Keep Your Pet Busy

by Ronel Forbes

September 23, 2022

Finding strategies to keep animals active and occupied throughout the day is crucial since many animals become destructive when not properly engaged. Daily activities that keep pets physically and mentally busy help them thrive. It’s important to provide your pet with the proper level of stimulation for their personality and choose activities that meet their tastes because certain animals and breeds are more active than others. See our best advice for keeping your pets active, mentally sound, and living life to the fullest.

#1 Good View!

Providing your animals with something to gaze at is one of the simplest methods to keep them occupied. No matter whether you live on a busy street or your window faces a brick wall, many pets like watching the world go by while pressing their noses against windows. The people and animals outside may fascinate them, but they feel safe and comfortable within their houses. Through this, they can experience some of the cerebral stimulation that comes from being outside without having to cope with the stress of doing so. Give them a spot at the window with a bed or bench so they can rest while gazing out, and the brightest window in your house so they can enjoy the sunshine. Note that for animals with reactivity issues, this might not be the best choice. If so, there are alternative activities they can engage in. Additionally, this is not a replacement for everyday walks!

#2 Try out toys that release treats.

Your pet can be entertained for hours with a treat or puzzle toy. There are many different puzzles and treat toys available, but they all work in the same way: you put treats inside that your pet can only have if they solve the puzzle. For the more intelligent animals, breeds, and toys, there are various levels of difficulty. They will be entertained for hours by the allure of the delectable treats inside. Additionally, studies have demonstrated that these toys lower the stress hormone cortisol in kenneled dogs and cats. They can keep themselves occupied for a longer period of time while the food thaws if they fill a hollow rubber enrichment toy like a Kong with their favorite cooked dog food. Or you might stuff a puzzle ball with cat goodies to occupy them for hours while stimulating their brains and problem-solving abilities.

#3 Brief training exercises.

If you see that your pet is becoming bored or needs stimulation, seize the chance to teach them something new. Under normal circumstances or when they believe there is a better, more stimulating activity available, some animals reject training. Your instruction will be more engaging and perhaps more effective if they are not bored. These opportunities for training might involve more than simple exercises. Using a clicker, you can teach your pet socializing skills, agility skills, or a particular behavior like sitting, heeling, or shaking. Use lots of sweets and supportive remarks as positive reinforcement.

#4 Create a challenge course.

You may construct an obstacle course for your pet to navigate whether they are indoor or outdoor animals. Create a challenging and entertaining trail for your pet with items you already have around the house. Use chairs as barriers they must climb or leap over, boxes as tunnels they must pass through, and hula hoops as rings they must jump through. By simply shifting a few pieces, you can easily change your direction and provide your pet with a completely new route to follow. A homemade obstacle course is less likely to pique the interest of cats. A cat tree, however, can keep indoor cats entertained and safeguard your property. Cat trees with numerous levels and tunnels will encourage your cat’s innate want to climb. They should also have condos for your cat to hide in, hammocks for resting, and scratch posts for caring for your cat’s nails. At the conclusion, provide them with a satisfying supper as a reward and to help them maintain their physical fitness. Give them foods like a high-protein cat and dog chow that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements.

#5 Teach them new words.

Our pets are smarter than we give them credit for, but it can take time to teach them new phrases. According to scientists, the majority of popular domestic pets can understand at least a few words, with cats being able to comprehend 20 to 50 phrases, dogs 80 to 200 syllables, and some bird species up to 1,000. Additional studies have revealed that even when animals can’t grasp what we are saying, they generally still appreciate hearing from us. The process of teaching a new term to your pet takes time, practice, and treatment. Say the word, clearly explain what it means, and then try to understand it.

#5 Attempt battery-powered toys.

A battery-operated toy can take the place of some human interaction and keep your pet occupied if you leave them at home alone for an extended period of time. These advanced pet toys move and create noises in different ways to stimulate your pet. Purchase a toy that your pet enjoys playing with because some toys may frighten some animals. The newest toys have remote activation capabilities. If your home is equipped with cameras, you can remotely turn on the toy and use an app on your phone, tablet, or computer to watch your pet play with it. Try an automatic ball launcher if your dog is energetic. These toys engage in fetch with your dog and frequently include motion sensor activation for secure play and an automatic rest period to prevent overexertion.

#6 Replace their toys.

While your pet may have a favorite toy that they take with them, you should also routinely change up their toys to give them something new and interesting to study and keep them occupied. Just keep two or three of your pet’s toys available rather than all of them. After a week, replace them with two or three new toys. Pick playthings that stimulate your pet’s senses. Bear in mind that animals have distinct senses from humans; dogs prefer to sniff things, whereas cats prefer tactile things.

Conclusion

All animals require affection, structure, a balanced diet, and mental stimulation. You’ll be providing them everything they need to live well at all phases of their life by keeping them active, keeping up with vet checkups and preventative treatment, and (ideally) feeding them slow-cooked, high-quality pet food and treats. Include getting pet insurance for your animals as well, seeing as how you consider them as members of your family.

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