Have you been wanting to get a dog, but you are afraid that you won’t have time to properly care for it? Are your kids pestering you to get them a four-legged friend, and are you terrified at the idea of having yet another creature to take care of and take to medical appointments? Or are you already a dog owner and struggling to make time to properly care for your pet? These tips will help you figure out how to take proper care of a dog when you are on a busy schedule.
Combine your and your dog’s exercise routines
Everyone needs to exercise! Dogs are renowned for needing to be walked several times a day, for both toileting and exercising purposes. For at least one of those times, find a routine which allows you both to exercise, such as running together in the park or playing a fast-paced game of fetch. Even walking itself can be a form of exercise if you do it fast enough. Here is a list of ten workouts you can do with your dog. Spoiler alert: it even includes a suggestion on how to improve your tennis skills while playing with your furry friend!
Find a walk-in vet clinic
One of the reasons why many people with busy lives are put off pet ownership is the thought of having to schedule appointments with the vet on top of medical appointments for themselves and possibly their kids. The solution to this problem is to find a veterinary clinic which offers walk-in appointments, such as the twenty practices which easyvet.com have across the United States. These vet clinics also offer an online waiting list as well as scheduled appointments, giving you plenty of flexible options for fitting your dog’s healthcare into your busy diary.
Hire a dog walker
Dogs get lonely really quickly and leaving them alone for a long period of time can make them miserable – which in turn will make them more likely to wreck your home. If your job takes you out of your home for most of the day, an obvious solution to this problem is hiring a dog walker to take care of your dog while you are at work. Dog walking and dog sitting are now established industries, and you are likely to be able to choose from several companies and individuals in your area, so follow these tips to make sure you find the best pet sitter for your dog.
The obvious disadvantage of relying on dog walkers is that it can be an expensive service. If money is an issue for you, consider joining a time bank or setting up another kind of skill swap agreement with someone you know. For example, your retired neighbor might have time to walk your dog during the week while you are at work, and you might be able to repaint their walls or do other house jobs for them at the weekend. This way everyone benefits!