4 Daily Tasks for You and Your Pet (even if they’re not an ESA)

Maybe your pet is an official emotional support animal, maybe he’s not. Either way, your dog or cat (or snake, we don’t judge!) probably boosts your mood when you’re feeling low. So we’re not here to debate whether or not you can call him an ESA. The goal for today is to give you 4 new ideas for daily tasks to do with your favorite critter that will be fun for them and will give you a boost: 

1.    Go for a sniffari. You already knew this, but we had to say it! Walking outside really, truly improves your mental health. Carve out some time each day to stop and smell the roses (let’s be honest, your dog is probably smelling gross things, but you can take turns choosing what to sniff on your sniffari).

2.    Read to your animal. This is great for kids and adults. Your animal will enjoy the closeness if you’re cuddling together, and the sound of your voice while reading is calming to them. You, too, will feel calmer and more relaxed during this time. Try reading to them for 20 minutes before bedtime and see if it helps you sleep better. 

3.    Spend 5 minutes on training. Your animal (yes cats and bunnies can be trained too!) will benefit from just 5 minutes per day of training. As your animal becomes more well-mannered your own self-confidence will get a nice boost.

4.    Pet massage. Give your pet a gentle massage and feel the tension melt away for both of you. Just a few minutes of this will get that oxytocin flowing and help you feel more relaxed!