5 Ways To Refresh Your Pet's Routine For Spring + Supreme Source® Pet Food Promotion

This post was sponsored by Supreme Source® as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. Please Note: Nothing contained below should be taken as professional veterinarian or medical advice. 

Please always consult your pet's veterinarian before making changes to your pet's diet or routine.

A few weeks back I told you about a special 10-Day Pet Detox*** program I was helping "the girls" (A.K.A. Nora and Gidget) take part in thanks to special inspiration from Supreme Source® pet food. Not only is Supreme Source® grain free and made with real fruits and veggies for potassium, fiber, vitamins and minerals, anyone can take advantage of refreshing their pet's diet this Spring thanks to their special Super Food Switch promotion. We picked up our Supreme Source at our local VONS, and for a limited time this spring those who log onto the Super Food Switch site can take advantage of special savings on a bag of Supreme Source® cat or dog food, and receive daily emails with tips on how to start your pet's 10-Day Detox.

***While this is a “Pet Detox” Promotion, products and information provided by American Pet Nutrition are not intended to substitute for medical advice or treatment. It is always recommended that you consult your veterinarian or a qualified medical professional for your pets. The information and products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical problems.

What exactly is a "pet detox"?

It's a lot simpler than it may sound. Essentially it's a refreshing of your pet's routine from diet to overall activity levels and engagement. You'll find plenty of resources to help you along the path of your pet's 10-Day Detox at SuperFoodSwitch.com, but we've compiled some of our favorite general tips based on our experiences participating in it.

#1. Provide fresh fuel.

It's natural to think that what one puts in their mouth will play a big part on the overall function of both their body and mind. You may not literally turn into a pink frosted donut with sprinkles (though how awesome would that be for just a day?) but you might begin to feel the effects of sugar highs and lows, if you eat them all the time. 

Spring is the perfect time to look at your pet's diet. Really look. Not just at that ingredients label for recognizable ingredients, but the bottom line of the PRIMARY ingredients. What are you feeding your pet?

For us gradually introducing Grain Free Supreme Source® Lamb Meal and Potato Recipe dry dog food to both Nora and Gidget's diets over the past 10 days has really been a wake-up.  Nora, going on 7 years of age now, is known for her random spurts of high energy followed by long periods of napping and laziness. We've definitely noticed that her energy levels are more consistent throughout the day, making her a more social and well-rounded dog in that sense. Going grain free for Gidget, the youngest, has meant a big handle on getting 'regular,' if you know what I mean?

#2. Looking good + feeling great!

While you work on slowly introducing your new Supreme Source® food to your pet's diet you'll want to help your pet look and feel it's best by doing a little spring cleaning, erm, grooming.

You may likely already have a regular grooming routine for your pet, but odds are there are a few 'extras' you've been putting off through the winter. In our home Nora gets quite the wild child coat growing through the colder months- she requires daily brushing or she will begin to build up tough mats. Even the most diligent care and we will still have some rough patches come 'summer trim' time.

Another grooming area that is often overlooked are paw pads and nails- consider booking an appointment for your pet to have their nails professionally groomed so you can start with a nice clean slate going into those warmer months when pet's will naturally be more active and self maintain the length with clawing and outdoor grinding.

In general picking up your pet's grooming game will give both them and you more confidence, which will help boost that fresh outlook for the sunny season to come. Consider checking out some of the amazing dog grooming products on the market for at home pampering.

#3. Keep them busy, mind and body.

Along the way on our 10-Day Pet Detox there were many helpful activity suggestions and tips to engage our pet during the detox. Naturally, it's great to jump-start good habits during a detox, but these concepts are just as positive in impact year-round, too.

Have you ever thought about what you would do all day if you were a cat or dog?

For indoor pets, especially those with working human parents, the days can be quite tediously filled with nothing but daydreaming, or finding creative ways to wreak havoc (or in pet speak "show their love.") While you refresh for Spring consider investing in a few brain stretching treat toys and puzzles, or even making a few of your own! There are plenty of concepts for handmade pet toys in interest to engage pet's mind of all shapes and sizes. After all, you know what they say about "idle paws"!

#4. Go a little wild.

Bonding with your pets isn't something you need to be told to do, it's obvious they are part of the family, but finding new ways to engage with them should be on your list.

I'm sure your family has that favorite trail your dog loves to hike, and your cat really loves that wand toy with the fake feathers on the end, but extraordinary pets deserve extraordinary adventures. Flexing your pet's personality is just another way you can help your pet refresh mind, body, and soul.

For small and medium dogs filling a kiddie pool with plastic kiddie pool balls can be a true blast. Dogs love to be engaged by the sight of rapidly moving targets, and these colorful balls are sure to fly every which way when your pup jumps in to retrieve their favorite rope or tennis ball. And, as the weather gets warmer you can even fill it with water and make a cool relaxation station in the backyard! Other possible ways to let your pet loose might include leash training your cat, buying a new cardboard cat scratcher, going wild with a laser pointer, or visiting a new dog park (or even scheduling a play date!)

#5. Schedule more Face Time.

I know what you're thinking.

I live with my cat/dog, they are in my home, and I see them all the time. I feed them, bathe them, fluff their pillow, I spend a lot of time with my pet!

But when you stop to think about it consider you are your pet's best friend. Sure, you may have other pets in the house, even pet siblings, that make their lives amazing and awesome but I guarantee your face will hands down always light up your pet's day. You're kind of a big deal in their world, so why not indulge them a little and find just a little more time in your day to love on them?

Stop by on your lunch break to toss them a treat, call them over while you're binge watching Netflix on the couch, get off your chair and leave your desk to toss a ball in the backyard for 5 extra minutes.

Remember when you were a kid and your Mom would bring cupcakes by the school on lunch break to celebrate your birthday and you felt like a celebrity. It's kind of like that for your pets, every single time you give them attention. And it's absolutely free.

Of course these are just a few of the ways you can begin to enrich your pet's life with a quick refreshing any time of the year. Any and all of these suggestions should always be practiced in addition to taking your pets in for their annual veterinarian visits. Your family veterinarian is the true expert when it comes to your pet's well-being and physical health, just as much as you are the expert when it comes to their emotional happiness. For more great tips on how to engage with your cat or dog, and to take part in the 10-Day Pet Detox challenge with Grain Free Supreme Source® pet food be sure to check out the SuperFoodSwitch.com website and follow Supreme Source® on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Now, tell me, what is one of your favorite ways to spend time with your pet?