Your relationship with your pet may be one of the most important bonds in your life. They have an incredible influence on our health and wellbeing. Pets are family, and we can’t say that enough. Mine inspire my work daily, and keep me grounded.
But what about the relationships our pets have with people or other pets outside of our home? Here are 5 stars in your pets’ relationship constellation.
5 Important Pet Relationships (in Addition to You)
Their trusted veterinarian.
Next to you, your pet’s vet may be the most important person in their life, so it’s vital that you cement that relationship with an annual checkup besides visiting when your pet doesn’t feel well. Karma-Kat finally doesn’t mind the vet chec…well, maybe a little. With the dogs, we regularly drop in to say “hi!” so vet visits aren’t always scary.
When Bravo-Dawg went through his cancer treatment, the veterinary staff not only supported him, they gave me a shoulder to lean on (and weep on). They help through the tough times but also celebrate the joy. One of the vet techs gave Shadow a squeaky toy as a “welcome to the family” gift.
Their experienced trainer or behaviorist.
Your pet’s trainer is both their coach and therapist. Their relationship can be life-changing. They not only help you teach your pet how to navigate human expectations, but they are also there to answer fitness and behavioral questions throughout their life.
As a certified animal behavior consultant, much of my work focuses on helping YOU understand dog talk and cat talk. Most behavior problems are normal for your pet–and only a problem for humans. Understanding how to provide legal outlets for these behaviors–from play and barking, to scratching furniture or potty accidents–saves relationships and lives. Here’s how to find professional trainers and behavior pros.
Their reliable pet sitter.
Some pets grow to really love their pet sitter, whether they are a professional or your generous nearby neighbors. Not only do they go to great lengths to make sure your pet has loving company, food, water, and exercise, they make sure your home is safe and secure, too. When you choose a great pet sitter they become part of the family.
Their best furry friend.
Humans are great! But for romping in the yard or curling up for a nap, some pets really enjoy the company of their own fuzzy kind. Shadow-Pup adored playing with Bravo, and now he and Karma-Kat tease each other like furry brothers. They have great fun romping and then snuggling together. If your pet craves companionship, call a fellow pet parent for a hike or a playdate. Or if there is room in your heart and your home, it may be time to adopt another pet as a full-time best friend.
Their doting Grand-pawrents.
Let’s face it – if your parents love pets, chances are good your pet loves them, too. Even if the toy basket is stuffed full, family members love to bring treats or a new toy for the “grandpup” or “grandkitty.” I’m a pet lover because I was raised that way–with multiple dogs, and lots of time spent with Grandma’s critters. I live too far away for in “furr-son” visits, but Dad gets a huge kick out of hearing about Karma and Shadow’s antics. What about your folks? If they live close by, they may do double-duty as their pet sitter or walker, too!
Who are the people in your pet’s relationship circle? Friend, family, or professional, be sure to let them know how much you both appreciate their expertise, care, and affection. A note, text, or just a heartfelt “thank you” will say aloud what your pet can only articulate with a happy nudge and welcoming eyes.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter.
Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE! Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
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2 Comments
Wanda
on April 9, 2022 at 8:58 pm
It’s funny that you said that if your parents love pets, that your animal will love them too. My daughter has a cat and my husband and I are the only ones who the cat doesn’t run and hide when we visit. I will be honest, he won’t let me hold him. I can get an occasional head pat if my daughter is holding him and he can’t see who it is. But, my daughter is amazed that he doesn’t bolt through his cat door (it goes to the basement), so I am the new assigned cat sitter when they go on vacations.
How do your pets drink? Do your pets drink from toilets? I found these videos and they were just too good not to share! I’ve written before about why they choose to slurp from that “porcelain thrown” but not the “how” it’s done. Read on for details about how pets drink.
Some of y’all remember last October when my husband had an unexpected back “issue.” That meant a change of plans, canceling the trip to celebrate my dad’s 98th birthday, among other things. What happened? Read on…
I see so many kitten pictures on social media these days. Every June, we celebrate National Adopt A Cat Month (sponsored by American Humane Association) and also National Adopt A Shelter Cat Month (sponsored by the ASPCA. Two holidays wrapped up in one, and how appropriate, since June is kitten season.
