3 Tips for Successful Road Trips with Pets

Taking your pets on road trips is a fun summer pastime! And preparing for such trips can help them be more of a pleasant activity than a chore. Follow these tips for fun and safe summer road trips with your pets.

Tip #1: Make sure your pets are ready. Acclimate your pets to car rides ahead of time to make long road trips go much easier. Take short trips around town to help them get used to–and look forward to–longer trips.

Tip #2: Make pets comfy. Place a sunshade on your car windows to reduce heat for your furry, feathered or scaly friends. Choose travel crates that are ventilated and keep your pets cool, placing ice packs around or in their travel crates if needed. Spritz them periodically with water from a spray bottle as needed to keep their temperatures low and their spirits high.

Tip #3: Plan ahead to stop frequently. Dogs and cats need frequent bio breaks and time to stretch their legs, so make sure to plan time to stop at rest stops. Bring along fresh water and a bowl, and keep a tarp handy if you need to create a shady area for these stops.

Following these tips will help your road trip with pets go smoothly! For more great tips, visit the WebMD Pets site.

6 Frozen Pet Treats for Summer

During the dog days of summer, one of the best ways to help your pet beat the heat is to give him or her some frozen treats. The refreshing cool taste of your pet’s favorite flavors will be a switch from drinking plain water and a delicious treat. Try one or more of these fun recipes to give your dog, cat or parrot a memorable, tasty frozen treat this summer.

Frozen Treats for Dogs

Frozen Banana Treats. Mix four cups of plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, and 3 mashed, ripe bananas together till smooth. Spoon the mixture into disposable cups or ice cube trays. Freeze; remove from the cups or ice cube trays and serve in a dish or bowl. (from Food.com)

Chicken pops. Spread pieces of cooked, chopped chicken breasts evenly into disposable paper cups. Mix 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of dried parsley in a bowl; pour the mixture over the chicken pieces. Freeze; remove from the cup and serve in a dish or bowl.  (from Doggy Dessert Chef)

Frozen chicken pops make for delicious treats for your pup on hot days. Photo by Doggy Dessert Chef.

Frozen Treats for Cats

Seafood treats. Mix a can of water-packed tuna or salmon with approximately a ½ cup of water together in a bowl or food processor. Spoon into ice cube trays and freeze. Remove from the trays and serve in a dish or bowl. (from Modern Cat)

Seafood treats for cats are made fancier by putting them in ocean-themed shaped ice cube trays like seahorses. Photo by Modern Cat.

Goat’s Milk-sicle. Spread ¼ of a packet of The Honest Kitchen’s Pro Bloom Instant Goat’s Milk into four disposable cups. Mix well with water, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze; remove from the cups and serve in a dish or bowl. (from Catster)

Frozen Treats for Parrots

Summer Treats. Freeze water or 100% fruit juice in ice cube trays about 70%. Add cut up fruit pieces to fill each partially frozen ice cube and freeze completely. Remove from the ice cube trays and serve in a dish or bowl. (from Birds N Ways)

Frozen fruit in water or juice makes a delicious summer treat for your pet bird. Photo by Pip and Ebby.

Frozen Yogurt for Birds. Blend 4 cups of plain yogurt, I cup of mashed fresh fruit, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of honey together in the blender. Place in disposable cups or ice cube trays. Freeze; remove from the cups or trays and serve in a dish or bowl. (from Cockatiel Cottage)

These frozen treats are nutritious and delicious–and your pets will love them!

Autumn Dog Hiking Fun with Merry Pets!

Autumn is in full swing, but that just means we have a more colorful playground for dogs on group hikes in the mountains with Merry Pets! We love seeing the happy looks on dogs faces as they explore, get good exercise, fresh air and socialization!

Look at these happy, energetic dogs!

We’d love to have your dogs join us on the trail! Give us a call at 801-897-8022 to schedule your pup today.

3 New Year’s Resolutions You Can Make (and Keep!) with Your Pet

A new year is here, and, with it, comes the opportunity for new beginnings for you and your pets. If you’ve ever tried to set a New Year’s resolution, you know that they are easier to make than to keep. And you know that having a buddy with a similar resolution helps you keep your own. Why not work on resolutions along with your pet for bonding, enjoyment and better accountability? Here are three ideas to try together.

