Dogs, cats and other pets can get bored just like we do. I struggle around snacking and over-indulge in bad TV. Keeping our minds and bodies active is important for our health, and environmental enrichment elevates your dog’s physical and emotional health. Why not provide your dog with an eco friendly house?
When Shadow-Pup feels bored, he terrorizes Karma-Kat. Oh, they love to play together, but he overdoes things and can get too rough when he feels bored. He’ll also demand more attention from his humans. That takes the form of staring and barking at us (READ MY MIND!), or bringing toys to play, or even indulging in zoomies—racing around and around the house l
There are many ways you can add some stimulation into your pet’s world. That doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Check out these easy and go green pet-parent projects you can try this spring.
Make a dog bed or pillow out of your old clothes
Recycling your old clothes is a great way to give them a second life. Take an old sweater or something with a thicker material and turn it into a comfy pet bed or pillow. Here’s an easy tutorial to follow. If you’re like me, you’ve got lots of old pillow cases. Or, you can get an old sheet, stuff it full of clothing that’s not fit for donations, and stitch up the sides. You can get stick-on Velcro from sewing stores, too, if you’re not handing with a needle and thread. Your dog will love cozying up on a bed that smells like you! And BONUS…if the dog rips it apart, you aren’t out a bundle on a fancy high-dollar dog bed.
Tie up your clothes for tug toys!
This is great for those of you who don’t sew. Take your old socks–you know, gather up all the odd ones your washer didn’t eat–and stuff them inside each other. Tie them together for a longer tug toy. That works great for small to medium size dogs. For bigger dogs, an old pair of jeans or yoga pants offers more stretch-and-shake worthy sizes. And BUNUS…they smell like you! Oh, and there are RULES to follow in tug games, like teaching when it’s appropriate and how to keep the game going. My colleague Trish McMillan has a great resource here for tugging.
Pick eco-friendly companies that make dog toys
Many dog toy companies are paying close attention to their carbon paw print these days. Choosing safe dog toys is job one for pet parents. I love all the Planet Dog toys because they’re made with recycled materials—and you can even return chewed up toys to them to recycle. Shadow-Pup still plays with toys we got over a decade ago for Magical-Dawg. Checkout these other eco-friendly pet-toy companies listed on sustainablejungle.com.
For more help with your bored dog, get the QUICK TIPS book, below (click on the picture).
Take a walk! or a car ride!
A ramble through the park, or the woods, or a car ride to enrich your pup while de-stressing you both. Consider how else you might consume valuable resources while you de-stress. Shadow loves car rides, where he gets to sniff the breeze and see all the different sites. And we’re lucky to live on 13 acres to ramble.
Being eco-friendly in all areas of my life is something I try to do to stay healthy, and treat my world right. I still need to work on it, though. Which of these little projects are you going to try? Let me know by commenting below.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter.
Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE! Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
Dogs excavate for a variety of reasons. Dog digging is a natural canine behavior that developed as a means of survival. With spring coming soon, and digging gardens in my future, my Shadow-Pup wants to help digging and kicking up dirt. Some dog breeds dig holes more than others do, so read on for more details if you have a digging dog.
Learn more about why dogs dig, and how you can manage this normal canine behavior.
Kittens are rarely in short supply. With the current rash of kittens, summer break on the horizon, and the pandemic easing, kitten adoption may be in your future. But there’s more to kitten adoption than bringing home your baby cat. Maybe you’ll want to foster a needy kitten (tips here). Learn about what to do–and what NOT to do–in this kitten adoption guide.
It’s that time of year here in N. Texas for storms, rain, hail and (eeek!) tornadoes. Today we’re under a weather alert with forecast for lots of rain and possible hail and wind. That could turn into a might big wind that could cause Dorothy to shake in her ruby slippers.
When I grew up in North Indiana, we also had tornadoes, and those events were exciting times for us kids. It meant camping out in the basement…with our parents! How fun is that?
Well… maybe fun for clueless kids. But don’t be clueless. Protect yourself and your pets. Here’s how.
Yikes! It’s hot-hot-hot here in Texas. Shadow-Pup is NOT happy. He misses his ZOOMIES in the back garden, but I’m afraid to let him overdo too much. It’s time for hot weather games for pets and keeping cats and dogs cool in hot weather.
Hot weather pet safety around here is a matter of life and death for cats and dogs. I live in N. Texas where it’s not unusual for weather to have everyone hot under the collar. Just imagine how pets feel with a fur coat. Older dogs have more sense and aren’t as prone to overdo. But our rescue pup Shadow acts clueless, and we have to physically confine him or he’d never stop playing even in 100-degree weather.
These tips can help you prevent problems, or even save your pet’s life.
Snakebites are common in pets, especially dogs, because dogs are often curious and try to play with moving critters. In fact, about 150,000 dogs and cats are bitten by poisonous snakes each year in the United States alone. Learn about the top villains and what to do in this post.
I adore the golden oldie pets. My Seren-Kitty lived to nearly 22 years old, my first shepherd made it to just over 13 years old, and Magical-Dawg lived large and loud until 11 years old. Seren just wouldn’t give up, despite her arthritic clawed paws click-click-clicking as she tottered along. When Karma arrived, he acted like the fountain of youth and gave her a boost. Here are some tips for fun things to do with your golden oldie…
Here’s an update on the next thriller… along with some fun podcasts, a cello experience, and a “thrilling” (NOT!) medical emergency. All is well… read on for details.
Dogs use their mouths like people use our hands. That means nearly everything goes into the puppy’s mouth as he explores the world, and teething pups chew to relieve the discomfort. Dogs never outgrow the gnawing habit, though, and that can get them in trouble.
Here’s why they target your favorite things…and what you can do to reduce the risk.
Cat and dog dehydration refers to the excessive loss of body water. Pets are prone to dehydration when the weather gets very hot, and they don’t have access to enough water. As a result, they can develop heatstroke. More often, though, dog and cat dehydration happens from vomiting and diarrhea.
Here in Texas, we’ve had weeks of triple-digit temperatures. I worry about the outside pets, but even indoor cats and dogs can suffer from dehydration. Normal water loss occurs in the pet’s bathroom deposits, through moisture exhaled with the breath, and through sweat. These fluids get replaced when the cat and dog eat and drink.
Any illness may prompt pets to stop eating and drinking, and prolonged fever increases the loss of body fluid. Specific disease conditions or injuries like diabetes or kidney disease may cause excessive urination that also causes of dehydration.
Cats evolved as desert creatures and have an amazing ability to conserve water, but cat dehydration can still kill. Even though cats seem to prefer to drink water in the weirdest places (the sink? your glass? the TOILET?!) they most often just don’t drink enough water. Here’s what you need to know.
Visit Amy's Website
Amy Shojai CACB is an award winning author. You can find all her publications and book her to speak via her website.
AmyShojai.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com http://amazon.com/.
0 Comments