Grooming your pet is great for relieving stress and helping you both relax.
Grooming is the sort of activity which everyone can enjoy.
It can also be a very good way to build the bond between you. In some animals, it is also helpful in helping establish who is boss.
When you get home from work, if you're a pet owner, spend some time grooming your pet and just reflect on how you feel afterwards - it may be that you find you're feeling less stressed after a day at work. Watch for those moments when your pet has had enough - Trouble excels at giving us a fast swipe if we don't heed his warnings that it's time to stop.
Grooming also gives you a chance to examine your pet's fur more closely and watch for any signs that a visit to the vet may be in order - lumps and bumps could signal a problem, for instance.
Pets with long fur need far more regular grooming. And as animals get older, they will require a little help from you, as it becomes harder to reach those bits which are further away.
No pets of your own?
Contact your local animal rescue charities and ask if they would like your help with grooming. This sort of help is really important, because pets need to maintain contact with people if they are to be successfully re-homed. Grooming can help rescue animals maintain or rebuild their trustin people - they have often been ill-tretaed and need a lot of love and care to help rebuild that trust. And in many cases, try as they might, staff looking after them just don't have the time to give much indivdiual attention to an animal. This is where volunteers are hugely helpful.
Rescue animals particularly need tender, loving and kind care
Spending time with an animal in a homing centre, stroking, brushing, gently grooming and talking to them quietly can really help improve an animal's faith in the human race. It takes time, but these animals need the contact, and when you find they've gone to an understanding home, you'll know your efforts were worthwhile.
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