Lock Down, Lighten Up.

jeannie — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 21:54:32 +0000

Uh-Oh, Where Did All These Pounds Come From?!

If you are a pet owner, you already have the great advantage of easily staying in shape during the COVID lockdown. I noticed, when my company began its remote work environment back in March, that I right away began gaining weight, and it piled on fast. Took about a minute to figure out I was engaging in more than my normal amount of comfort eating. I knew I had to think outside the box to get that weight back off, because I hate exercising. And, for a comfort eater, dieting is a very ugly word.

How Bandit Is Helping Me Lose Weight.

But it wasn’t hard to figure out the perfect answer. I already take my awesome little dog Bandit out in the back yard every day for play time – at least twice a day, even three or four times a day sometimes now that I’m working from home during the lockdown. It’s our time together out in the sunshine and fresh air, and we love it. But he was the one getting all the exercise. I just threw the ball. So for me the answer was easy — I just started running with him. Boom – problem solved. Now I throw the ball and chase it right alongside Bandit. He thinks that’s pretty cool, by the way. Dogs love when you’re as excited about their toys as they are. Sometimes we just get down on the floor and wrestle. Bandit couldn’t be more thrilled for the extra attention and playtime, and I’m encouraged knowing it’s working for the good of my health as well.

How Gabriel Is Helping Me Lose Weight, Too.

I also have cats — Gabriel, SpeedBump, and Chelsea. Although they sleep a lot more than Bandit, they do have their moments during the day when they get tickled and zoom the house. So I’m taking advantage of those moments and zoom along with them, trailing long cat toys behind me for them to catch, or tossing squeaky toys across the room and running with them to retrieve. Or making it a game of tag you’re it. My cats love when I chase them through the house!

Better Than Taking A Happy Pill.

There are occasionally days during this never-ending lockdown when I don’t feel so much like running and playing, but I push on anyway. Once we start and I feel the energy flowing, I’m very happy to be at it; almost feels like I took a happy pill! And the pets are relieved to be shedding pent-up energy, too. Remember — exercise benefits both you and your pets by reducing, even eliminating, stress, which we all know is bad bad bad for your body. And Lord knows the lockdown has put a boatload of stress on everyone. So, with the new more interactive playtime in our house, the pets are happier, I’m happier, everyone’s healthier. And – the weight is coming off. It’s a win-win for us all.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie. ?

About jeannie: I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post Lock Down, Lighten Up. appeared first on BareFootPets.

Pets And The Corona Virus.

jeannie — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 04:50:06 +0000

Well, here I sit at home, self-quarantined because I woke up today with a sore throat and swollen glands. My employer has already closed the office and we’re all tele-working at home for the foreseeable future anyway. So it just makes sense I should write in the BareFootPets blog today about the corona virus, right.

Include Your Pets During Crisis Preparation.

There is no arguing that folks have gone crazy trying to prepare during the corona virus crisis. Have you also taken action to prepare for your pet as well? As more and more people are becoming quarantined, and are self-quarantining, be mindful that you also need to accommodate your pet’s needs.

Food.

Obviously you should ensure you have a good amount of your pet’s regular food on hand in the event you become unable to get out to shop for it later. If you are a late-comer to the preparedness stage of this crisis, don’t fret. You can easily feed your pet home-cooked meals until you are able to rebuild your supply of pet food. Boiled chicken with rice and vegetables is always a big hit. Use common sense when home-cooking for your pet — avoid spices, be very careful to de-bone completely, etc.

Supplies.

You should stock up on kitty litter, pee pads, prescriptions, supplements, water, … especially prescriptions. Don’t compromise your furbaby’s health by allowing these items to run out. If you already are under quarantine and Fido needs a refill, call your veterinarian and ask if they can send refills to you by mail. If mail is not a possibility, then pay by phone and ask a neighbor or friend to pick up the meds for you and deliver them to your front door where you can step out quickly and retrieve them.

Even if you are not a bottled water user, it’s always smart to have a couple of cases on-hand in case of emergency. If your municipal water supply became tainted or in short supply, you would need bottled water to fall back on. This includes for your pets. REMINDER: keep your pet’s bowl and water supply fresh and clean–every day.

If pee pads are in short supply on store shelves, or you just need to tighten your spending for awhile, get creative again. Just put down a trash bag and cover it with an old bath towel. This can act as a pee pad until the crisis passes and you’re able to get shopping again for the real deal. Same idea with kitty litter. If your cash flow or store supplies are low, just put some sand or dirt from your garden into the litterbox. Agreed, it may not be as fresh-smelling, but your kitty will be happy to use it until you can replenish your litter supply.

Exercise / Activity.

Are you and Fido used to daily walks, but now you’re in quarantine? You both can still stay active–just be creative. Make use of your back yard to play fetch with a tennis ball, blow bubbles for him to catch, or just chase each other around. You can get really creative and set up a make-shift obstacle course for him. How fun would that be!

If you don’t have a yard, you can make do inside your home, like chasing up and down a hallway, wrestling on the carpet, playing hide n seek under the bed blankets, chasing each other around the sofa, anything stimulating that will help to get both your pet’s and your heart rates up for 20 minutes or so a day. Your pet will love the new mix-up in recreation too. Just don’t let yourselves get bored and lazy. Those are hard habits to break.

could i BE any happier?!

Companionship.

This is where your pet shines! If you become quarantined, whether mandatory or self, you might find yourself going stir-crazy at some point. Your pet will get you through it beautifully. He’ll be right by your side–thrilled to have you at home with him every day. He’ll keep you company and lift your spirits. He’ll entertain you and keep you laughing. He’ll help you stay active. He won’t even care what you’re doing, as long as he’s with you, whether curled up sleeping or reading a book, or rolling around with him on the floor. And he won’t make fun of your “bed-head” … or maybe he will. He will infuse your home with joy and love. Doesn’t get any better than that.

As Long As You’re Focused.

Most of the ideas above are simple little no-brainers. As long as you’re paying attention and focused on taking care of everyone’s needs, including your pet’s, you’ll be fine. And remember to be creative and stay active, intellectually and physically. Lastly, if you do find yourself quarantined, count your blessings for the precious little furry soul happily sitting at your side. God’s gift in the middle of the storm.