a dog or are thinking about it, the potential benefits for your heart health are a nice plus. However, pets should not be adopted for the primary purpose of reducing heart disease risk. And definitely don’t add a dog to your life if you’re not ready or able to take care of one, including making sure it gets enough exercise.

For more information on staying-healthy/having-a-dog click here.

To purchase our products click here.

Benefits Of Having A Pet, Pets

Dog Owners And Depression

Dog Owners And Depression

Dog owners are less likely to suffer from depression than non-pet owners are. Even for those people who do become clinically depressed, having a pet to take care of can help them out of a depressive state of mind. In some cases, a pet is more effective than medicine and there are no side effects. Depression is hard enough with all the advice to take medication and to put yourself through rigorous therapy treatments to try to find your way back to the bright side.

Depressed Dog Owners Taking Care Of Their Pet

Taking care of a dog requires a routine and forces a depressed person to stay at least a little active. It is hard to stay inside feeling down all the time when your dog is asking you to take him/her for a walk.

Love Received From A Dog

The interaction with and love received from a dog can also help a depressed person to stay positive. Even the mere act of looking at their pet increases the amount of Oxytocin, the “feel good” chemical, in the brain.

Recovery From Depression

One way for a dog owner dealing with depression can play a role in their recovery is to talk to and hug their pet. This is one of the ways to soothe, calm and re-energize you.

Your Dog As Part of Your Support Team

If you have mild to moderate depression, adding a pet to your therapy, team can be a worthwhile source of support. Obviously, you must be capable of caring for the pet if you are going to be responsible for a pet but even for those with more severe depression, animals can still be a source of comfort.

For more information on  pets-depression click here.

To purchase our products click here.

Benefits Of Having A Pet, People, Pets

Dog Owners And Their Active Social Life

The Active Social Life Of Dog Owners

Polls show people with dogs have a more active social life than people without dogs. Dog owners trust others who have dog’s more than just random people walking on the street and are more likely to go up and interact with them.

Dogs, which take part in their owners outdoor exercise activities, make it easy to have an active social life. For example when owners and their dogs play in parks and participate in doggie play dates, they have a chance to form bonds with other dogs and other people.

Single Dog Owners And Dating

Walking your canine in dog parks on a regular basis has a very high chance to set you up on a date, with another dog lover. Normally, people are a lot more open toward dog owners, and the more dogs you have, the better. It gives others a reason to stop and talk to you.

Ten Ways Dogs Can Help You Make Friends

People who love animals tend to bond easily even if they don’t have a pet of their own. If you do have one, it can provide plenty of ways to meet new friends. The best part is, you’ll already have something in common so conversations may flow a little bit easier in the beginning.

  1. Dogs Show Off Your Best Side
  2. You Can Meet New People at the Dog Park
  3. Sit Outside With Your Dog at the Coffee Shop
  4. Chat With Other Dog Owners at the Vet
  5. Dog Are an Instant Source of Conversation
  6. They Help You Get Out for a Walk Where You Can Meet Your Neighbors
  7. Connecting With People Who Can Dog Sit for You
  8. Join a Special Dog Group and Meet Other Enthusiasts
  9. Meet Other Dog Owners at the Groomer
  10. Take Your Dog to Obedience Class

 Ways Dogs Can Help You Make Friends

To purchase our products click here.