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Consider a Pet for Christmas
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Holding myself up and hanging on to Morris, that’s talent![/caption]Animals have surrounded me my entire life. After all I grew up on a hobby farm. Therefore I didn’t need to go far to visit my furry friends. Not all of them had fur. Fish, birds and hermit crabs have all been in my menagerie. One thing they all have in common, furry or not, is they don’t care if I’m in a wheelchair as long as they get TLC.
Pets get used to wheelchairs quickly. Typically animals are more afraid of the wheelchair than me. Before you know it, kitty will be hitching a ride all over the place. If you’re concerned about a pet staying away from tires I recommend putting a collar with a bell on them. That way you know where they are. I have to admit I’ve clipped the toes of both my cat and dog, but now they know to avoid the tires. I felt bad, but it only took once. Do you have any tips on acclimating pets to wheelchairs?
Along with being a friend, pets teach responsibility. The extra work can be a big deterrent when considering a pet. In my opinion the benefits far outweigh the extra work. Even though I can’t do every aspect of care, I’m involved as much as possible. I’ve even figured out how to feed them myself. If you’re not ready for a high maintenance pet, start small. Try a beta fish. Guinea pigs are kind of fun too. I’d say they’re mid-level on the maintenance scale.
If you or your child are considering a pet I say go for it. During these long winter months I’m glad for the companionship. For those of you who have pets, what kind? Any creative solutions for being involved?
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4 Replies
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I love this post. 🙂 Also, what a cute picture!
I have two golden retrievers, but one is all white and the other is all black. We’ve had dogs my entire life and I couldn’t imagine life without one now. They’re more than just pets to me, they’re family. The black golden is my service dog, and she and I go everywhere together. The white golden is the family’s dog, and he’s the gentlest giant I’ve ever known.
Although I can’t do physical tasks like feeding and playing ball with them, I am still involved in other ways. I take them to the vet/groomer with my PCA, attach their leashes to my chair and go on walks, buy them toys, beds, etc.
There’s this awesome dog camera I have called Furbo, but it also launches out treats. And the best part about it is it’s all on an app on my phone. I can be anywhere, open the app, and tap a button to give them treats. It also allows you to talk to them. It’s great!
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So in other words, you can’t win when it comes to your wardrobe. My first service dog was a black lab and with my white cat it was tough deciding what outfit would show the least pet hair.
I’d never heard of Furbo until you mentioned it. Now I’m seeing it everywhere.
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We have a dog, Geri (short for Geronimo), and a cat, Toby, who is in charge of everything. I also put the dog’s leash on my chair when we go for walks. We’ve always taught our dogs to heel to both a person walking and my wheelchair. Both of them like laying on my bed with me in the evening. Geri often lays on my feet and Toby prefers my face. She’s thoughtful like that. 😂 Geri always leaves when it’s time for bed, but he’s been hesitating lately so I’m hoping he will start to sleep there. I usually don’t let Toby stay all night because she bites me when she wants out. She knows how to get what she wants!
Alyssa, I think I will look into Furbo!
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Cats do usually take charge!
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