Dog owners are well aware of the challenges of providing their canine companions with constant stimulation. Sometimes they are happy to sleep, but most of the time, they need constant attention and things to do. In that way, they’re like toddlers. And, just like toddlers, if you don’t keep them busy, they’ll mess up your house.
Whether you’re taking a walk with your dog or leaving it home alone, you need to give it something to do to keep it from getting bored. It’s not always easy to think of ways to keep them busy, especially if you’ve had a long day and your dog is much more active than you are. Even if you’re too tired to move, there are lots of things you can do to keep your dog busy.
Ensure Variety
The most important thing to remember when entertaining your dog is to do different things. If you did the same things over and over again, you would get bored, and so would your dog. You don’t have to make big changes, but it’s good to switch things up every once in a while. This could mean that the next time you go for a walk, you take a slightly different path or that you switch which toys you take out of the toy chest.
Use Treats For Entertainment
Just about all dogs will do anything for a treat, so they are a great way to keep your dog entertained. You can do a lot with them, like hide them so your dog has to find them or put them in a puzzle ball for your dog to figure out. The treats you give your dog are, of course, part of what they eat every day so you should think about them when you decide how much to feed your dog. If you don’t want to give your dog too many snacks, you could use their regular food instead. You can easily use pieces of dry food instead of treats, and some activities can even be done with wet food.
Encourage Solo Play
A big problem for many dog owners is how to keep their dogs busy when they’re not home or busy with something else. It can be hard to teach your dog to entertain themselves, but it’s important. You can’t play with your dog every minute of the day. Your dog can play by themselves, which is good news. One option is to use a machine that throws balls. These are great for when you’re at home and have something else to do. But they really need to be watched, so they’re not good for when you’re not at home. When your dog is home alone, you might want to get them some toys that they can play with.
Hire Help
Leaving your dog at home alone isn’t always the best thing for your pet. Having no one to play with all day may cause separation anxiety in some dogs, and others become extremely bored and sometimes destructive because of it. Hiring a sitter is a wonderful option if you’re concerned about your dog becoming bored and lonely. It’s possible to have someone drop over to walk them or play with them if you don’t want to leave them at home. Doggy daycare is another alternative for them to spend the day socialising with other dogs and humans.
If you love dogs, why not start a dog treat business?
Pin Me!
