Parenting a pet is one of the most rewarding experiences ever. However, the journey is not as simple as it looks. Just like our human babies, even our furry babies get bored easily and tend to indulge in destructive behavior. Therefore, as pet parents, it’s one of our primary responsibilities to ensure that our pets remain occupied at all times. If you are new to pet parenthood and not sure how to keep your pet engaged, do not worry, as we are here to help. In this blog, we are happy to put together a comprehensive guide on how to prevent boredom and destructive behavior in your pet. Read on to find out more.
Ways to Prevent Boredom and Destructive Behavior in Pets
The following are some effective ways that can help you keep your pet engaged and prevent destructive behavior.
Physical and Mental Stimulation
Physical and mental stimulation in the form of exercise helps channel pets’ energy into healthy outlets and helps prevent restlessness, stress and anxiety. An appropriate amount of exercise also helps prevent unwanted behaviors like excessive barking, chewing, digging or scratching. When it comes to cats, toys catering to their natural hunting instincts keep them mentally active and discourage boredom during their time inside the home. However, you should always speak to your veterinarian to determine the exercise needs of your pet as each species and breed is unique and has specific needs.
Exploring New Places
Helping your dog or cat explore new places offers them mental stimulation, physical exercise and opportunities to satisfy their natural instincts. When it comes to cats, exploring new environments offers them sensory variety in the form of new sounds, sights and smells. It also helps them exhibit natural behaviors like climbing, hunting and stalking, thus reducing restlessness and frustration that result in destructive activities like excessive scratching and vocalization. For dogs, exploring new environments helps in stimulation of senses and reduces boredom-driven behaviors like chewing, digging and excessive barking.
Interactive Toys and Puzzles
Playing with interactive toys and puzzles encourages pets to think and solve problems. It further keeps their brains active, reduces boredom, which can lead to unwanted behavior like meowing, barking, chewing and scratching. For cats, puzzle toys cater to their natural instincts and satisfy their hunting drive. Dogs, on the other hand, benefit by treat-dispensing toys and puzzles that help reduce destructive behavior by giving them a constructive outlet for their energy.
Socialization
Socialization is important for your pet during their early days as it exposes them to various stimuli. Visiting pet cafes and pet parks can work excellently for your furry baby. The exposure helps them become adaptable and confident, which in turn reduces stress and anxiety. It also helps reduce the instances of destructive behaviors like scratching, chewing, excessive meowing and barking and aggression. Pets that are well-socialized are, in general, less likely to get aggressive and are not drawn towards boredom-driven misbehavior.
Training
Besides teaching basic manners, training also teaches pets appropriate behaviors and commands that help prevent anxiety and confusion that generally lead to destructive behavior. Once your pet learns what is expected of them, they are less likely to indulge in inappropriate behavior. Training also helps support the overall emotional well-being of pets, which helps control stress-related behavior issues.
Anti-Anxiety Treatments
There is a wide range of anti-anxiety treatments available on the market that work excellently to subside anxiety-related behavior issues in pets. Some of the most effective ones include Anxitane Chewable Tablets, Zylkene Calming Supplement, Adaptil Spray for Dogs and Feliway Spray for Cats. However, it is always advisable that you seek your vet’s advice before administering any treatment to your furry companion.
Mealtime Games
Incorporating games during mealtime transforms it into a rewarding and mentally stimulating activity. Therefore, instead of offering their food in their bowl, serve it in a slow feeding dispenser. This will enable your pet to eat slowly and remain occupied for a long time. If you don’t have a dispenser at home, simply sprinkle its kibble around the home or backyard and let your furry baby enjoy a fun treasure hunt.
Wrapping Up
Addressing boredom and destructive behavior in pets requires consistent emotional engagement, mental stimulation and physical activities tailored to their unique needs. Interactive activities clubbed with social interactions help keep them mentally sharp and emotionally secure. By catering to their physical and emotional needs, you will be able to nurture a healthy, happy and well-mannered companion. At CanadaVetExpress, we carry a wide range of treatments to address behavior issues in dogs and cats at the best prices. Check out our pet supplies to enjoy lucrative deals on your preferred pet care products from the comfort of your home.