The year is 2019 and the word parenthood has never been so widely diverse. As the definition of parents continues to expand, we find ourselves fostering the most beautiful of relationships with our babies—be it two-legged humans or cute, little pets. Among other things, having a living being depend on you for shelter and growth shapes the way we lead life. Not only do you adjust your sleeping arrangements and schedules for errands, the way you position furniture and appliances alter, too.
If you’re one to raise a fur baby, here’s a thorough read on the list of things you can do to make paw-parenting easier for you!
1.Clean your baby’s little chill spot every day
Like actual humans, pets, too, have a spot in the house they find relaxing to lounge at. Could it be the window-side? Perhaps, the piano chair? Maybe the space between sofas? Wherever your baby’s favorite hangout area is considered cleaning it daily. If not dusting it, try spraying it clean with soap and water.
This is especially true for cats and their litter boxes. Our babies are absolute cuties, but their germs aren’t any less harmful than ours. If you don’t sanitize your feline’s litter box, you breed a number of flu-causing germs in your household.
2. Your pet’s sleeping area should be clean at all times
Besides being the number one container of grime, fur, dirt, and occasional poop and pee, your fur baby’s bedding can also be a magnet to ticks, flea eggs, and other potential skin parasites. Remember that clean bedding goes beyond comfortable sleeping for our pets. It keeps pet dander and falling hair to a minimum, as well. This task proves to be extra helpful for anyone in your home who has allergies or asthma.
If your feline and canine kids like hanging out in your bedroom with you, a waterproof mattress protector also helps in keeping your personal lounging space clean. As much as you can, protect your own little sleeping space and make sure it’s also always clean! Having your paw-ed pals in bed may seem romantic and dreamy, but doing so all the time exposes you to potential risk as well.
The truth is, it doesn’t matter how big your space is or where exactly you and your fur babies hang out the most. The bottom line is that fleas, lice, and mites can be dangerous to everyone in your household.
3. Always wash your hands or carry around a hand sanitizer
There should be no shortage of belly rubs and fur baby petting in the affection department. Just don’t forget to always wash your hands after feeding, playing, cleaning up after, or touching them. When you wash your hands with soap and water, you decrease the spread of diseases that call for ingestion as the medium for transmission. By consistently doing so, you also cut down the chances of contracting salmonella, ringworm, E. Coli, and other zoonotic diseases.
For a convenient flow of things, make sure to keep a bar of soap in various areas at home to make it easier to access hand washing.
4. Properly store pet food
No one would want to eat anything that’s been left out in the open overnight. If you’re not doing it, then your pet certainly shouldn’t be, too. According to studies, dry dog food is an easy target for salmonella. Once this is transmitted to people, we can be easily susceptible to severe illnesses; especially if our immune systems are weak.
Don’t forget to keep dry food inside airtight containers. The same goes to wet food, which by the way, should also be placed in the fridge should it have already been opened. This prevents bacterial growth. By all means, do not store food inside your bedroom. Cats and dogs are both equally great at memorizing where food is kept. Don’t forget that pet owners sleep, too! By not keeping any animal treats inside your space, you prevent surprise attacks from bugs and insects.
5. Regularly wash food and water containers
Here’s a quick trivia: if you think faucet handles, countertops, and cutting boards are the dirtiest places in your house, you’re wrong. It turns out pet bowls can be filled with even more germs than the ones mentioned before that. When our pawed children drink and eat from their tiny containers, bacteria is transmitted from their saliva.
When we don’t clean our pets’ containers properly and regularly, we expose both ourselves and our fur babies to a plethora of sicknesses. Don’t be hesitant to wash these bowls by hand. Know that your hygiene is saving you, our pets and even the children of our pets.
6. Get rid of furniture and floor pet hair
Regular vacuuming is compulsory! It doesn’t matter if you struggle with asthma or not. This feat proves to be even truer when you have cats. Because they produce a protein found in their saliva, skin cells, and urine, they’re more likely to cause allergies for some us. For best results and healthier surroundings, vacuum your floors and carpets with a HEPA filter at least once a week. An enzymatic odor eliminator best rids pet vomit, urine, and stool stains.
