They say it’s pretty easy to meet other pet owners but that’s not always the case. Of course you can walk your dog and bump into people every now and then and ask them how they are, how old their dog is and see what their plans are for the weekend, but this just isn’t the norm. A quick nod or just a “hello” is more likely, and what if you’re a cat owner or perhaps a bunny lover? Where can you meet likeminded individuals?

The best places are training sessions, especially if you have a young pet. Every animal needs training of some kind and there are likely to be plenty of training sessions in your local area. It may be surprising to know how many people have a pet just like yours, so even if you have an iguana or a pet that’s a little bit are, there may be some courses and training days where you can put your pet parenting skills to use! If you read a pet magazine every now and then, you’ll probably find tons of advertisement whereby specialist trainers are advertising opening on courses and evening classes, so be sure to look out!

Another quality option for meeting pet owners like you is at events and shows. There are loads of dog and cat shows throughout the UK, all year round, so be sure to check out the best ones online and buy tour ticket early. It’s the perfect place to strike up conversations about your animal and quiz people on their own pets. You could even take your cat or dog along to make friends. Following this, you could check for groups on Facebook as well as pet forums. You can chat with likeminded people without leaving the comfort of your own home, and that will suit many people! It’s also a great place to educate yourself on your animal and learn more about their behaviour.

So that’s a good amount to start looking out for! With magazines, forums, social media accounts, shows and events, there’s loads of ways to get involved in a community based around your particular pet. It just takes a little time and research to get the ball rolling, but there will be so many opportunity if you start opening up to these kinds of methods. Whether you own a dog, cat, rabbit, snake, turtle or lizard, there’s a lot you can learn and a community in which you can get involved with.

We did want to make one final point, and that’s on evening classes. With these classes you will learn more than you ever anticipated. A professional can guide you through all of the stages of care so no stone is left unturned, including feeding, rewarding, discipline, health, behaviour and fitness. These courses will generally run for one hour a week, but there’s usually the option for private lessons too if you desire. And as discussed, it’s certainly a great way to meet pet owners just like you.

Dog bags are an unfortunate part of taking your dog out for a walk. Every pet owner has a responsibility to not inflict their pet’s mess on other people, and while leaving dog waste is, from one perspective at least, not quite as bad as littering, stepping on their waste is a pretty grotesque experience.

One of the worst things that can happen when you are picking up your dog’s waste is to have your bag break, so one of the most important things to look for when buying your dog bags is durability.

That being said, we have an unfortunate situation where dog bags are often sent directly towards landfills, and when they aren’t biodegradable that can be a problem. We have the option to purchase biodegradable bags, which is yet another way for dog owners to be responsible owners.

The two main types of dog handling equipment for a dog owner are the leash and collar, and the leash and harness. Each of these tools have their pros and cons from the standpoint of a pet owner, of which we’ve laid out a few for each:

Collars;

Leashes can be attached to both leashes and harnesses with relative ease, so that doesn’t really come into the equation. Where it does come into is what happens once the leash has been removed; a harness will continue to restrict movement, whereas a collar can sit more comfortably on a dog’s neck.

When the leash is still attached to the collar, dogs can often pull against the leash and hurt themselves through choking, as most dog owners will have experienced.

Harnesses;

Harnesses have a lot of advantages over a collar, as they can provide far greater control over your pet and do so more safely for their health as well. This is particularly important for larger dogs that can potentially overpower their owners.