10 things to do with your dog during National Pet Month

April is National Pet Month in the UK, and the start of April hails a month-long celebration of pets and animals of all sorts, including special events, seminars and fundraisers for pet-related charities. This means that April is likely to provide some great opportunities for dog lovers and dog owners to get out and about with like-minded friends and other dog owners, and in this article, we will share ten of our favourite suggestions for things to do with your dog to support National Pet Month. Read on to learn more!

Review your dog’s care protocols

First of all, the focus of National Pet Month this year is to spread the word about responsible pet ownership, and ten top tips on what makes a responsible owner are at the front of the month’s endeavours.

This means that it is a good time to review how you care for your dog and the type of lifestyle that your pet leads to ensure that you can tick the responsible dog owner box-by doing things like ensuring that your pet’s vaccinations are up to date, and checking when you last flea treated and wormed them!

Add ten minutes to your walks

Adding just ten minutes a day to your dog’s walks can really give them a massive boost in terms of their health, weight and general fitness levels, and can help to keep them fit and active well into old age. Make a pledge to give your dog just ten more minutes of exercise each day, and you will soon see the benefits!

Make a new canine friend

Everyone likes to socialise, dogs and people alike! Make April the month to find a new partner in crime for your dog, in the form of a playmate, neighbour or friend’s dog that your own dog likes to spend time with, and see if you can set up regular play dates for them to enjoy a little socialisation, exercise and fun!

Arrange a group walk

If lots of your friends have dogs, go one step further-arrange a relaxing Sunday walk as a group to let your dogs meet and play with each other, and give you and the other owners the chance to catch up, have a chat, and meet some other dogs too!

Take a trip somewhere new

Make the best of the spring sunshine by taking your dog out for a special day trip-such as to the countryside, the beach, or somewhere else for them to see new sights and smell new things, and possibly, meet other dogs too!

Get involved in a fundraiser

National Pet Month will see many pet owners involved in fundraisers and other events designed to raise much-needed money for some of the UK’s pet charities, and there won’t be a better time to do your bit too! Support your favourite pet charity by finding out what is going on in your local area, and going along to spend some money and meet and greet others!

Let other dog owners know

Pass on the word about National Pet Month by letting other dog owners know what is going on, and trying to get them on board with checking their own dog care protocols, and maybe raising some money for a charity! Arranging a group walk is a good opportunity to do this, so plan ahead and get your friends and their dogs on board too.

Support your favourite pet charity

Charities need help and support all year round, and one thing that no charity ever has enough of is support, in the form of both time and money! Try to make the time during April to do something for the main charity that you support, whether that be setting up or running a fundraiser for them, volunteering your time and expertise to help them out, or doing something else that will benefit both of you!

Find a new pet-friendly venue

National Pet Month is also designed to showcase and promote businesses and organisations that welcome pets or promote animals, and so seeking out some of the pet-friendly businesses in your area and supporting them with your custom and patronage is a good thing to do. You may also find yourself a new favourite coffee shop or venue to meet friends in for the future too!

Keep the momentum going

Finally, nothing stops when April is finished-charities still need funding, businesses will still trade, and your dog still deserves the very best of your care! Try to use April as a catalyst for change and improvement in your own life and that of your dog, and work out how you can keep things going throughout the year-not just in April, when the highlight of the month is pets and celebrating their lives!