Show your pet some extra love during Pet Appreciation Week

June 1st through 7th is National Pet Appreciation Week!

Isn’t it great to walk in the door after a long day at the office and have your pup come running up to greet you excitedly? Maybe you get home and get all settled in on the couch and the cat leaps up to sit on your lap, purring happily. Our pets certainly make us feel appreciated, and this week we can return that appreciation with a little extra fervor.

Showing your pet that you appreciate him or her is mutually beneficial to your pet and yourself. Studies show that owning a pet improves heart health and helps to decrease stress and anxiety. When you take your canine friend for a thirty minute walk every day, you’re also getting your daily amount of recommended exercise (When you have Fido to keep you active, who needs that gym, anyway? It’s a win-win.)

How can we thank our pets for the many blessings they bestow on us? Besides plenty of exercise and delicious treats, you can spend quality time with your pet through some games and activities—even pet field trips! Show your pet a little extra love this week with some of these great ideas. They’ll sure feel appreciated and you’ll feel pretty great about it too!

• Take your pup camping! Dogs love spending time in the outdoors. There’s nothing quite like sitting around a campfire with man’s-best-friend at your side.
• Everyone knows that dogs love to play fetch, but did you know that cats enjoy it too? Make sure to throw the toy across the room where it is still in sight and that the toy is small enough in size for them to carry in their mouth but large enough that they don’t swallow it.
• Introduce your pup to some new surroundings! Contact a local farmer and inquire about a tour. Your dog will be head-over-paws about the new sights, sounds, and smells.
• Playing with kitty? Cats feel less threatened the closer you are to their level. Get down on the floor with your feline friend and spend some time cuddling. Your cat will be purring in no time.
• Keep your pets well groomed! We feel better after a fresh haircut or a nice manicure and so do our tail-wagging loved ones. Make sure to regularly trim your pet’s nails and groom their coats. Your pet will feel and look so great, you may have to break out the camera for some “pet selfies!”
• Make some organic pet treats! Not only will your pet love the taste of these fresh-baked treats, they also have great health benefits. Click here for one of ourfavorite recipes.
• Many hiking trails are marked “dog friendly.” Enjoy a stroll through nature with your four-legged family member.
• Cats love chasing reflections. Catch the light from a CD or other reflective object and watch your cat go wild while getting a daily dose of healthy exercise. Make sure to avoid laser pointers. They can be bad for your cat’s ocular health.
• Pets will inevitably get sick or injured sometime during their lives and when that happens, preparedness is key. So make sure you have a PetFirst pet insurance policy. With plans that cover chronic and even breed-specific hereditary conditions, PetFirst pet insurance gives you peace-of-mind so that you and your pet can focus on a healthy, happy recovery instead of the cost of treatment.

At PetFirst, we understand that your pets are more than just companions—they’re family. Let’s show our furry loved ones a little extra love this week. Let us know how you appreciate your pet! Email us a picture of your pet along with their story to petfirstfamily@petfirst.com and we may feature your cat or dog on our Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter pages, or our website!

Happy Pet Appreciation Week!

PetFirst is the fastest growing pet insurer in North America offering easy-to-understand lifelong coverage for dogs and cats. PetFirst’s comprehensive coverage is unique in the industry providing simplified policies with coverage for hereditary, chronic and breed-specific conditions with no per diagnosis limits.  PetFirst offers pet insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia through animal welfare agencies, retailers, employers as well as other partners.  PetFirst polices are underwritten by American Alternative Insurance Corporation (Munich Re) which is rated by A.M. Best as A+.  Additional services are underwritten by Lloyd’s.  For more information about PetFirst pet insurance, visit www.petfirst.com or call 855-270-7387.