Being a new pet parent comes with its fair share of responsibilities and challenges, especially for those who haven’t had four-legged family members before. Responsible pet parenting is all about meeting the needs of your pets, physically, emotionally and mentally. This article will explore the various ways in which you can keep your pets happy and meet their needs.  

Choosing The Right Diet

The first thing you’ll need to consider when it comes to responsible pet parenting is choosing the right diet for your fur-baby. There are various factors that you’ll need to take into account, such as their age, breed, weight, and whether or not they suffer from any health conditions. There are specific diets that cater to your pet’s breed and life stage, like the Royal Canin range of pet foods, filled with the right amount of nutrients your pet needs to stay healthy. There are also grain-free options like Taste Of The Wild, Lily’s Kitchen and Orijen, all of which offer different diets for varying life stages. If your pet is a picky eater, you could try cat or dog wet food, which they can eat on its own or mixed with dry kibble. If you’re a small pet parent, there are also food and hay options for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters or any other small animals! If you’re a proud bird parent, we have food available for your feathered friends from a young age to adulthood. 

If your pet is prone to excess weight gain, you can also consider a Light-Weight Care diet, or even by using a slow-feeder, and following the feeding guide laid out on your pet’s bag of food. 

Fulfilling Their Exercise & Enrichment Needs

Your pet needs daily exercise to stay healthy and in shape. Pet obesity can have negative effects on their health, such as high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, diabetes and in some cases, even cancer. In order to prevent these health complications, you’ll need to ensure that your pet receives their daily dose of physical activity. For dogs, the best way to provide them with exercise, and for yourself as well, is by walking them twice a day. Make sure that you have the right harness or leash equipped for their size. For the best control during walks, we’d recommend a slip leash, to prevent your dog from pulling or attempting to run ahead. If you’re out exploring together in an open environment, you could use a retractable leash to give your dog the “controlled” freedom to explore without them running off and getting lost. If properly trained, you could also take your cat out for walks with the appropriate leash and harness set. 

Your pet’s exercise doesn’t have to rely on walks alone, playtimes can also provide them with physical activity, as well as mental stimulation and enrichment! Playing games together like fetch can encourage your dog to run, jump and chase to their heart’s content, stimulating their hunting instinct. For fetch games, we have toys like tennis balls, balls on ropes, frisbees, and much more available.  You could also encourage your cat to exercise through play with laser pointer toys, teaser wands, and with automated interactive toys like the PetGeek Furious Mouse or the PetGeek Joyful Laser Tumbler Toy. Puzzle toys are also excellent for providing your pet with mental stimulation and enrichment. 

Fulfilling Their Emotional Needs

On top of their physical needs, pets also have emotional needs. They require a lot of attention and affection throughout their day in order to ensure that they are happy. We recommend dedicating some time during the day to play with them and give them tons of cuddles. Playing with your pets goes hand in hand with providing them with exercise and love. A loved pet is a happy pet! Fulfilling their emotional needs also helps to prevent anxiety or depression, it’s also beneficial for your own mental health! 

Fulfilling Their Grooming Needs

Just like us, our pets need to be bathed and cleaned regularly! Pets with long fur especially require regular haircuts and brushing as their fur can get knotted and matted over time, causing discomfort. Thankfully, we have your pet grooming needs covered with our wide range of grooming products. From shampoos to brushes, to nail clippers, you’re sure to find everything you need to keep your pet comfortable! Alternatively, you could schedule for our mobile grooming team to pay you a visit! If ever you’re looking for a high-quality grooming experience for your pet, Pet Haus Grooming is sure to provide you with the best!

Spoil Them! 

Our pets deserve to be spoiled! Thankfully we have everything you need to make sure your pet lives in luxury! Give your dog a comfortable place to sleep with our soft beds, or treat your cat like royalty with our range of cat trees! We also have endless treats for cats, dogs and even small pets to reward your fur-babies with on a regular basis! 

Our pets are family, and they deserve nothing but the best treatment, which is why responsible pet parents need to always ensure that their pet’s needs are met and that they are comfortable and happy!