Bored Dogs and Cats – Pet tip 196

Even though many pet owners realize that they aren’t spending enough time with their pets, and that their pets are becoming bored, some pet owners are at a loss as to how to rectify the situation. If your cat or dog is alone without any company all day every day, it will likely get bored. Boredom can lead to depression as well as behavioural problems such as chewing. Because pets are not active when they are bored, boredom also commonly leads to obesity. So what can busy pet owners do to help remedy this common situation?

If budget is not an issue a really easy way to solve this is with a dog-walker. Dog walking is becoming a more and more common service that busy pet owners are taking advantage of. Dog walking is almost always a treat for dogs as they tend to make friends with the dog walker and get some exercise/activities out of the deal. Many dog walking services also offer pet sitting services as well. This means that if you have a cat, a pet sitter can come in and entertain your cat for a while. It will break up your cat’s day and make it feel better. Due to the fact that these types of business are unregulated it makes good sense to get a referral from your vet or someone else you trust. If this type of service is beyond your budget, you can always ask a neighbour to come in and spend some time with your cat or dog.

Depending on the breed of dog you have or the temperament of your cat, you can always choose to get a second dog or a cat. Normally cats will tolerate a new cat after a period of adjustment. After this period, the cats usually spend time with each other and interact with each other thereby alleviating some of the boredom they are used to. Ask your vet on how best to introduce a new cat into your household. In terms of dogs, most dogs also get along with new dogs after a period of adjustment, but some do not. It is for this reason that it’s best to test the reaction of the old dog with the new dog on neutral territory. Again it’s prudent to ask your vet on how to introduce the 2 dogs.

Another interesting way to provide your pets with a bit more stimulation is with a DVD made especially for pets. These DVDs are pretty boring for humans to watch but many cats and dogs just love them. Some of these DVDs run on a loop so that they will start over once they have finished. Check online or at pet stores to see what titles are available for your pet. Another option is the radio. Both cats and dogs seem to prefer talk-radio and classical music over dead silence.

Even though everyone seems busier than ever these days we mustn’t forget about our pets. They do indeed suffer when they feel neglected or too bored. We brought them into our lives as companions and so it’s our responsibility to provide them with activities.