{"id":22608,"date":"2026-02-23T13:41:03","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T11:41:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/joburg-west\/?p=22738"},"modified":"2026-02-23T13:41:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T11:41:03","slug":"make-this-year-a-wellness-experience-for-you-and-your-pet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/pretoria\/blog\/2026\/02\/23\/make-this-year-a-wellness-experience-for-you-and-your-pet\/","title":{"rendered":"Make this year a wellness experience for you and your pet"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s a familiar moment. The glance they give when the keys come out. The quiet sigh as the laptop opens instead of the back door. The small, hopeful tail thump that seems to ask, \u201cIs it my turn?\u201d As we move into 2026, conversations around health and wellness are shifting. It\u2019s no longer just about gym memberships, green juices, or step counts; it\u2019s about presence, balance, and the relationships that ground us.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd for many of us, that relationship is with a pet who loves us unconditionally, even when our schedules seem to continuously get in the way,\u201d says Marycke Ackhurst, Pet Behaviour Expert from Hill\u2019s Pet Nutrition<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We all know that modern life is busy. Workdays stretch beyond the expected 9 to 5; screens blur into evenings, and \u201cjust five more minutes\u201d becomes a habit. While we juggle deadlines, responsibilities, and exhaustion, our pets never leave our sides.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs pet parents, we care deeply for our pets and do our utmost for them. We buy the best food, the best toys, and we always offer a cuddle on the couch or a tummy scratch just before bedtime. We (as well as our pets) just wish we had more time, more energy, and more space to show it,\u201d explains Ackhurst.<\/p>\n

She adds that studies show what pet parents already know: pets improve our mental health. \u201cThey lower stress, reduce loneliness, and bring comfort without judgment. But the relationship works both ways. Pets are sensitive to our moods, our tension, our absence. Caring for their wellness through movement, nutrition, grooming, and affection is also a form of self-care. It grounds us. It reminds us to slow down. It gives structure to days that might otherwise blur together.\u201d<\/p>\n

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However, time can often work against us, and perhaps instead of adding another task to an already long list, what if your well-being and<\/em> your pet\u2019s well-being could be planned simultaneously, and were part of the same routine?<\/p>\n