3 Ways to Keep Your Life Organized as a Dog Owner

There’s no getting around the fact that life is busy. In between trying to stay on top of our work responsibilities, we also have to manage our personal ones. And with a dog in tow, life is even busier than usual. While we wouldn’t trade being a dog owner for the world, it’s a role that requires considerable time and energy. Fortunately, there are numerous things you can do to make your life more organized as a dog owner. Here are our top tips:

1. Make Sure You Have the Right Gear

One of the biggest mistakes many dog owners make is that they think they can get away with not having certain items that can make their lives more organized. There’s no point making things harder on yourself when there are items out there that are designed to help.

For example, there are certain items that will make any car trip with your dog substantially easier to manage. A dog safety barrier will ensure you can concentrate on the road (instead of trying to convince your dog not to leap to the front of the car!). If you have a smaller dog, a dog carrier will help safely secure them while driving, and make transporting them to and from your vehicle a breeze. 

Likewise, upgrading to a high-quality collar, harness, and leash will mean you won’t waste time and money replacing them every couple of months. Using well-made accessories will also make your walking experience far more pleasant for both you and your dog!

2. Start Using a Calendar and/or To-Do List

Do you constantly find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of responsibilities you need to remember as a dog owner? Do you feel guilty every time you forget to do a task or just run out of time? It’s about time you started noting down all of your tasks and appointments, advises Angela Stringfellow from Pup Life Today. 

“Where you choose to make a record of them is up to you, but make it somewhere you’ll actually use,” Stringfellow says. For example, if you always write down your tasks on Post-it Notes or little scraps of paper only to lose them, you should switch up your tools. Doing so could be as simple as buying a calendar or to-do list and always jotting down notes and reminders related to your dog there. Or if you’re never far from your phone, using either already available on your cell phone, or spending a couple of dollars on an app.

3. Ask Your Vet to Schedule Regular Check Ups

If only keeping your dog in tip-top health was as easy as doing all the “right” things. While ensuring they eat the right foods and get enough exercise will play a significant role, the fact of the matter is that your dog’s health is dependent on a number of factors. We can certainly do all that we can within our power to maintain their health, but sometimes we may miss signs things aren’t 100%. 

That’s why it's inadvisable to assume they’re healthy just because they appear to be. In order to determine your dog is in optimal health, you should take them to regular checkups. Talk to your veterinarian clinic and ask them to schedule your chosen date and to send a reminder in advance so you always stay on track. So you never miss an appointment, it will help to make the appointment always on the same date or day.

If you’re already wondering, “But how on earth can I afford to take my dog to the vet regularly?,” it’s worth comparing different pet insurance options. Many plans cover regular checkups in addition to emergency visits. One of the reasons many of us slip up on taking our dog to the vet is because it seems too expensive, but paying a smaller monthly contribution will make this all-important task far more accessible. 

Author Bio

Monica Mizzi is a freelance writer and digital marketer with a soft spot for all fluffy creatures. She’s written 100+ articles about animal care, ranging from how to train puppies to the healthiest pet snacks on the market. She currently writes for Pet Life Today. Having grown up with a Tabby cat and later a Netherlands Dwarf rabbit, she’s always had a love for animals. While she’s now on the road too much to take care of her own pet, she’s found an innovative solution: take care of other people’s pets! She’s now something of a professional cat sitter, having taken care of nine gorgeous cats just in 2019! Her dream is to one day visit Antarctica to see penguins marching.