But cats can be adopted year around. Both of our cats came to us as “dumped” kitties, showing up on the back porch. When you adopt from a shelter, though, you have the advantage of planning for the new kitty’s arrival. Any time is a good time to bring a new furry wonder into your life. Whether you adopt a shelter cat, foster a kitten, or adopt a cat that shows up on the doorstep, they’re all worthy of love. Right? Here’s my tips guide for cat adoption…
Do you know how do you find pet behavior help? As a certified animal behavior consultant for cats and dogs, I receive many requests for pet behavior help. Solving cat behavior problems and bad dog behavior can be a challenge. Some of these I address with articles explaining cat behavior (how to stop meowing, for example, or dealing with cat aggression), as well as puppy and dog behavior issues like noise phobias and separation behaviors.
Some pet behavior challenges have solutions through reading books and articles, others via phone call advice, and more serious issues (dog aggression, for example) need one-on-one help. But how do the behavior experts receive training?
Dog hot spots often happen during both the spring and fall shedding season and are the bane of many dogs’ existence. Some develop hot spots all year long, especially those with very thick, wooly coats. Have your dogs ever suffered from hot spots?
Fortunately, hot spots are not a problem for cats. Kitties, though, do have their own issues with shedding and hairballs. Bathing cats can help with that.
When dog hot spots are a chronic problem, it can be aggravating and frustrating for pet owners. And painful for the dog! While severe problems need veterinary attention, home remedies for dog hot spots often help enormously. Here’s what you need to know.
Memorial Day honors the American men and women who have lost their lives while serving in the military. It originally honored those who died in the Civil War, and now honors those who died in any war. It is also known as Decoration Day. This holiday differs from Veterans’ Day which honors all those who served in the military.
There is no Memorial Day for the brave military K9s who served and lost their lives, often heroically saving their human partners. I can’t imagine the bond that must exist between the soldier and his or her war dog—they share things and stand against danger to protect the rest of us against horrors we don’t want to think about. And because of them, we don’t have to worry about such things. Thank you.
I’m eternally grateful to those who sacrifice for our freedom. Losing a beloved animal companion anytime cuts deep. It must be horrific to lose a comrade-in-arms, including those with four feet and fur.
And since I focus on pet issues, I want to shine a light on the dogs of the military. There is a National K9s Veteran’s Day on March 13, too. But here’s an excerpt from my book DOG LIFE to shine a light on military dogs through the ages.
Have your pets ever choked on something they chew? Shadow-Pup loves to chew up inedible objects, no matter how much we supervise. Learn how to administer the pet Heimlich to save a life!
When Karma-Kat came to live with us, that put lots of cat toys within Magical-Dawg’s reach. Seren had never been too keen on such things and she was already nine years old when Magic came as a puppy. He loved to swipe Seren’s “sparkle-balls” and ended up with sparkly poop. Once Karma’s toys added to the kitty quotient, the big ol’ dog had a field day seeing how many cat toys he could stuff into his jaws.
Bravo played with rocks. And the new puppy Shadow loves to chew sticks. He’s already got one caught in the roof of his mouth. That’s the perfect opportunity for choking, and a need for the pet Heimlich. I hope that we’ll never need it, though. In case you do, read on!
Do you have a dog fence? Magical-Dawg used to take off after “critters” every so often, racing around the 13-acre spread (or beyond). We eventually trained him to stay with us, even when off-leash. It would have devastated me if Magic disappeared. He was microchipped, but folks would need to catch him first.
Bravo was a very different dog. He was so good off-leash during most morning rambles and didn’t want to go too far away from us. He’d chase and play with his “big-ball” in the field, and baptize every tree and grass tussock. And once he lost his leg, he couldn’t get out the back fenced area even if he’d wanted to.
Shadow-Pup, though, takes after Magical-Dawg. He’s so small, not even the fenced back area keeps him contained. He also likes to dig, so we needed to address possible escapes. A fence is a dog’s best friend!
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It’s funny that you said that if your parents love pets, that your animal will love them too. My daughter has a cat and my husband and I are the only ones who the cat doesn’t run and hide when we visit. I will be honest, he won’t let me hold him. I can get an occasional head pat if my daughter is holding him and he can’t see who it is. But, my daughter is amazed that he doesn’t bolt through his cat door (it goes to the basement), so I am the new assigned cat sitter when they go on vacations.
Yep, seems like more times than not, the pets know. *s*