Fw: Cats & Dogs for Friday April 18, 2008

April 18, 2008

Cats & Dogs for Friday April 18, 2008

Cats & Dogs

If You're Stressed Out, So Are Your Pets By Ruth Klein

In this high-stress world, your pets can be stressed-out, too. Take care of your pets with these seven easy steps. 1. Don't let your stress become contagious: Because stress is infectious, and your precious pal will reflect your stress. It's important to calm yourself down if you feel stressed or angry before you approach your pet, so either take a few deep breaths or go for a walk to become more calm. 2. Pay Attention: Pay attention to your pet's behavior or symptoms to recognize when your pet is feeling stressed. During your pet's next checkup, ask your veterinarian what to look for, and follow your vet's recommendations. Ignoring stress symptoms can lead to expensive ailments down the road. Be proactive. 3. Be Loving: Even in today's fast-paced, over-worked society, even a few minutes spent loving and paying attention to your pet can be so rewarding. Just as stress is contagious, so is affection. You'll have a less-stressed pet and a less stressed you. So, use some extra time each day to show him how you care for him. 4. Play: Unwind from your stressful day with a few minutes spent just playing with your pet. Combine your need to exercise with caring for your dog by taking your dog for short walks before and after work, or before and after taking your children to school or other activities. 5. Integrate: Don't think of your pet as just one more in a dozen of multi-tasking chores you face each day. Make attending one-on-one with your pet part of your schedule every day. While you are preparing a healthy meal for you and your family or friends, prepare nutritious pet food and replace your pet's water dish with fresh water. Your pet is your friend, not an obligation. 6. Delegate: Arrange for a trusted friend, family member or even pet sitter to care for your pet on days when you work late, have multiple activities or have to be away on a trip. Write down precise instructions that include emergency numbers for your veterinarian or a local pet care clinic with 24-hour availability. Anticipate stress events by preparing a to-do list if your pet becomes ill, becomes stressed or suffers from separation anxiety. Keep this data where you can get to it easily and find it easy to review and stick with. 7. Relax: Nobody's perfect and that includes pet owners. Don't aim to do everything; just strive to do your best. It's important to be forgiving if you haven't paid enough attention to your pet on a certain day due to your own restraints. Forgiving yourself out loud, in fact, is a wonderful stress reducer. Once you become more harmonious, that will shadow forth in your pet, and then you'll feel even better, and he will too...It's a round robin. ======== Ruth Klein, America's De-Stress Diva", is owner of the award-winning firm The Marketing/Time Source. With a master's degree in clinical psychology, Klein, is the author of the best-selling Time Management Secrets for Working Women and five other books on business and lifestyle topics. Sign up to receive Ruth's 7 Part Mini-Course on ng and Productivity. http://tinyurl.com/25tqo5 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruth_Klein http://EzineArticles.com/?If-Youre-Stressed-Out,-So-Are...

How Gardening Actually Evolved

Find out more about the history of one of the most popular outdoor hobbies -- read How Gardening Actually Evolved, just one of the fun features in ArcaMax's Spring Gardening Guide. The Guide also includes useful tips on keeping pests out of your garden, plant profiles, and gardening-themed games, along with all the great features you love from the ArcaMax Gardening channel. Visit the Spring Gardening Guide. Subscribe to ArcaMax Gardening instantly for gardening tips, reader-submitted photos, and more by e-mail. Find out more before subscribing. -- From the ArcaMax editors

Today's Reader Submitted Photos

Click an image above to see full size and read caption.

To see more of our subscriber photos visit our full Photo Gallery.Enter your Cats & Dogs pictures so you can show them off to other readers right here in this ezine and on the ArcaMax.com Web site. Click here to submit your photo. Sincerely, ArcaMax Editors

Recent Stories Dog Breeds - Cairn Terrier Pet Care - 5 Easy Ways to Keep Happy Pets Dog Breeds - German Shepherd Would You Risk Your Life for Your Pet? Dog Breeds - Yorkshire Terrier More Archived Stories

Sign In

Fw: Cats & Dogs for Friday April 18, 2008

Recommended Posts

Guest guest

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Join the conversation

Activity