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Even though an emotional support animal is supposed to offer you some therapeutic benefits, looking after it can be stressful. No matter how hard it is to take care of your therapy dog, it will always love you and help take care of you. Â Here are some tips for taking care of your emotional support animal.
Caring for your therapy pet with exercise
Exercising with your pet is the best way for you and the dog to get in shape. Aside from getting an opportunity to burn calories, exercising will give you a chance to bond. Regular exercise is the best way to keep your therapy dog healthy. If you fail to walk your dog regularly, it might gain extra weight, which is unhealthy.
Take your pet for frequent vet check-ups
Taking your dog to the vet for frequent check-ups is one the best way to keep it healthy and prevent costly medical conditions in future. When you identify an illness early, you can treat or cure it before it worsens and becomes difficult to manage. You can use homeopathic remedies to prevent or treat such illnesses and keep your ESA healthy.
Feed your emotional support animal properly
You can show your pet that you appreciate it by feeding it right. However, you need to take extra caution when choosing food or treats for a specific dog breed. You should visit local pet stores or consult your vet to find out what the best treats for your dog are.
Give your therapy pet attention
Like humans, animals are social creatures that require dedication and love to thrive. For this reason, you should spend time with your dog if you want to give it mental and physical stimulation. Here are some easy ways:
- Buy toys and playsets that you can use together
- Give your therapy pet enough room; the bigger your dog is, the more room it will need
- Give the dog an occasional treat to solidify and encourage its good behavior
Check your dog’s eyes and earsÂ
Pets are prone to ear infections and ear mites. Both of these conditions are treatable and you can take the necessary steps to lower the number of visits your dog takes to the vet because of ear problems. The best ear care that you can provide for your dog is keeping its ears dry and clean by inspecting them during your daily grooming sessions.
ESAs also suffer from eye problems. You need to be on the lookout for symptoms such as swollen eyes, redness, and watery eyes. To avoid serious problems, you should inspect your pet’s eyes often and keep the surrounding hair clean. If you spot any unusual symptom, you should take your dog to the vet immediately.
Provide positive reinforcement to your pet
Whenever your dog behaves badly or defecates in the wrong area, you should treat it nicely instead of yelling at it and punishing it. On the other hand, you should give your dog a treat and praise whenever it behaves well to encourage the same behavior. Positive reinforcement is the quickest way to teach your dog the right behavior and encourage it to behave well in future.
Grooming your pet
Regular pet grooming is another great way to show your emotional support animal that you care. Grooming basics include:
- Brush their teeth
- Trim nails to prevent walking problems
- Bathe the dog to prevent bad odors and reduce itching
- Brush their hair to prevent matting and stop hair loss
If you need Emotional Support Animal Letters for Dogs, you need to talk to your therapist. Taking care of an emotional support animal might be tasking but the benefits you will reap are well worth it.
