Questions
- What is Valentine’s Day?
- How to involve my pet in Valentine’s Day
We know what it’s like to want to include your beloved pet in everything you do. Sometimes even going on holiday or doing something special feels a little bit less special when you can’t bring your pet along for the ride. Pets are as much a part of the family as relatives, children and your spouse so it always feels a bit strange to neglect them from joining in on an occasion or event. More and more households with pets are going on holiday more locally so they can book somewhere that is pet friendly. Pets receive birthday presents, have their very own Christmas dinner and even get to attend weddings.
There are so many occasions that we now consider our pets to be a part of so why should Valentine’s Day be any different?
What is Valentine’s Day?
Like many holidays, Valentine’s Day is thought to have its roots in religion. The Romans used to celebrate the start of spring in the middle of February with a festival and Christians wanted to put their stamp on it. It’s thought they wanted to use it to remember Saint Vincent, a mysterious figure whom very little is known about. Marriage was once banned in the Roman Empire when the Emperor believed it weakened his soldiers. To have a strong army he wanted all men to be unmarried. St Valentine was thought to disagree and performed marriages for couples in secret. When he was found out he was imprisoned and sentenced to death.
This is believed to have been the start of Saint Valentine being associated with love. It is even said that he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter while he was imprisoned and wrote her a note that ended with, from your Valentine. It can’t be sure how much of this is concrete facts and how much altered over time but February 14th became the international day to tell our loved ones how much they mean to us with cards and gifts.
How to involve my pet in Valentine’s Day
There are some plans like a trip to a fancy restaurant that may exclude your furry friends from joining you, however you can cater your day to make sure you can bring your pets along. While making plans for the day, you may not be able to include them in everything. If you’re exchanging cards, there’s nothing stopping you from making sure your loved one also gets a Valentine’s Day card from the dog too!
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Go somewhere special
When you’re thinking about where to go on Valentine’s Day, you can bring your pets into the picture by making sure it’s somewhere they can go with you. If you’re planning a nice romantic walk on the beach, make sure you bundle up! Your pooch would love going along for the ride too. A romantic walk can be something you include the whole family in rather than just a one on one activity for you and your valentine.
You can even get your pooch looking the part with their very own Rufus & Rosie Valentines Bandana Dog Collar. If you are going out for a meal or a lunch, there are plenty of venues that are dog friendly and even offer a pet menu these days. If you and your valentine are homebodies, instead of going out, you can have a homecooked meal. You can even serve up a portion for your pets so everyone feels included. How about an evening of pampering? You can do facemasks and even treat everyone to a manicure, pets included!
Double date
If you have a date planned with a special someone, why not make it extra special and invite your pets along? Your cats may not want to make friends or hamsters, but if you have a pup that enjoys the company of other doggy friends, make it a meal for four! If you’re going on a dog walk then you can arrange for your own beloved pooch to have some four-legged company as well. What better way to spend a day with your loved one but also to give the gift of a friend to your canine companion.
It might even buy you some peace and quiet. If you want to curl up on the couch and watch a movie, then having a friend for your pup will give them someone to play with instead of begging you to play fetch all evening. You can have a relaxing evening in and not have to worry about keeping your four-legged friends entertained, they can keep each other busy.
Gift giving
Valentine’s Day might be just the excuse you need to buy your pet something fun and new. You may have a day planned where you can’t involve them in every single plan so what better way to still show them you love them than a gift? For your canine companion, you could give them the classic gift of a new cuddly toy like the Kong Stretchezz Legz Bear Large. It’s soft, great to cuddle with but it’s also durable for pooches aren’t as gentle when showing their love to their toys. If you have to be out of the house for any period, try leaving your pup with something to do like putting their dinner in an activity feeder. They will probably appreciate it more than a fancy meal out anyway. Feeders like the iQuties Twister Interactive Dog Toy challenge your pup to spin the different levels to find every morsel of food. They won’t even notice you’re not home.
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For your feline friends, what better way to let them join in on a romantic movie night than with a new bed to snuggle up in? The Rosewood Cream Doughnut Sleeper Cat Bed will even have them choosing to sleep in their new bed instead of trying to get your attention and muscle in on the sofa. If your smaller pets are used to having your undivided attention in an evening but you want to spend some of it with your valentine, treats are a great way to keep them occupied. Long lasting treats like the Rosewood Boredom Breaker Edible Treat n Gnaw Logs Large are great to buy you some time and keep them entertained.
For everything you need to treat your pet to a special Valentine's Day, visit us in store and online.