With the creatures in adolescence having gone to school, it’s only natural your furry friend (or friends) now remains a bit monotonous during the day. Whether your friends are feline or canine, there are sure to be parts of the day where they’re twiddling their thumbs they never evolved into.

The Issues

It’s definitely important to lay out why exactly we need to be doing more for our pets that are left at home all day. For dogs, going to work is mostly fine for 4-6 hours. Naturally, most companies prefer to keep employees for 8 hours a day, fulfilling the 40 hour work week. Some dogs are predisposed to being more anxious than others, mostly hinging on how attached they are to their owners. A dog with major separation anxiety may require more attention than a different, “calmer” dog.

Cats, however, generally require less attention throughout the day, often being able to go alone for 24-48 if their amenities are kept available. Still, they deserve attention throughout the day, so you can, and should, still stay involved with your cats throughout the day.

A Dog’s Perspective

The best way to keep your dog calm and happy while alone at home is to prevent or limit the anxiety they get from being separated. A great way to begin this is by establishing clear schedules with them. They’ll build expectations that they can lean on when they may have gotten anxious in the past. The best way to change or alter these routines is through gradual and slow change. Changing a dog’s feeding or walking times too fast will cause more disruption for them than benefit for you, so make sure to act with patience in that regard.

Another way a dog can have a more enjoyable experience throughout the day is by keeping them enriched throughout the day. This can look like a multitude of things, including: toys, puzzles, engaging feeders, and activities during your time together.

One activity you could do with your dog to alleviate stress overall is an overall slower, more dog-focused walk. These “sniffing walks” as the Nevada Humane Society dubs them can help alleviate stress, and they compare it to letting your dog read the morning paper.

The Cat’s Eye

The cat, alas, is a much different creature than a dog. They are more independent, nonchalant, and sassier than a dog. These are all generalities, and many cats love their owners just as much as a dog would love theirs. So, these owners must then take care of their cats to the same degree as their dogs.

For starters, a modern mischief capturer like an at-home camera is a great idea to keep an eye on those mischievous felines. Many models of indoor cameras come with a microphone, creating quite the fright in your cat and quite the laugh from an owner when you surprise them.

Another more subtle way you can do something positive for your cat while everyone is gone is to put on some background noise. These sounds/videos are stimulating for the cats throughout the entire day, giving them some easy entertainment they can fall back on. Some popular choices from others include a fish pond, rain sounds, or classical music.

In Conclusion

If you’ve noticed your pets needing a larger backyard or more room, it’s a great idea to reach out to a Ruoff Mortgage loan officer today to start this journey of expansion!