Fun Things To Do With Your Pets

Helpful Tips

With COVID 19 here to stay for a while in Edmonton, more people are working from home and currently may not need a dog walker or pet sitter.  As we also continue to limit our outings, we have to get increasingly creative in regards to things we can do with our pets. Not only does this keep them happy, this will also keep you and your family happy.

Here are a few actives you can do with your cat or dog.

Cats

Sometimes humans get bored and often feel like it takes ‘too long’ for our cats to engage during a play session. The next time you use a flirt pole to get your cats moving, keep in mind that it is natural for cats to want to hunt. Sometimes it can take a couple of moments before they make a move, but it’s all a part of their instincts to chase and capture. Once you get them going, why not incorporate a few obstacles like stairs, tunnels, and furniture?

If your cat is food motivated, games like food puzzles, scavenger hunts, and hide and seek are just enriching for cats as they are for dogs.

Believe it or not, but you can also clicker train your cat to do tricks as well. You can train your cat to do things like sit, wave, shake a paw using the same methods as training a dog! Cats like to work for their treats/food as well!

Dogs

If your pup is an energetic one, there are a ton of physical activities to help you and your pets burn off that energy. The list is endless but includes activities from a simple game of chase, agility, or a brisk walk/jog. Especially if you’re keeping your pups in shape for their Dog Jogs walks or jogs!

Are you looking for more things to do indoors? For the pups that love to use their noses, there are a few search and sniff games that you can set up.

Some indoor ideas include:

  • Get your pup to sit and stay in one room while you hide treats all over the house for your pup to find.
  • Snuffle mats let you hide your pups’ treats or kibble in fabric for a localized mini sniff and search game.
  • Hide a mix of treats or kibble in a muffin sheet and place tennis balls or toys on top.

 

Is your dog a Kong enthusiast?!?

Freezing a mixture of your pup’s favourite mixture of treats and kibble in a Kong is a great way to keep them occupied. It can also help with things like anxiety, calming down hyperactive dogs, soothing fearful puppies, and crate training. Your favourite dog walker is more than willing to leave your dog with a frozen kong you’ve prepared!

Learning new tricks and practicing obedience are great activities to engage with pups (and cats). Even better, many of these activities can be customized to accommodate pets of all ages, breeds and energy levels. There are tons of

Regardless of how you spend time with your pets, it is a great bonding opportunity for the entire family.

How creative can you get with your pets?