If I were to ask you, " what makes for a happy family," I am
quite sure to receive some very different answers as family can be interpreted several different ways. Are we talking about
our professional family whom we spend so much time with on a day to day basis, or are we too assume that family is our at-home
life with our spouse and our children?
Our at home family consists
of several things that our professional family does not have. Not many of us can take our children to the office, as our
productivity would no doubt suffer. It's not often you hear of people taking their pets with them to the office.
So lets assume that "happy family" is our home, our kids, our
cottage weekends or even our pets. Pets can bring so much joy and happiness to even the most uptight and strict of households.
I for one, believe they are a very important part of ones family unit, as they have the ability to make us laugh when we
are feeling down and provide us with a level of unconditional love that we rarely even see in our spouse or children.
We should learn to celebrate the milestones we achieve with our pets, as they
show us their gratitude without any reservation.
I feel honoured
to be involved in the Purina Pet People Ambassador program again this year, as it has made us more aware of the importance
of being a good "pet parent." Our pets make our lives better in so many ways. Purina believes that they also make
our lives bigger and together we can do the same for them as a show of support for the joy they provide us with everyday.
Purina has always been about making a difference in your pet's lives, through innovation in food, nutrition, cognitive health
and food safety. For them, it's all about the pets.
Five things we as pet owners (lovers) can strive for this
year to enhance their lives are as follows:
-Daily Walks- Paisley absolutely loves to go for
long walks, be it to the local park or just around the neighbourhood. They give her the exercise she needs to stay healthy
and active. These walks allow for a more confident interaction with people and other pets. The added bonus is she is exhausted
when she returns and stays out of mischief.
-Family Vacations- We have always taken our dogs
with us to the cottage in the summer. She likes the freedom of being able to roam around and play with kids at the lake.
Late day naps on the deck are well deserved.
-Rewards For Good Behavior- Purina has provided Paisley
with a wide variety of food and snacks designed to help keep her healthy and happy. Rewarding good behavior is essential,
as it helps to promote it. Paisley loves the Purina Beggin' Strips as well as the DentaLife Chews.
-Crate Freedom- For many dog owners there is a level
of anxiety associated with leaving pets alone all day, sometimes locked in a crate. The crates do provide the pet with a
sense of comfort, as it is theirs. We are currently working with Paisley in hopes of being able to leave the crate door open
when we are away from home. She is however, still in puppy mode and can get into trouble at the drop of a sock. Our goal
is to give her that added freedom of either going in to sleep or lying around wherever she feels like it.
-Reduction In Anxiety Around Noises- Paisley has
an affinity for jumping out of her skin when she hears noises that are foreign to her. This year we will strive to rid her
of this and make her feel more confident and self-assured with her surroundings. Getting her comfortable with the vacuum
cleaner or hair dryer would be a great start.
If any of this makes
sense or sounds familiar, please feel free to comment or share your words of wisdom. I don't claim to be a pet professional,
I am open to learning from others through their own experiences.
I
will continue to live for and love my family to the best of my ability. My family includes my husband, my four girls and
of course my little Paisley. I am complete...
"99% of Purina pet food products sold in Canada are manufactured
in North America at their company-owned and operated facilities. Get to know the facilities that enable us to advance pet
nutrition and ensure the safety of your pets. Learn More: https://www.purina.ca/quality-nutrition-category/quality-safety/ "
This post was sponsored by Purina Canada. The views and
opinions expressed in this blog, however, are purely my own.
