AT Home with Jo Frost - July 2011 - (Page 282)

| pet care| T hey can hog the bed, demand breakfast at 5am and hang upside down from the curtains – but somehow we love them all the same. Pets are another member of the family, something to take our minds off ourselves, something to love and, all too often, something to laugh at. They can exercise you, keep you company, help you meet people – and it’s been scientifically proven that, in many ways, they’re good for your physical and mental health. So, the question is, what are you doing for them? Pets can make really wonderful companions, but providing for all their creature comforts can be tough going. So, before you succumb to their charms, don’t forget that pets cost money, can be hard work and have no respect for furniture, routines or relationships. They also shed hair and worse! ‘Think about your circumstances,’ says David Grant, hospital director at the RSPCA Harmsworth Animal Hospital, north London. ‘A Rottweiler won’t thrive in an eighth-floor flat. If you’re out all day, consider whether you should have a pet at all, unless it’s a nocturnal one.’ ‘Another important consideration is cost,’ says David. ‘They’ll need to be looked after when you go on holiday, and vets’ fees will have to be paid, plus the costs of neutering, vaccinating and microchipping.’ If all this still hasn’t put you off, now’s the time to choose… DON’T FORgET: most pets need a regular gROOm and their teeth brushed to keep them in TIp-TOp cONDITION THE ESSENTIALS FOOD AND WATER Pick out a feeding routine that is best for your animal. Dogs: Your dog will need quality grub and constant access to water. It’s personal preference whether you feed your dog dry food, wet food, or a mixture of both, but if you opt for dry food, he’ll require more water. You’ll need to feed your dog either once or STuDIeS twice a day depending HAve founD on the breed. Smaller SImILARITIeS dogs often need beTween A frequent feeding, so CAT’S CRY AnD twice a day may suit A bAbY’S them better, while some larger dogs tend 286 | july 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AT Home with Jo Frost - July 2011

EDITOR’S LETTER
HELLO FROM JO FROST
NOTEBOOK NEWS
JAM-PACKED JULY
FAMILY FORTUNES
OUT AND ABOUT
MUNCH BUNCH
LET’S PARTY!
TOP TOOLS
EXTREME PARENTAL GUIDANCE
FIRST-TIME MUMS
ROUTINE CHECKS
YEAR ONE
MAGNIFICENT MILESTONES
GETTING ABREAST OF IT
BOTTLE IT UP
GREEN BABY
SKIN SOLUTIONS
SLEEPLESS NIGHTS
GOING SOLID
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
BABY ON THE MOVE
FASHION FORWARD
BREAK THE HABIT
SIBLING WARS
BOOK SMART
BEST BEDROOMS
FOOD FOES
UNDER THE WEATHER
PERFECT PLAY
TOP OF YOUR GAME
TRENDY TOTS
GET READY FOR SCHOOL
ACTING THEIR AGE
MAKE SCHOOL COOL
ALL GROWN UP?
CYBER SPACE
IMAGE CONSCIOUS
LOVE YOUR LUNCHBOX
I DO IT MY WAY
THE BIG PICTURE
BACK TO WORK
JOB QUEST
CAREER WITH KIDS
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...
NURSERY TALES
BODY BOOST
PET PROUD
KIDS’ STUFF
FAMILY FUN
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
COMING SOON
HELP ME NANNY JO!
SAFETY FIRST
WOW FACTOR
CRAFT CORNER
HOT OFFERS
STOCKISTS

AT Home with Jo Frost - July 2011