How to Keep Your Pet Occupied when You Are Not at Home
Give your pet puzzle toys., Provide your pet with chew toys., Keep a steady rotation of toys for your pet.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Give your pet puzzle toys.
Toys are one of the best ways to keep your pet occupied when you are not home.
Not only do they help him pass the time, but they also keep him physically and mentally stimulated, which is good for his overall health.
Puzzle toys, which are available at your local pet store, are toys inside which you hide food.
Since animals like to work for their food,puzzle toys are a great way to keep your pet busy.
One of the most popular puzzles toys is the KONG® toy, which is extremely durable and ideal for dogs.
Other popular puzzle toys are the Buster® Cube and Tricky Treat™ Balls.Stuff the puzzle toy with such tasty foods— peanut butter or cottage cheese for dogs,and tasty treats for your cat.
You could also stuff the toy with one of your pet's regular meals.Stuff the puzzle toy with food and put it in the freezer overnight to make the food last even longer.You may want to let the toy thaw a little bit before giving it to your pet so it isn’t too cold inside his mouth.
Your dog or cat may need some time to get used to puzzle toy if he’s never used one before.
Choose a toy that has big holes and make the food easy for him to get out.
As he gets better, challenge him by placing larger chunks food in a toy with smaller holes. -
Step 2: Provide your pet with chew toys.
Dogs, especially puppies, are notorious for chewing on things they shouldn’t.
Without a proper ‘chew’ outlet or other activities to keep him busy, your dog could chew on your furniture—or maybe even your favorite shoes! Examples of good chew toys for dogs are natural marrow bones and hard rubber toys.Chew toys keep your dog’s jaws strong and his teeth clean.
Chew toys are also good for relieving anxiety.
In fact, the act of chewing has a calming effect on dogs.It is important that the chew toy be made of a durable material, such as hard rubber.
You wouldn’t want your dog to chew on something that could make him sick if he ends up tearing it apart and swallowing it.Since chewing is a natural activity for wild birds, your bird would enjoy a chew toy or two.
Examples of bird chew toys are baskets and vine balls.The baskets should be made of untreated material, such as natural seagrass or bamboo.
Look for vine balls at your local pet store., As much as your pet will love to play with his toys, he’s probably going to get bored with them at some point.
To delay the boredom (and maybe save you a little money), keep the toys you have in a steady rotation.
Leave out a few toys at a time, then rotate them out each week.To add more variety, leave out different types of toys.
For example, give your pet a chew toy and puzzle toy during each rotation. -
Step 3: Keep a steady rotation of toys for your pet.
Detailed Guide
Toys are one of the best ways to keep your pet occupied when you are not home.
Not only do they help him pass the time, but they also keep him physically and mentally stimulated, which is good for his overall health.
Puzzle toys, which are available at your local pet store, are toys inside which you hide food.
Since animals like to work for their food,puzzle toys are a great way to keep your pet busy.
One of the most popular puzzles toys is the KONG® toy, which is extremely durable and ideal for dogs.
Other popular puzzle toys are the Buster® Cube and Tricky Treat™ Balls.Stuff the puzzle toy with such tasty foods— peanut butter or cottage cheese for dogs,and tasty treats for your cat.
You could also stuff the toy with one of your pet's regular meals.Stuff the puzzle toy with food and put it in the freezer overnight to make the food last even longer.You may want to let the toy thaw a little bit before giving it to your pet so it isn’t too cold inside his mouth.
Your dog or cat may need some time to get used to puzzle toy if he’s never used one before.
Choose a toy that has big holes and make the food easy for him to get out.
As he gets better, challenge him by placing larger chunks food in a toy with smaller holes.
Dogs, especially puppies, are notorious for chewing on things they shouldn’t.
Without a proper ‘chew’ outlet or other activities to keep him busy, your dog could chew on your furniture—or maybe even your favorite shoes! Examples of good chew toys for dogs are natural marrow bones and hard rubber toys.Chew toys keep your dog’s jaws strong and his teeth clean.
Chew toys are also good for relieving anxiety.
In fact, the act of chewing has a calming effect on dogs.It is important that the chew toy be made of a durable material, such as hard rubber.
You wouldn’t want your dog to chew on something that could make him sick if he ends up tearing it apart and swallowing it.Since chewing is a natural activity for wild birds, your bird would enjoy a chew toy or two.
Examples of bird chew toys are baskets and vine balls.The baskets should be made of untreated material, such as natural seagrass or bamboo.
Look for vine balls at your local pet store., As much as your pet will love to play with his toys, he’s probably going to get bored with them at some point.
To delay the boredom (and maybe save you a little money), keep the toys you have in a steady rotation.
Leave out a few toys at a time, then rotate them out each week.To add more variety, leave out different types of toys.
For example, give your pet a chew toy and puzzle toy during each rotation.
About the Author
Heather Williams
Committed to making hobbies accessible and understandable for everyone.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: