November - A Month for the Dogs

Happy November!  This is some people's favorite month as it's the perfect in-between of Halloween and Christmas, it's other people's favorite months because of Thanksgiving, and some people couldn't care less about November.  But for dogs (and other pets), it's a big month!  That's because many causes have claimed November as their month.  

National Senior Pet Month (plus National Adopt a Senior Dog Month)

We all know that puppies are immediately irresistible at a shelter.  Most people looking to adopt are wanting to take home a puppy or young dog, and it makes sense.  Of course you want to get the most out of your time with your dog, and you'll get the most if you have a young dog.  But November is about not only raising awareness about senior pets and pet care for senior pets, but adoption as well.  Senior dogs are all-too-overlooked at the shelter because of their old age. Let this month inspire you or someone else to open up your heart to the possibility of adopting older dogs.

National Pet Awareness Month

It's exactly how it sounds - pet awareness!  Sometimes, even pet-owners who adore their dogs, cats, and furry (or scaly/feathery friends) forget how big of a responsibility owning a pet can be.  Pet Awareness Month is about expanding your knowledge on your pet.  It's suggested that during November, just do your homework on your pet's specific breed, behavior tendencies, food tendencies and other information on their species or breed.  Also take your pet to the vet and have a routine checkup done so you can be up-to-date on their health!

Pet Cancer Awareness Month

Cancer is real, and not only in humans.  November is also the month to knowledge yourself on the dangers of cancer in your dogs and other pets.  Take this time to do a little research on risk factors for pet cancer, as well as symptoms so you can spot any signs you need to early on.  Another thing you can do "celebrate" this awareness month, especially if you're a dog owner, is to do specific research on your dog's breed.  Some breeds, specifically purebreds, have higher chances of cancer in general, as well as specific types of cancer.  Know your facts ahead of time and you might be able to catch warning signs you weren't aware of before.

Pet Diabetes Month

It may seem like all November is about is making sure you are taking care of your dog!  But that's okay, right?  It's Pet Diabetes Month, too, which is important to raise awareness about.  Diabetes can often wrongly be viewed as solely a human infliction.  But that's just not the reality of it.  All the more animals, especially dogs, are suffering from diabetes.  This is often caused by overfeeding your dog, either with human food or regular dog food.  Older age can affect this as well.  This gives you another reason to do a little research on just how much food your dog should be eating to avoid the risk of excessive weight gain and diabetes.

So November is a big month for pets!  And though it seems like November is about a lot, it's really all having to do with the love and health of your pet.  So go celebrate!