Image by: Dat 

Cats are innately curious and playful creatures so it’s important that you try to accommodate this by having things available for them to play with throughout the day. 

Equally though cats can be fussy, and what one cat may enjoy another may not. I’ve lost count of the amount of toys I’ve bought for my cat only for them to be sniffed at once, disinterestedly, and then left abandoned in a corner somewhere, until I’ve bothered to get rid of it.

My advice to you is to keep it simple. Push aside the annoyance of the past wasted pounds (at least you can sell unused toys ‘as new’ on eBay) and look to the ways you and your cat can really have fun without having to splash the cash. Here are five great ways to do just that!

Cardboard Castles

For some reason, cats seem to love cardboard boxes. Unpack one and leave it hanging around for more than a couple of hours, and it’s highly likely that by the time you come back it will have become inhabited by your furry friend. They can be a lot of fun too and there are a lot of ways to incorporate fun filled games into your basic box.

Get one large enough and you can transform it into your cat’s very own pet palace. Simply stack smaller ones inside it to create separate, secret rooms, or else stick smaller ones on top. You can add whatever you think your cat might enjoy, like old cushions or favorite toys. Just be careful when making it to be sure its secure and evenly weighted. You don’t want your castle toppling over with your cat still inside.

Tunnels

Along the same lines, homemade tunnels can provide your cat with an endless source of fun. Simply place your boxes side by side and cut holes into them to make an exciting, tunnel maze. To make it more interesting vary the size and the positioning of the gaps you’ve created for them to squeeze into, so that they have to work a little to make their way through. 

Climbing Frames

Cats love climbing and generally being high up in the air. Unfortunately for any indoor cat the only chances they get for this kind of play is normally on your furniture, curtains or shelves, which can potentially cause a lot of damage. 

If your cat’s love of climbing is constantly causing you trouble why not try making your own cat climbing frame? Perhaps the simplest way is get a very coarse rag of material, and fix it to the wall. Then build a couple of solid shelves, nail some more of the material to it and you’ve got yourself an inexpensive, but effective climbing frame.

Treasure Hunts

Food related games are another great way to make your cat’s otherwise mundane mealtime more exciting. Start small, by putting small pieces of food near to the cat. Then gradually, as they start to get used to the idea, space the food out further afield, until your cat is literally on the prowl. Next you can start to be more adventurous and place the food in harder to reach places, like chairs or shelves. By hiding the food completely out of sight they have to use their sense of smell, as well as their sight, to find dinner. 

iPad Games for Cats

In this new technological era it was only going to be a matter of time before our funky felines got in on the act. There are now a number of game apps available on the iPad, specifically designed to entertain cats and test their reflexes. They come in a surprising amount of varieties, from scurrying mice and fishing games, to the perhaps more unexpected apps like Paint for Cats, an app that allows your cat to chase a mouse around the screen with their paws, whilst at the same time painting an image onto the screen.

A lot of these you can get for free, or at a low cost. Although you may want to invest in a screen protector before you download to protect your screen from playful claws.

Playtime is an important part of the day for any cat. It’s great exercise and can be a great bonding experience between you and your cat. What games do you and your cat love to play?

Liisa Silander-Hatch is an enthusiastic blogger and a self-confessed mad cat lady. She writes for Petmeds. 

For any dog lover, a well-trained dog is one of life’s joys.  On the flip side, a poorly trained dog can turn an otherwise wonderful life experience into a nightmare.  Most dogs who misbehave don’t really qualify as ‘nightmares’ but they can still cause a lot of havoc and upset within a household.

If you have a dog that is in need of training, it is wise to choose a trainer that is going to get the most out of the dog and the results you want. Here are some things to look for in a dog trainer. 

Proven Track Record

Find a dog trainer that has demonstrated he can get the same kind of results you want with other dogs.  Experience is great, but relevant experience is even better.  Speak to current and former clients and ask questions about how the trainer works and if the lessons learned lasted after the training stopped. 

Flexibility

Since most people aren’t available at all hours to bring their dog in for training, it is nice to find a trainer who is.  Someone who specializes and focuses on dog training as a profession should be available for lessons on most, if not all, days of the week. 

Varied Experience

Look for a dog trainer that has worked with all types of dogs and situations so that he won’t be surprised by anything your dog brings to the table. 

Ample Space

Go in and take a look at the training facility before you sign your dog up for training.  Make sure there is more than enough space for your dog to move around, as well as space both indoors and outdoors for lessons to take place. 

Solid Customer Service

Ask about the trainer’s availability for questions or concerns outside of your scheduled training time.  The last thing you need is an ‘you’re on your own’ kind of mentality from your dog trainer.  Good customer service keeps should last even after the classes have finished. 

Customized Plan

Since your dog is unique and an individual, he or she should have a training plan that is unique and customized.  What works great for one dog may not work at all for another, even if they are part of the same breed.  A good trainer will take the time to get to know your dog’s personality and traits, then devise a plan that is suitable for that dog.   

Want to ameliorate your dog’s behavior on your own? Pick up Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems, written by Cesar Milan of National Geographic’s The Dog Whisperer fame.

Ben Summers currently resides in Calgary and is a dog enthusiast who has adopted three of his own. To have his dog trained, he approached Dog Squad who took the time to adapt his training techniques to each of his puppies, and he was pleased with the results.

Ever tried to guess what is running through your dog’s mind? Well, new research shows that your guesses may just be right. A study has revealed that people can recognise their dogs’ emotions from slight differences in their facial expressions and movements.

Experts say that humans have a natural ability to identify when their dog is feeling happy, sad, angry, scared and even disgusted.

Our ability to communicate with our four-legged friends without words has become possible after evolving together over the past 100,000 years.

When shown pictures of the same dog with different facial expressions, a high percentage of people were able to distinguish between the various emotions.

Happiness – this was one of the easiest emotions for people to recognise, with 88% of participants identifying the reaction

• Ears stood up
• Facial expression that resembles smiling
• Mouth open with tongue out

Sadness – 37% of partakers could spot the dog’s subtle look of sadness

• An unhappy expression
• Eyes cast down
• Ears pinned back

Anger – this was also quite an easy emotion for participants to identify, recognised by 70%

• Whites of eyes showing
• Tense facial muscles
• Teeth showing
• Snarling

Fear – around 45% could identify when the dog was feeling frightened

• Ears stood up
• Whites of eyes showing
• Wrinkled forehead
• Eyes looking around

Disgust – this was one of the harder emotions for participants to recognise

• Flat ears
• Closed mouth
• Flared nostrils

Surprise – along with disgust, it was quite difficult for partakers to identify when the dog was surprised

• Ears stood up
• Wrinkled forehead
• Tense facial muscles
• Expression that resembles a frown

Of course, depending on breed, each dog’s reactions and facial expressions will be different. However, this is a general guide on how to read your dog’s emotions. You will obviously know your dog much better so should easily be able to understand your dogs thoughts and emotions.

As puppies, most dogs can be over-excited and restless, however most of the time this calms down with age, training and discipline. If your dog is angry, aggressive and intimidating a lot of the time, then it may be advisable to go and see a canine behavioural specialist. It may also be worth booking an appointment with a behavioural specialist or vet if you sense that your dog is feeling sad or low, as this could indicate an emotional or physical problem that is not completely obvious to you.

Becky loves her pet pooches and always treats them when they’re feeling sad. Their last treat was two beds for dogs from www.thestylishdogcompany.com.

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