Pets love and need activity in their lives. Activity for pets can be a time for play or walks with their human, but also it can involve a lot of mental stimulation. When pets interact with toys and accessories in their environment, it helps them learn coordination, cooperation, and how to build confidence. Pet toys enrich a pet’s life and makes them easier to live with. It keeps them exercised and away from boredom. Thus, you will be happy and enjoy your time together more.
Take for example, a puppy or a dog in a new situation. More often than not, dogs when well bonded with their human, will resort to chewing and destructive behaviours when left alone or when they feel anxious. Yes! Animals feel anxiety and there are ways to help them deal with those feelings. This includes taking some time to redirect their behaviours.
To help them keep busy while you’re running an errand or need to get the laundry, consider a treat seeking toy, like Olive’s Planet Toy. By filling the toy with your dog’s favourite treat, they learn to associate time away from you as a positive thing. They can be quite loyal to their toys, but as they grow older, they might learn different ways to get treats out of them. It means finding different puzzle toys to satiate that doggie curiosity and sometimes that keeps both pet and owner on their toes.
https://humblelittlepets.com/collections/dogs/products/olives-planet-toy?variant=36925076471973
Chew toys are also great for many animals including birds. Birds when not flying or hopping around in their cage, love to chew. It’s a natural instinct and it helps their growing beaks trim and healthy as they grow. You can get rope toys or a collection like this one, Emerald’s Playful Toy Bird Set.
https://humblelittlepets.com/collections/birds-small-pets/products/bird-toy-set
Birds are very intelligent. Swings, bells, along with chewing elements help birds exercise and keep them mentally active throughout the day.
A lot of animals have innate instincts that will retain even in domestication. Cats are natural born hunters. I’ve seen a cat go after things bigger than it and even when they are proven wrong, a good hiss will scare even the biggest of dogs or other cats. Sometimes via instinct kittens will go after your beloved home decorations or exhaust an entire paper towel roll. This is where toys come in. Cats also love catnip and with the right toy filled with it, a cat can chase and hide their “prey.” Just cover this Mouse Ball toy with some catnip or a cat loved scent and watch your little house tiger do what she does best, (besides snuggle with you).
https://humblelittlepets.com/collections/cats/products/mouse-ball-toy
As your kitten becomes a full grown cat, it will still get into trouble, however, a cat will continue to find joy in a catnip filled toy. Watch an older cat and kitten interact over the same toy with a sneak attack!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLqHdnKMluQ&ab_channel=waltersanti
In redirecting behaviours and keeping animals mentally and actively stimulated, they learn to enjoy your home as theirs too, (without destroying it!). Pets are natural at play just like we humans are as children. Maybe together with our toys we can keep each other young at heart.