11 Tips to Live Happily With Your Pet

If pet owners were capable of being totally objective (and most are not), they would not allow their pets to live in the house with them based on the issue of cleanliness alone. However, despite the fact that many of the 45 million dog owners and 77 million cat owners know absolutely that their pets track in all kinds of contaminants on their paws, they continue to welcome their pets into their homes. Additionally, animals shed hair and dander, "do their thing" on the carpet and cough up an occasional hair ball. Still, most pet owners regard their pets as a member of the family. To keep pets from completely taking over the household and to maintain a degree of order and cleanliness, read the following suggestions:

· Wash the pet's bedding on a weekly basis. If you allow your pet to sleep on the bed with you, wash your bed linens more often. Because bedding can often harbor unseen fleas or dust mites, be sure to wash all bedding in hot water.

· Keep your pets from sitting directly on furniture upholstery. If you can't keep them off the furniture, cover sofas and chairs with sheets or blankets to protect from stains and odor.

· Buy chairs and sofas that are free from decorative skirting. Attractive as it is when the furniture is new, this skirting will take a beating over time with dogs and cats rubbing against it.

· Try to limit your pets' presence to one or two rooms of the house and cordon off the rest of the house. Doing so will minimize the wear and tear that pets inevitably inflict on a home and, therefore, the maintenance and cleaning that you will have to do.

· If your family members have to wipe their feet when they enter the house, the pets should have to do the same. Keep a doormat or thick towel inside the door to clean muddy feet before pets bound into the house and jump on the furniture.

· If your pet roams the neighborhood or nearby fields, regular baths are in order. Dogs generally like bath time, but cats? Not so much.

· Regular brushing will minimize (but not eliminate) the hair you'll have to clean from the carpet or upholstery.

· When taking your dog for a walk, always carry and use a bag to scoop up their "business." Biodegradable bags are best since they are environmentally responsible.

· For pets with fleas, avoid drops and flea collars. Instead, look to natural remedies for a solution to this problem. Try mixing any of the following with water and spray onto your pet's fur: clove, citrus or eucalyptus oils. Try garlic as well.

· Avoid giving your pets play toys made out of any sort of plastic or PVC. They're unhealthy for humans and pets. Most pet-supply stores carry "green" chew toys which are much healthier.

· Maintain an organic, environmentally responsible lawn care regimen. This includes avoiding synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, any of which can cause your pet to become ill or even die.

Shaz has written hundreds of articles online for almost 3 years. Not only does this author specialize in Pets, you can also check out his latest website on Bath Towel Racks which reviews and lists Bath Towel Bar for a place for your bath towel racks, try as much as possible to put it near the bathtub or shower, so that you do not have to stretch so much when you reach for it.