Make sure you wash your rugs weekly, too! Dogs and cats find a lot of comfort in resting on them, so it’s important these are clean and pleasant-smelling. If they’re all torn and worn out by now, consider visiting the best place to buy rugs online and see if you’ll find new ones your fur babies will want.
7. Clean your pet’s toys regularly
Public health organization NSF International produced a long list of germiest items found at home. One of them was pet toys. The study says unwashed pet toys attract mold, coliform bacteria, and yeast. In turn, these can cause skin infections if you come in contact with them. NSF suggests for these toys to be washed with soap using hot water and then disinfected with a mild bleach compound.
If that’s too much work for the busy you, tossing these toys into a washing machine doesn’t hurt, as well. Although it’s best to replace these toys should they show signs of tearing or damage. Many of these toys are made with polyester stuffing and other harmful materials for our pets. Our pet’s collars should also be washed regularly.
The cleaner their things are, the more likely it is for them to adjust to cleanliness, too. Dogs are attracted to repetitive behavior. The more controlled your pet’s hygiene is, the easier it is for you to also take care of yourself. This is why constantly cleaning your pets’ surroundings and things is just as important as keeping your own percale sheets king fresh and germ-free. It’s a reflection of who you are!
8. Make sure your fur baby’s play area outside is clean
Cleaning up after our pupper’s can be a disgusting activity no one looks forward to doing. Perhaps, this is the reason pooper scoopers are still very much in business. But properly picking up dog poop in public spaces and playgrounds is important—especially if children are likely to play around these areas. Because children are most susceptible to unhygienic behavior, coming into contact with fecal matter is a high possibility for them.
Our dogs and cats are cute little fur balls but their waste can be life-threatening. Remember to wear gloves and use poop-ridding instruments when displacing their waste. Earth-friendly dog waste bags can be bought in pet shops, too, so you might want to stock up on them.
9. Use pet-friendly cleaning materials
The instruments you use to clean are just as important as how frequently you clean. Many ordinary household cleaning materials can be dangerous for our paw-ed babies. Concentrated dishwasher detergent, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, lime-eliminating products, as well as concentrated toilet cleaners are all perfect examples of what our pets will not find pleasant to be around.
Experts suggest that we use natural cleaners when sanitizing our home and furniture. Appliance soap with chemical solutions can be harmful to our fur babies’ respiratory system. Cats, particularly, are prone to experiencing asthma and breathing problems should they be exposed to heavy chemical-based cleaning aid.
As established, a trip to a pet shop helps you make better decisions on what pet toys you should buy and what kind of materials they can be exposed to. Pet shops are great sources of information as to what materials they’re most likely to respond well to. There are also a lot of toys that are intended for both the pets and their humans. Invest in toys like these to strengthen your bond.
10. Talk to your pets
As much as talking to your pets help put your dogs and cats at ease, it’s also been proven to be good for the human heart. Yes, you read that right. At this point, talking to your four-legged baby contributes more to your welfare than it does to them. But that’s not to say they don’t appreciate it. Further studies say that dogs respond well to dog-related speech. In other words, they react positively to sound patterns they’re familiar with. This is why dogs are a lot easier to train compared to cats.
The feline species, on the other hand, may seem aloof at first, but they’ve also been proven to remember sound patterns. Cats, however, respond better to physical behavior in that they can sense what their human is about to do.
Whatever your preferred liking is, don’t hesitate to talk to them about your day. They sure won’t understand every word you say, but they’re most likely to be fantastic listeners, if not just good company.
Overall, living with your furry best friends require a special kind of lifestyle. You’ll have to revolve more around what works best for them as opposed to what you’re used to when alone. Housekeeping chores should be shaped after what our cats and dogs can accommodate. After all, their health is just as important as ours!
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