You worry because you are leading a busy life that you will no longer be able to have your furry family member reside with you. Some even criticize you and tell you that you are not able to give your fur child the enrichment that is needed to ensure a happy life. All of this is untrue because, with some planning and creativity, you can have your cake and eat it also by following the five below recommendations for caring for a pet on a busy schedule.
Use Automatic Feeders
Automatic feeders are lifesavers to those who lead busy lives. Many busy pet owners are in love with automatic feeders because they significantly reduce stress for those who find themselves juggling a plethora of responsibilities.
Automatic feeders can be filled with food, and then they can be set to dispense food for pets to consume at their designated mealtimes. There are a variety of automatic feeders on the market. Some allow for more food storage than others. If you use an automatic feeder, you will need to choose the one that best fits your lifestyle as well as your budget.
Once you have your automatic feeder of choice, you can set up your pet’s meals and forget about them, and you can continue with your responsibilities with peace of mind knowing your pet is not going to go hungry.
Engage in Meal Planning
When you think of meal planning, you think of healthy meals you will prepare for yourself and your family ahead of time so you can ensure you have food ready to eat when you need it. However, you can also meal plan for your pets.
Meal planning is essential if you are feeding your pets a raw food diet. Let’s say, for instance, you have a dog, and you want to feed him exclusively a raw diet. You will plan out your meals for the month by ordering your dog’s food from a raw dog food company, and then you will portion out each of your dog’s meals once the food arrives.
If you have ordered raw dog food that is freeze-dried or dehydrated, then you can portion out your dog’s meals in individual sandwich bags. If you have chosen to order fresh food, you will portion all your dog’s meals into sandwich bags, but you will store all the food in the freezer and take out a few days’ worths of food, and put it into the refrigerator. When it is mealtime, you will grab a meal and feed.
Use Pet Monitoring Services
When you are at work or going about your errands and other responsibilities, pet monitoring services enable you to check in on your pet from your phone or tablet.
The way pet monitoring services work is that you will log in via an app or a website, and you will be able to see your pet in real-time. Some services will enable you to communicate with your pet and even activate certain toys for them to facilitate play.
Provide an Enriching Environment
Pets become bored and depressed when they spend significant amounts of time alone. Dogs are at risk of experiencing boredom and depression because they are not solitary animals, and they thrive on social interaction with their owners.
According to the ASPCA, dogs will become destructive when they are bored and depressed, and they will engage in behaviors such as excessive barking, inappropriate relieving habits, and destroying items around the house.
Cats become bored also and will sometimes become destructive. To ensure your pet does not become bored or depressed, it is crucial that you provide an enriching environment that will keep their minds and bodies busy.
Food puzzles containing treats are a way for you to keep your pet busy for hours, and you can keep them happy and motivated as they will work for their treats. Food puzzles filled with treats are fun for both dogs and cats. Window beds and scratching posts with fun, dangling items will make your cat feel complete. Squeaky toys for tough chewers will make a dog’s life complete.
Hire a Dog Walker
Dogs need a significant amount of exercise. They must be walked often and be allowed to play in open spaces. If you find you are away from your home for extended periods, you will want to hire a dog walker who will walk your dog daily for you.
Cat parents will not have to worry about hiring someone for exercise because cats are not as active as dogs, and they do not even have to go outside. All you need to do to ensure cats get their exercise is to schedule regular play sessions with them. You can also provide cats with toys that they can bat around as this will keep them busy for hours.
Closing Thought
Just because you are busy does not mean you cannot love and care for a pet. With some planning and creativity, you can enjoy the unconditional love of your furry family member and care for your responsibilities with minimal effort.
