Even though our dogs require a lot of attention, we have other duties in life which need to be fulfilled. For example, we have to go to work or attend school or college, and our doggies cannot be brought along with us. But in order to keep our pets disciplined and our house clean, dogs are often left in crates, kennels or playpens whilst we are away. However, you shouldn’t leave your puppy in a crate if you are going out for a full day of work or school, but it is a rather short term solution. No matter, where we place our pets, we need to provide them some sort of entertainment while we are away.
Firstly, before you leave, make sure that your pet has a lot of exercises and let your doggy run around for some time because they need to run off their energy in order to be calmer whilst in a crate, kennel or playpen. Your dog is going to feel a lot better if you take it out for a little walk or stroll outdoors before going to work or school. They will not only use up their energy but also have a chance to go to a bathroom.
But in order to keep your pet occupied while you are away, you need to introduce different toys to keep the dog busy. One such toy is so-called Tug-A-Jug. These toys are filled with different threats and will keep doggy occupied for some time whilst they will be trying to get out the threat. You can use different consumable things, for example, ordinary dog threats. But if you want to keep your pet occupied for a longer period of time, you can fill the toy with a peanut butter or frozen wet dog food. It will require longer time period getting out wet food rather that simple dog treats.
Another kind of doggy toys requires your effort as they are home made. You can create a doggy Popsicle, by using chicken broth and some of the pets’ favorite treats. Freeze this porridge look alike overnight and let it defrost a little bit before offering to your dog. It is a great way on how to keep your dog dehydrated in warm weather, and ease the separation anxiety, by creating positive associations with playpen and owners leaving. Another great dog puzzle toy is a Busy Bucket, which also requires effort, but will keep your pet busy for a whole day. Just take a sturdy, either plastic or alumni bucket and fill it with all of your dog’s favorite toys, mixing in with few of pets favorite treats. When going through the Busy Bucket he will find many options of entertainment with few little rewards for his patience.
Overall, it is very easy to keep dogs entertained. They enjoy having something to chew on, especially puppies, because they are teething and in constant need to chew. Providing few rubber balls and ducks can keep your pet entertained for several hours. And if you don’t have time to make above mentioned homemade time-consuming toys, there are many already made toys that you can buy in pet shops. The best toys for dogs are interactive dog toys because they will not only keep your little fur ball busy but also develop their reasoning abilities.
All in all, our pets need attention, and if we cannot provide it ourselves, we need to make sure that they are kept entertained whilst we are away. And, by providing them with a few treats and toys we are not spoiling our dogs, rather we are making sure that they are feeling well, as placement into a kennel or crate can cause anxiety and fear in a pet. And, most importantly, don’t forget to provide your dog with enough water for the time period you are away. Your pet can go several hours without having a meal, but water is mandatory to be available at all times.