Resolution idea #1: Serve others. Put a smile on people’s faces in the new year by choosing a charity or cause you and your pet can volunteer for and help with. Try:

• volunteering to walk dogs at the local shelter or rescue together

• a 5K walk or fun run to raise money for a charity you believe in

• going through training to become a certified therapy animal certified to visit those who are ill and in need of cheering up.

Going on a fun run with your dog can help you bond while you raise money for a good cause. Photo by Mauna Kea Realty.

Resolution idea #2: Get active. Everyone can do with a little more activity and fun in their lives. Look for ways you and your pet can get out and walk, hike or play more to get your blood flowing, your heart rate up, and be healthier overall.

Resolution idea #3: Try new tricks. Learning and trying new things helps both you and your pet expand your mind, be flexible and have fun. Try some of these new things this year:

• Get a new hobby (working in the yard, puzzles, agility, etc.),

• Take a new route on your walk or hike,

• Change your scenery by taking a trip together to a new place.

Take your pet on a road trip to change up your scenery and learn something new this year. Photo by Bone Jour Pet Supply.

Working together on resolutions with your pet can help you be closer, healthier and happier. Have fun together with resolutions this year!

3 D.I.Y. St. Patrick’s Day Treats for Your Pets

St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner, and that usually means tasty treats for humans like shepherd’s pie and green beer. But who says humans should have all the fun for this festive holiday? Give your pets a little luck of the Irish with these tasty and fun St. Patty’s Day treat ideas.

1. Top it with green. Turn everyday treats into a St. Patrick’s delights by adding a layer of pet-safe green icing! Just follow this recipe from Entirely Pets to mix yogurt, milk and tapioca starch together; add a dash of natural green food coloring, and voila! You can top any hard treat with green icing for a festive twist.

2. Give them gluten-free green cookies. Mint and parsley not only give these these tummy-friendly treats their green color–they help your pooch’s breath stay minty fresh for the holiday! Mix these few ingredients following the recipe from Downtown Native for a taste-o’-the-Irish cookie that helps even allergy-ridden pooches celebrate in style.

3. Try green libations. Not all St. Patrick’s Day treats need to be edible – some can be drinkable. Like we do with human beer, you can add natural green food coloring to beer for dogs. Or, try sharing a green smoothie with these recipes from Dogster to celebrate the holiday while increasing both of your veggie intake.

They look so good you could eat them up!

3 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day with Your Pet

Although every day is Earth Day with Merry Pets fun hikes in the forests, April 22 is set as the official holiday to celebrate and be good to our planet. And what better way to celebrate than with your pet? Whether it’s resolving to be better to planet earth or getting out on it, here are three ways to celebrate Earth Day with your pet.

1. Buy eco-friendly products. Support earth-friendly companies when you shop for food, clothing and other items for you and your pet to leave less of a carbon footprint overall. Do your research and look for the green seal or organic certification labels on packages as you buy. Merry Pets uses fully biodegradable waste pick-up bags on our walks and hikes to stay earth-friendly.

2. Recycle & reuse. Add the earth-friendly practices to your life, such as

• Recycle glass, paper and metal waste, including the containers for your pet’s food and treats, through your city’s recycling program or to the local recycle plant.

• Donate gently used pet toys, clothing and more to thrift shops rather than throwing them away to allow others to reuse or upcycle them, reducing waste.

• Compost your food and pet waste to use as fertilizer for your yard’s or community’s garden.

3. Get out in your neighborhood. Being good to the earth starts in your own community. Try celebrating earth day by

• Bringing neighbors together to pick up trash or plant trees.

• Planting a garden or work in a community garden together.

• Joining a friendly fun run to raise money for a local earth-friendly initiative.

• Going out for a walk or hike with your pet.

Planting your own working in a community garden with your pet is a fabulous way to celebrate love you back Earth Day. Photo by Vegetable Gardener.

Celebrating this holiday with your pet is easy and fun!