Tag: dogs

Top interactive dog toys for bored dogs

Furry friends get bored too. Interactive toys will keep them from destroying your possessions when you are not home.

Top interactive dog toys for bored dogs

One of the biggest complaints from new pet owners is the destructive behaviour of their pets while they are home alone.
Garden beds and clothes on the line are target number one for bored dogs. Regardless of how much dog walking and attention offered when you are around, bored dogs will play up without any dog sitting.

Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety which makes the matter worse when they have nothing to do. Chewing, digging, leaving ones and twos in places they shouldn’t, howling and concocting escape plans better than Houdini himself. This can all come about from an anxious or bored furry buddy.

Bored dog without toys

Doggy behaviour does not need to be destructive. Just give your furry friend interactive toys to cut the waiting time and turn a naughty puppy into a star student.

Dogs need plenty of physical and mental stimulation. Exercising your dog’s mind will enrich his life with less stress and the opportunity to do what dogs love to do – play, sleep and eat!

Read on for our list of interactive toys that will keep pooch happy.

1. KONG

The KONG is one of the most successful and original interactive doggy toys. KONG founder, Joe Markham, invented the toy when his trained pooch acquired a dangerous liking for chewing rocks and sticks. While fixing a motor, Joe tried to lure his dog from the rocks by tossing out car parts. The dog took to a rubber suspension part, Joe had a brain wave, and the rest is history.Interactive KONG toy

KONGs are made of durable, soft rubber material which is satisfying for a dog to chew.

How a KONG works?

As well as using as a toss and play toy, KONGs can be filled with all sorts of treats for your dog to work out gradually. From mashed pumpkin, chicken and peas, to pieces of kibble, cheese and vegemite. KONGs can keep your buddy entertained for hours as he licks and nibbles at the KONG to release the food inside.

KONGs bounce in all directions when thrown and are great to leave out to keep dogs engaged.

2. Food puzzle toys

There are many different food puzzle toys on the market for dogs. Offer your dog his meals in a puzzle toy or stuff them with cream cheese, avocado or whatever takes your dog’s culinary fancy. These toys encourage licking and chewing which are renowned to have calming behavioural effects on dogs that are left alone.

3. Hanging interactive toy

If your dog gets bored easy, an interactive hanging toy would be great for them. Hanging toys, like the one we found online here, include a rattle ball on a bungee-style rope and a durable loop on the end.

How to use a hanging toy?

Hang the interactive toy on a sturdy base like a fence, tree branch or pergola. The strap will spring back as your dog plays tug of war with the bungee rope.

Put some kibble into the ball to get released as the ball rattles around. That is hours of fun for your dog right there.

Tips for relieving doggy boredom

Dedicate at least 30 minutes a day to playtime with your furry friend. Taking your dog walking in the morning before you leave for work will help them relax and rest for longer when you are away.

Are you going away on holiday sometime soon? Just hire an Airtasker to so some dog sitting with your furry bestie! For your reference, here’s a dog sitting price guide.

How to toilet train a puppy

All you need to know for toilet training the new fury addition to your household

How to toilet train a puppy

Taken the leap and got yourself a new puppy? Congratulations! Your shoes will never be safe again, your dryer is not the only thing that will eat your socks, and your garden will gain more holes than a pin cushion.

Now it is time to get ready for your next step – puppy toilet training.

When you bring home a new furry bundle of joy, toilet training is usually the last thing on your mind. Caught up in those butter couldn’t melt in their mouth eyes, cute puppy tummies and puppy playtime, it is easy to leave the discipline for another day.

A puppy can make even the toughest of toughest melt. But, it is important to instil some rules from the get-go. You don’t have to be a professional dog trainer to master these easy-to-follow tips.

When to start toilet training your puppy

Toilet training should start the moment your puppy arrives home. This shows them what to expect and inhibits bad habits from forming from the onset. Puppies urinate frequently so for ultimate success give your puppy the opportunity to relieve himself every two hours.

Smaller breeds of dogs have smaller bladders and therefore need to go more often.

Here’s how to toilet train your puppy

1. Command toilet training

Take your puppy outside directly after they have napped, had something to eat, drink, or after a play. Go to the same area each time and voice command like okay go now so they learn it is time to relieve themselves. Praise them when they go but do not react when they fail to do so. Once they are done bring them back inside. This time should be kept strictly for toilet pees and poos and nothing else.

2. Paper toilet trainingPuppy toilet training

Newspaper or wee pads are useful for toilet training small breeds of dogs. Introduce your puppy to the pad after food or some drink to encourage them to use it. A lot of praise is needed when they are successful at using the paper or pad, but it is important to ignore them if they fail. If you see an accident about to occur on the floor, be stern with no and direct them over to the wee pad to finish their business.

As time progresses move the paper closer to the door then outside.

Taking a soiled piece of paper outside will also encourage puppies to go there as they can recognise their own scent.

3. Night-time toilet training

When your puppy is in the midst of toilet training you should try to set some timeframes during the night to wake up for training. This will need to be kept up until you are confident they can hold on till morning.

Puppies will generally get the idea pretty quick and will do everything they can to alert you through the night when they need to go (like singing you a puppy song…).

Two to three relief periods during the night is a good starter until the puppy is trained.

4. Tell-tale signs

Some signs that will help you identify when your puppy needs to go to the toilet are:

  • your puppy looks anxious
  • your puppy walks around in circles
  • your puppy starts sniffing in corners of the room
  • your puppy disappears out of the room by himself

If you see any of these behaviours, take him outside for a walk.

Accidents happen and unless you want your puppy to hide their mishaps next time, never rub a dog’s nose in their urine. Simply clean up any accidents immediately to mask the smell in the area and to discourage a repeat incident.

Always remember that puppy toilet training takes practice and patience. With persistence and some gentle encouragement your puppy will know the difference between toilet stop and toilet not in no time at all.

Don’t have as much time to dedicate to dog training your new puppy as you thought? Just hire an Airtasker to do some dog walking and training with your new best friend.