Tips for Healthier Connections with Pets: Andrea Sobotka discusses six ways to establish a holistic daily care regimen for ourselves and our pets.

The loving pet parents of any kind of animal will attest that they have a special connection. Just by being close to us, our pets naturally make us feel good, which is proven to improve our physical and mental health. In return, our critters also feed off the natural energies we emit; so we each have a vested interest in the other being healthy, happy and well adjusted.

We would be wise to pay just as much attention to the whole body, mind and spirit health of our critters as we do for ourselves. Here are six things we can do to establish a holistic daily care regimen for ourselves and our pets.

Understand a pet’s breed and what level of space, activity and social interactions they are best-suited for and commit to honoring that information. Also consider their estimated lifespan.

Provide daily mental and physical stimulation through breed- and age-appropriate exercise, training, play and enrichment activities. Learning, fitness and fun is not just for the young.

Include pets in quality family/social time away from a screen. Be respectful of their space and comfort zones, especially where children, other animals and meeting new friends are concerned.

Feed pets a diet that is as close to their wild counterparts’ natural diet as possible, avoiding highly processed food and treats. Their bodies are no more adapted to thrive on kibble than ours is; probably even less so. Whether homemade or store-bought, lightly cooked or raw, feed the pet organic, non-GMO (human grade) whole foods as much as possible. Mainstream pet food manufacturers use ingredients that are deemed unfit for human consumption. Suggested reading includes Food Pets Die For, by Ann N. Martin.

Take time out to meditate, practice yoga or even just sit quietly out in nature for a few minutes each day to calm and clear the mind. Invite pets to share in this practice by having them right there, setting the intention that this is for their benefit, too. They will love this connection and so will we.

Consider providing pets with regular holistic and/or energy balancing treatments. If they begin to show even the slightest signs of stress or disease, sometimes this alone can stop something from getting out of hand. A balanced energy system strengthens the physical body.

Our pets deserve to have the healthiest, happiest life possible, and so do we. Make the best of every day that we have with our beloved pet. Their lifespan is generally much shorter than ours, but through love, healthy living and honoring our energetic connections, the quality of that time spent can leave us with a lifetime of joyful memories of our best friends.  

Andrea Sobotka, ASAM, HTAP, reiki practitioner and “critter doc”, is the owner of Spirit Animal Wisdom, LLC, and founder of Animal SensAbility. For more information visit SpiritAnimalWisdom.com.