Pet Calendar: National Pet Day

By Robbi Hess — Managing Editor, Pet Calendar; Crimeless Cat Executive Story Editor; Chief Cat Herder

Today (April 11) is National Pet Day! If you’re a pet parent, you know that EVERY day we spend with our pets — no matter what species is a day for celebration! Whether you’re a pet parent to a dog, cat, reptile, fish, bird, ferret, rat, chicken or pot bellied pig, today is a time to give that beloved pet of yours an extra long belly rub, treat or simply time spent with one another.

Pet Calendar: National Pet Day

We have come up with some ways to spend time with your pet and yes, many of them are cat and dog centric, but we’ve tossed in a few that we hope will work for all pets!

Go to a park together. I know my dogs love going for a walk. My cats also enjoy being out of doors; they fight getting into the harness, but once they are out in the sunshine and are chasing butterflies, they love it. I’ll bet almost any pet might love a trip outside to breathe in the fresh air and feel the grass under her feet.
Offer a special treat. Our pets usually get fruits and veggies for treats, but today I will let them have a yummy dog treat or perhaps a lick of whipped cream off my iced coffee drink. I’ll bet that most any pet has a special treat that would simply tickle his tummy.
Speaking of tummy tickles… give your pet some extra love today. Slow down and enjoy time with your pet. So many times we are walking our dogs, but we are using our phones. Today stop multi-tasking and take the same joy out of a walk that your pet does. You may find that on the next walk or the next time you devote to spending quality time with your pet will be enhanced because you’re living in the moment.
Buy your pet something new. Our pets have a trunk full of toys, but they love it when any kind of new toy is brought into the house. They will ignore the old toys and play with the new. If you’re crafy, you could even make some catnip kick toys for your kitties.
Have a pet photo shoot. When is the last time you and your pet had a photo taken together? I’ll bet if you check your phone or camera, you have dozens (who am I kidding… hundreds!) of photos of your pet doing adorable things, but how many photos are you in with your pet? Ask a friend or family member to take a pic of you with your pet; it’s a great way to celebrate National Pet Day.
Teach your pet a trick. Teaching your dog a trick is a great way to bond with him. Whether you’re teaching him to jump through a hoop or to “sit” it’s a way to communicate with him, teach him something new and reward him for a job well done. Our dogs love to please us and learning a trick is just one of the many things you can do with your dog. Don’t forget, cats can be trained! It will take a bit longer than training a dog and cats are more motivated by food than by praise, but if you’re patient you can train a cat!

Our pets bring us unconditional love every day. We need to make sure we return the favor every chance we get!