Welcome back everyone! Hope you’re all keeping cool in this hot weather! If you need any tips on how to protect your pets in the heat, please be sure to check out our last post “Caution! High Temps Ahead!”
With the end of the summer months quickly approaching, schools are opening their doors and welcoming students back for a new school year. And while your children will be busy and actively engaged all day, this most likely means your pets will be alone at home. A pet alone at home all day can often lead to a bored pet. And we all know what bored pets like to do – cause mischief, get in to things they shouldn’t and explore.
Here’s a funny story for you from my own life! One time, I came home from a long day at work to find my kitchen absolutely covered with flour! I followed the flour trail outside to find an empty bag of flour outside (a bag that previously held 5 lbs of flour!) and three dogs that were looking extremely guilty. The best part was it didn’t take long for me to realize that each dog had a part in this little activity – all three of them had flour stuck to their noses and were each avoiding eye contact with me. While I can look back on it and laugh, in the moment it was definitely not my favorite day and I wish I had realized my dogs were bored at home and done something to prevent what I like to affectionately called “Flourgate”.
For this article today, I spoke with Leisa Giguere, owner of Pleasanton Pet Sitting, and she has provided a few tips for keeping your pets happy and safe while home alone – hopefully they’ll help you avoid your own personal Flourgate!
VPLC: What are ways to keep pets stimulated during the day while they are home alone?
Leisa: It all depends on the type of animal, and age is a huge factor (just as it would be with people). Younger more active animals will not do well locked up day after day without exercise. If they can be walked or played with before and after a lengthy stay alone, that helps, but for dogs, a walk midday is helpful especially if it is confined indoors. If the pet is outdoors during the day I feel there is much more stimulation, and the opportunity to relieve itself. Cats or senior dogs do not require as much activity to keep them happy, and do a lot of sleeping, or basking in a sunny spot or window which is also entertaining for them. If a young puppy is left alone, it really should be crated or contained to an x pen to keep it from injuring itself and damaging things. Puppies should not be left alone for more than a few hours without being checked on.
VPLC: Would leaving a TV on during the day help a pet with feeling lonely?
Leisa: I do have quite a few clients that leave TV’s or radios on for their pets (and I leave music playing for my own dogs if I will be away for a longer stretch of time). I agree that the low background voices or music helps during separation.
VPLC: What issues can arise with pets who are left unstimulated during the day?
Leisa: Pets will find things to do if they are bored. This can involve items that they should not have (furniture, rugs, clothing, shoes, toys, cords, electronics….) I have had a dog in my care eat a lightbulb and chew up an ipod, even withmidday visits. Provide plenty of safe toys, bones, etc and be sure anything hazardous is out of reach.
I will quote John Grogan, Marley and Me…”Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day”
I am all for making that wait as short and happy as possible for them 🙂
Thanks for the tips Leisa!
Now sometimes, despite our best efforts, pets can still get bored with being alone and begin to explore. Dogs and cats are some of the most common escape artists and it’s important to ensure that if the unthinkable happens, and your pet does break out of the home, that they have identification on them. Here are a few different options for you and your pet:
- Proper ID/Collar and Tags – this is probably the easiest and quickest option. Please ensure that your information is legible and up to date on your pet’s tags. Over time, tags can become worn and illegible so it’s important to regularly check your pet’s tags and replace as needed.
- Microchipping – this has become quite popular in recent years and animal shelters, veterinarians, and animal control officers routinely check for these in pets who have been found in order to identify them and their owner. Your veterinarian can implant this chip for a small fee. Additionally, Pet Extreme in Livermore has partnered with VIP Pet Clinic and offer microchipping with lifetime registration for $15.
- Identification Tattoing – Another alternative option to microchipping is tattooing your pet with a unique identification number. This ID number will also be entered into a registry linking your information to your pet’s number. For more information, please check out nationaldogregistry.com.
I hope the information in this article will help you to keep your pets happy and safe at home! And should they get a little too curious and leave the home, please be sure you have clear identification on your pet at all times so they can quickly find their way back home.
Huge thanks for Leisa Giguere for her advice today. If you’re in need of pet sitting services, please check out her website at www.pleasantonpetsitting.com.