There is just no doubt in my mind that pets on a strict daily routine live better. That means designated uninterrupted sleep time, playtime that extends into daily exercise, and school, which means forever teaching them new commands so they know how to please you. It leads to better adjusted and healthier pets.
If you structure it so that each day you limit food and treats to two official feeding times, and you only give a small treat as a training tool after they have completed their tasks, it works best. And once they learn a new trick, eventually they should just do it for the love and affection, not a food reward.
That is what I call having a job. Daily goals, so that they learn to earn their love and rewards rather than feel entitled to them.
If your dog or cat has well defined boundaries, a strict routine and a regular job they respect, one that tires them out in a fun way, I guarantee you they are far less likely to get those pesky modern day diseases like allergies, pancreatitis or arthritis. Pets that are spoiled rotten and stuffed full of food become entitled, paranoid little baskets of sickness.
Even something as simple as a daily routine that includes playtime, school and worktime. Bringing in the newspaper, chasing a laser light on the wall, or retrieving that pesky frisbee for half an hour.
Otherwise they might just find themselves an undesirable job, like chewing their paws, barking at the garbage truck or eating the electric cord. Believe me, such dogs are far more neurotic and consequently sickly.
If you are like most pet parents I know, you have already been down the allergy rabbit hole. You switched foods, twice. You tried shampoos, sprays, powders, even antihistamines. You vacuumed more in the past month than you did all of last year. And yet your dog still scratches, your cat still overgrooms, and you still lie awake wondering what you are missing.
I believe there is something. And it is not what most people, or even most vets, are talking about. What if the real cause of your pet's symptoms is not just physical, but also emotional, environmental and behavioral?
In nature, wild animals have purpose. They hunt, hide, climb, chase, dig, forage and protect. Their days are filled with action. Every meal is earned. They do not have time for anxiety, or overgrooming, or obsessive paw licking. Our pets live indoors.
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