Food Town It’s Time to Treat Your Pet: Supplies, Surprises and Other Ways to Show You Care

Your four-legged friend is the first to greet you in the morning, the one most excited to see you at the day’s end and the one who can always make you laugh. In other words, they’re a part of the family! When it comes to spoiling them like they deserve to be spoiled. Simply grabbing up the nearest pet supplies isn’t enough.

Here, your Food Town has pulled together a few of our favorite ways to treat your furry (or feathered) companion to something extra special. Read on for tips about pet supplies they’ll love, yummy treats that will have their tails wagging and outings that get the whole family in on the fun.  

Pawsitively Spoil Them on Pet Holidays
There’s an occasion for just about everything these days. And while some can seem a bit silly (we’re lookin’ at you, National Scoop the Poop Week!), other pet holidays can serve as a great opportunity to spread the love. After all, who doesn’t love something to celebrate?

Mark your calendar with a few pet holidays that fit with your family and schedule. (Be sure to factor their birthday or gotcha day in there, too!) When the big day arrives, celebrate them in the way that feels right. Whether that means a few extra ear scratches or a family trip to the park, you know they’ll go giddy over that extra quality time with you. Here are just a few pet holidays to get you started. And don’t worry — there are LOTS more out there!

• National Bird Day: January 5
• National Dress Up Your Pet Day: January 14 (Yes, that’s real!)
• National Love Your Pet Day: February 20
• National Pet Day: April 11
• National Hamster Day: April 12
• National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day: April 30
• World Snake Day: July 16
• National Dog Day: August 26
• National Cat Day: October 29

Try Your Hand at Homemade Pet Treats
Homemade pet treats are a great way to get the family working together on a fun — slightly quirky — project. Even better? Many recipes call for ingredients you already have at home, such as peanut butter, sweet potato and pumpkin! Find a recipe you like, swing by your Food Town for anything else you need and be sure to let the kiddos get involved, too. Not only will you make memories, but they’ll pick up handy kitchen knowledge along the way.

Remember to keep a careful eye on ingredients, however, as not all people products are safe for animals. Grapes, avocados, chocolate, onions and raisins are just a few foods known to be toxic to them. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s website offers a wealth of resources to help you understand what foods are — and aren’t — safe for family pets, and what to do if they eat something they shouldn’t. The good news is, so long as you stick to what the recipe calls for in your homemade pet treats, you shouldn’t have a problem!

Make a Trip to Your Neighborhood Grocery Just for Them
Your weekly shopping lists are filled with your favorites, but what about Fido? It can be kind of fun to set out on a neighborhood grocery excursion with a completely different family member in mind. Whether that means grabbing up natural peanut butter or birdseed for tasty pet-friendly treats, grabbing bowls, brushes and other pet supplies to replace those that have been well loved or picking out new pet toys, such outings are sure to bring a smile to your family’s faces and put a wag into your pet’s tail.

Get Moving Together with Fun Approaches to Family Exercise
People aren’t the only ones who benefit from added movement. Exercise is important for pets, too! Getting everybody in on the action at once can make family exercise feel more like a fun outing than an undertaking. And it’s easy to tailor things to fit unique needs and preferences.

If you have a dog, a family walk makes it easy to get in those extra steps on your smart watch. And fetch at the park gets everyone moving! Certain cats enjoy walking on leashes, too — but if yours doesn’t, even keep-away games with string and cat toys can be a great option. For other pets? Well, you might have to get creative — such as creating obstacle courses for the family hamster. No matter what you wind up doing, the most important part of family exercise is the family. It just matters that you’re doing things together!

Your fur babies are something special, and we hope these suggestions have helped get the wheels turning on new ways you can show them some love! Don’t forget, your Food Town’s aisles are filled with pet products that make pampering them easy — and great ingredients for whipping up those homemade pet treats, too. Stop by soon to see us, show off pics of your pet (we love seeing them!) and snap up what you need to make them feel special. After all, when we say that at Food Town, it’s your town, we mean that for every member of the family.

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