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6 Ways to Keep Your Pet Active While You’re Away

December 10, 2018 by Mary Telesz

a dog with the owner of a pet sitting services company enjoying time outside while the dogs owners are out of townIf you are away on vacation and are planning to leave your pet at home, not only do you have to worry about who’s going to care of them, but you also want to make sure they are entertained and stay active while you’re gone. Perhaps whoever is caring for your pet will be away from your home for long periods of time, so you’ll want to make sure your pet has more things to do than just sleep all day. This is particularly true for younger pets or pets who get anxious when they’re left alone for too long. Below is a list of simple activities or things you can do so your pet stays happy and entertained while you’re enjoying your vacation.

1. Leave The TV On

This is particularly useful for pets who get anxious being home alone because the voices from the TV can trick them into feeling as though they are near people. If set your TV to an animal channel, the sights and sounds of other animals are sure to catch the attention of your pet. There are even some programs that you can find that are designed specifically for dogs. These programs will include the sights and sounds of other dogs so that your dog feels comforted by their presence.

2. Open the Blinds

Many pets like looking at the outside world. Especially if you live in a somewhat busy area, your pet could be entertained for hours just by watching the world go by through a window. If you have to keep your blinds closed because you have a dog who gets excited when people walk by and barks, you could always open the blinds to your backyard or a window facing a less busy area. If you have a cat, you could place a bird feeder near the window so that they can watch the birds come and go.

3. Fill a Hollow Toy With a Treat

Many dogs enjoy peanut butter, so if you take a hollow toy and fill it with peanut butter, it’s likely your dog will be engaged with that toy for hours trying to get out every last bit of the peanut butter. This could easily be adapted for other types of pets depending on their preference of treats.

4. Scavenger Hunt

You can hide treats or toys all throughout your house for your dogs to find and enjoy. If your pet suffers from separation anxiety, this is also something you can do on a regular basis. Every time you leave the house you should leave a small treat for your pet to find. This will allow your pet to develop a positive association with you leaving and hopefully help relieve some of their anxiety.

5. Interactive Toys

a dog playing with a toy that is offered by northern Virginia pet sitting services while its owners are awayInteractive toys are a great way to keep your pet active in your absence. There are tons on the market so you’re sure to find one (or more) that can capture the attention of your pet for hours. These toys can include things like automatic ball launchers that periodically launch balls for your dog to chase. There are also tons of doggy puzzles that you can find to keep your dog engaged and active. Most of them require your dog to solve a puzzle and as a reward, the dog will receive a treat. This is a great way to keep your dog’s mind active as they have to figure out how the puzzle works.

6. Hire Pet Sitting Services

One of the best ways to keep your pet entertained while you’re on vacation is to book a pet sitter. When most people think of pet sitting services, they think about how the pet sitter is going to feed, walk, and care for the pet. However, pet sitters offer much more than that. When your pet sitter comes to your home, they will spend dedicated time with your pet interacting with them and showing them love and affection. You can have your pet sitter stop by your house for 30, 45 or 60 minutes. During this time your sitter can walk your pet, play with them, provide attention and affection, brush them, give them treats, provide fresh food and water, clean litter boxes or cages, and administer any medication that may be necessary. Depending on the needs of your pet, your pet sitting services company could stop by once a day or multiple times a day.

Most people think pet sitting services are only for dogs and cats, but your pet sitter can actually take care of most pets like birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, fish, etc. Your pet sitter will be a trained and certified professional who can treat your pet with exceptional care and love, being sure to keep them active while you’re away. To make sure your pet has the best care and is kept busy while you’re on vacation, be sure to reach out to a pet sitting services company for more information and to book your pet sitter.

Filed Under: Pet Exercise

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Centreville – 20120, 20121
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Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
5.0
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
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