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We’re all familiar with the well-known “use it or lose it” rule with regards to our mental health. Experts say that the best way to keep the mind sharp as we age is to consistently stimulate our brains. When we stop engaging various thought processes like problem-solving, our brains literally forget some of our neurological pathways. As a result, we begin to lose our ability to analyze and process information, make decisions, react to environmental stimuli, and perform other actions that we typically take for granted.
Have you ever applied this train of thought to your pets? Many of our furry family members sit for hours a day without any sort of engagement or social interaction, while their human family is off at work and school. Even when we’re home, life is busy and our pets often don’t get the stimulation they need to keep their minds and bodies active. Not only does mental stimulation help pets maintain their problem-solving skills, but it also can encourage healthy behaviors. Pets who aren’t stimulated can become bored, resort to destructive or annoying behaviors, or become depressed.
The best way to engage your pet’s mind is to provide opportunities for exercise and socialization. Try to mix up the forms of exercise that your pet gets. Dogs can go walking or hiking on a variety of paths or trails, play catch with a Frisbee one day and a tennis ball the next, swim at the lake (or indoor pool in the winter), and have friendly play-dates with other dogs. Training and agility classes are another fantastic way to keep dogs occupied and encourage them to problem-solve. Cats love to chase lasers and play with toys that engage their predatory instincts. Even simply placing toys in random places around your home encourages your cats to employ their hunting skills as they search for their favorite catnip-scented fish toy.
There are countless benefits of mentally stimulating our pets. To name just a few…
We’re all familiar with the well-known “use it or lose it” rule with regards to our mental health. Experts say that the best way to keep the mind sharp as we age is to consistently stimulate our brains. When we stop engaging various thought processes like problem-solving, our brains literally forget some of our neurological pathways. As a result, we begin to lose our ability to analyze and process information, make decisions, react to environmental stimuli, and perform other actions that we typically take for granted.
Have you ever applied this train of thought to your pets? Many of our furry family members sit for hours a day without any sort of engagement or social interaction, while their human family is off at work and school. Even when we’re home, life is busy and our pets often don’t get the stimulation they need to keep their minds and bodies active. Not only does mental stimulation help pets maintain their problem-solving skills, but it also can encourage healthy behaviors. Pets who aren’t stimulated can become bored, resort to destructive or annoying behaviors, or become depressed.
The best way to engage your pet’s mind is to provide opportunities for exercise and socialization. Try to mix up the forms of exercise that your pet gets. Dogs can go walking or hiking on a variety of paths or trails, play catch with a Frisbee one day and a tennis ball the next, swim at the lake (or indoor pool in the winter), and have friendly play-dates with other dogs. Training and agility classes are another fantastic way to keep dogs occupied and encourage them to problem-solve. Cats love to chase lasers and play with toys that engage their predatory instincts. Even simply placing toys in random places around your home encourages your cats to employ their hunting skills as they search for their favorite catnip-scented fish toy.
There are countless benefits of mentally stimulating our pets. To name just a few…
Dogs and cats that have enrichment opportunities are less likely to be bored. Bored pets tend to become hyperactive and begin demonstrating unappealing behaviors like excessive barking/meowing, digging, scratching, inappropriate urination, and chewing on shoes or furniture.
Pets that are enriched on a daily basis also tend to adapt to stress better than their non-stimulated counterparts. These pets are less likely to show signs of anxiety or aggression.
Pets that aren’t routinely stimulated are less active, and may become overweight. As we discussed in our article on pet obesity, overweight pets can suffer from a variety of other health issues like arthritis.
Here are more ideas for how you can engage your dog or cat every day:
Time in the car exposes Buddy to new sights and gets him out of his normal environment.
There are tons of videos produced specifically for cats that are filled with views of squirrels, mice, fish, birds, and other wildlife. This is a great way to bring the great outdoors to cats that don’t leave the house.
Practicing new commands like how to retrieve a toy by its name will help to keep Bella’s mind engaged. Just a few minutes per day of practice provides a great mental workout.
These posts will encourage Snowflake to apply her natural hunting tendencies to something other than the legs of your nice wooden table. If your cat doesn’t use the scratching post you bought, try a different type. She may prefer a different fabric or shape than the one you provided. For more information about cat scratching, check out this article.
Changes in scenery and distance will keep things interesting for your pups and present them with ever-changing sights and smells.
Hide their kibble or a handful of treats around the house or backyard. Your pets will be pleasantly surprised by all the delicious smells coming from unusual places, and their foraging instincts will engage as they root out all of the hidden snacks!
These toys prompt a dog or cat to “hunt” for their food: they have to participate in a game of some sort in order to receive a treat or gain access to their meal. For some fun examples of food puzzles for dogs and cats, check out this article.
Dogs and cats can get bored after a few days of the same toy, so mix things up for them!
If you are gone all day for work, consider signing your pup up for doggy daycare. Oscar will have other playmates to socialize with and many more opportunities for exercise. Doggy daycare encourages dogs to release their energy all day long, which is a huge bonus for owners who don’t have the energy to keep up with their pooches after a long day at work!
Make sure your pets have a comfortable lounging area by a window, so they can observe what’s going on in the outside world, as well as enjoy some naps in the sun. If you have cats, consider placing a bird feeder outside the window so they can watch the songbirds and squirrels all year long.
Providing our fur babies with consistent mental stimulation will encourage happy and healthy minds and bodies, allowing us to stay connected with our pets for as long as possible.
