Sample: Email Newsletter

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Welcome to the April edition of Paws & Play! Just as the seasons, our fluffy friends also change. We've filled our newsletter with lots of useful tips and advice to keep your dogs and cats happy and healthy.

With the flowers beginning to bloom and the trees budding, pet owners may see their furred and feathered companions scratching more than normal. Pet seasonal allergies may show as itchy skin, ear infections, sneezing, and watery eyes. Dogs can also be allergic to the same allergens that bother people such as pollen, mold, and dust mites.

Allergy Symptoms:

• Itchy Ears
• Excessive Scratching
• Licking
• Red, Swollen, or Crusty Skin
• Sneezing or Runny Nose
• Watery Eyes

Allergy Management:

• Keep Your House Clean: Routine vacuuming and dusting can help minimize the amount of allergens in your house.
• Bathing Your Pet: A pet wash can assist in the removal of the allergens on the pet's fur. Bathing your animal with a hypoallergenic shampoo or one prescribed by your vet is important.
• Allergy Medications: There are a variety of over-the-counter and prescription medicines that can help keep symptoms under control. Always speak to your vet prior to starting any new medication.
• Visit to the Vet: If the allergy does not improve with time, more attention might be needed so as to determine the potential cause of the allergy.

Creating a garden that is safe for pets is crucial for their health and your peace of mind. There are some plants and materials one comes in contact with while gardening that are dangerous, so it's important to be aware of what is safe and what is not.

Pet Safe Gardening Tips:

• Select Pet-Safe Plants: Choose plants that are not poisonous, including catnip, snapdragons and petunias. Lilies, sago palm and rhododendron are poisonous to pets and can harm your pet.
• Use Natural Pest Control Alternatives: Do not use chemicals that can be dangerous to your pet.
• Secured Fencing: Fencing around your garden will help keep away unwanted visitors.

Proper pet nutrition necessary for them to remain healthy. Just like people, every stage of a pet's life has different dietary needs.

Nutritional Guidelines:

• Proper Diet: Feed a proper diet that is nutritionally balanced according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
• Age and Health: Puppies and kittens have different nutritional needs, and so do adult and senior pets. Ditto for pets with certain medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease who need diets designed to treat those conditions.
• Nutrition Info: Shop for excellent ingredients and never settle for foods that contain too many fillers or preservatives of any kind.
• Guidance from Your Vet: Talk to your vet about what to feed your pet, whether you are looking to prepare a raw meal or use special formulations.

Young, old, couch potato or true athlete, all pets can benefit from an exercise routine. It helps to maintain a healthy weight, helps combat depression and other mental illnesses, and reduces overactivity and other behavioural issues.

Exercise Ideas:

• Dogs: Daily walks, fetch games, agility training, swimming.
• For Cats: Use toys that imitate prey to encourage play (i.e. feather wands, laser pointers) Also give them opportunities to climb (i.e. cat trees or shelves).
• Do It Daily: Make sure to give your pet an exercise routine and try to work it out in specific times of the day.

Grooming helps keep your dog feeling their best and it also helps prevent skin infections, flea infestations, and reduces shedding.

Grooming Simplified:

• Regular Brushing: Removes dead hair and helps to distribute natural oils through the coat.
• Bathing: Only bathe your pet when it is necessary and not so often that it dries out their skin. Be sure to use shampoos for animals.
• Nail Trimming: Trimming nails helps prevent limping and injuries.
• Ear Care: Regular inspection and cleaning of your pet's ears (especially breeds with floppy ears) can help reduce the chance of ear infections.

Figuring out why a pet behaves a certain way is the first step in dealing with behavioral issues. Scratching up furniture or barking too much can usually be treated easily with lifestyle changes and little training.

Behavioral How-Tos:

• Clipping: Keep cats' claws short by providing scratching posts or pads. Only clip them if you know how to do it without injury, or take them to the vet to get it done.
• Chewing: It is normal for dogs to chew, so provide a variety of chew toys.
• Barking: What your dog is barking at? If barking is based on anxiety, boredom, or territory, take the necessary steps to resolve the origin of the problem with training and environmental adaptations.
• Training: Regular, reward-based training enables pets to learn which behaviors are and are not okay.
• Dog Behaviorist: If your dog is living with behavioral issues, it may be worthwhile to contact a behaviorist or seek out the services of a professional dog trainer for personalized direction.