Did you know that February is Responsible Pet Owners Month?!
We hope every pet owner is responsible all the time, but this month we want to focus on what makes a pet owner “responsible”. Here are some easy steps you can take to be responsible for your pet and also for your community.
Use a Leash: There are so many reasons why following the leash laws in your area is important. Even if your dog’s recall is always reliable, there are health and safety reasons that you should be considerate with your leash use. In natural areas, your dog off-leash can do serious damage to wildlife habitat and to the wildlife itself. You also want to consider that in a leash area, other owners expect dogs to be stuck to their owner’s sides, not loose and running freely. They might bring a reactive dog to an area where they aren’t expecting to have any nose-to-nose encounters and your free dog could really ruin their day while risking everyone’s safety. Not to mention that there are lots of places where you will get fined a pretty penny if you’re caught breaking the rules! Everyone who walks their dog has the same goals for the most part: to get some exercise, have some fun, and make it home safely! Keep your pup leashed and follow the rules, responsible owners!
Scoop the Poop: Dog poop can spread disease, medications your pup takes can make their way into the ground water and waterways, and don’t forget that it’s just plain gross when you leave your dog’s poop around! Bring clean-up bags with you on all the excursions you take. If you’re going to be awesome and pick up your dog’s poop in a bag, then don’t ruin your hard work by leaving the bagged poop on the side of the trail! Need more reasons? We wrote about this topic more here.
Teach Polite Manners: Your dog can be a model citizen with some coaching and practice! Little spurts of training work put in on a consistent basis can generate a polite companion in the world. Training is engaging and enriching for your dog. It is great for improving mood and encouraging calm behavior in general. It’s also a great time for the human involved as well! There’s nothing quite like succeeding in learning a new skill with your dog. We’d love to help! We would love to see you in a class or a private lesson, but mostly we just hope you and your dog area having fun learning and growing!
Thanks for going above and beyond to demonstrate responsibility for your pet in these ways and others. We appreciate you!
