Show Some Love for Your Pet This Month and Every Month

It’s still February, folks, the shortest month of the year. But, boy, can it drag on here in Massachusetts.

About 2 feet of snow fell in the last week. Will my morning dog walk be in ice and snow, or do we trod through an early thaw and come home a muddy mess?

As the February celebration of Love Your Pet Day and Responsible Pet Owner Month comes to a close, here are a few of the simplest ways to show your responsible love for your pet.

Time

Americans are known throughout the world for rushing around like maniacs and never stopping to take a breath.

But stop and take a big breath with your pets. Giving your pet your time is the best gift of all. After all, who is at home waiting patiently for you to walk through that door with unconditional love?

Well, for one, Jellyroll, the jumping Parsons Jack Russell terrierwho goes berserk at your entrance. The guinea pig chortles at the sound of the door opening, and the parrot starts voicing a hello. And Muffin Top, the Siamese, barely raises a paw, but you know she’s just playing hard to get. They all want you! “Open a new can, Mom.” “Throw me a handful of parsley, lady.” “Open this cage now, slowpoke!”

• “Lemme lick your face…lemme lick your face…lemme lick your face.”

Wow, this is the best reception you’ve gotten all day.

Relaxation time with your pet is good for you, too. Petting your creatures lowers your blood pressure, allows you to meditate and may let you forget the burdens of the day.

Your pets are grateful for this simplest of gifts -- and it didn’t cost you a thing.

Exercise

With all the fitness training, diets and workout clothes selling like hotcakes out there, we should all be in a Fitbit frenzy. But many Americans have workout wear that never leaves the dresser drawer. For all the running around we supposedly do, we don’t exercise enough.

No argument that exercise is good for you but it’s essential for your pet. Dogs need more than a quick trip to the backyard for enrichment.

And for the inside critters? Let them out of those cages and play with those lazy cats! C'mon -- let’s get moving with our pets and all get a jump on springtime.

Pet Insurance

Time and exercise are free gifts you can give your pet. Pet insurance is not.

It will cost you some funds, but it will save youin the long run. Insurance gives you peace of mind, helps you do the best you can for your pet and ensures that your pet has a better chance at staying healthy or recovering from an illness or trauma.

These cats try everything they can do to keep their human healthy:

Taking Responsibility Is Key

"Responsible love" may seem like a strange term. How could any kind of pet love be irresponsible?

Well, I guess I’m doing too much tabloid browsing at the supermarket checkout or on my phone, reading about celebrities and billionaires building replicas of their own chateausfor their pets or even leaving them exorbitant trust funds. Does a poodle know it sleeps in the best dog house in Beverly Hills? Are those pet trust funds for canine college or feline internships?

There are more responsible ways for us regular folks to show our love to our pets. Your pet will appreciate you more when she's on your lap or running in a field than when she's penned up in her Maltese mini-mansion.

You are the best thing that ever happened to your pet. And your pet is the best thing that ever happened to you.

This pet health content was written by a veterinarian, Dr. Debora Lichtenberg, VMD. It was last reviewed Feb. 22, 2017.