{"id":789,"date":"2012-09-14T08:00:56","date_gmt":"2012-09-14T16:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"\/blog\/?p=789"},"modified":"2014-01-13T20:46:22","modified_gmt":"2014-01-13T20:46:22","slug":"tips-to-a-happier-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/tips-to-a-happier-dog","title":{"rendered":"Tips To A Happier Dog"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are several ways you can help to ensure that your dog is feeling happy and staying active while you and your family are away during the day.<\/h3>\n

A good idea is to do some fun activities with your dog<\/strong> <\/em>before you leave the house.<\/p>\n

Try making some time in your routine for a walk together before you leave for work or the kids go to school. That way both dog and humans will be getting exercise and you\u2019ll be spending some quality time together.<\/p>\n

If there isn\u2019t enough time to go on a walk in the morning, try having a play session before you leave the house. You can give your dog<\/strong> <\/em>some exercise and tire her out so she\u2019ll spend at least part of the rest of the day relaxing until you return.<\/p>\n

The following are some tips to help enhance your dog\u2019s home environment:<\/p>\n

Introduce a new toy.<\/strong> A new toy can add some excitement during the day while your dog<\/strong> <\/em>is home alone. A tough chew toy that can\u2019t be torn apart while you\u2019re gone is best, just in case your dog likes to gobble things up. Also rotate toys: After a day or two, put one toy away so it\u2019s out of sight and mind, and bring out another to replace it. This will keep all of your dog\u2019s toys fresh and exciting.<\/p>\n

Fill up a treat-dispensing toy.<\/strong> Coaxing a toy to dispense treats may be a fun \u201calone time\u201d activity for your dog<\/strong><\/em>. The treat toy will help entice your dog to stay active and the rewards will enforce good behavior during your absence. Even the laziest dog may not be able to resist a toy that gives out yummy treats when you play with it.<\/p>\n

Add a fountain.<\/strong> Making sure your dog<\/strong> <\/em>has enough water for the day while no one is home is very important, and a dog fountain can provide a constant supply of clean fresh water while also piquing your dog\u2019s interest. Many dogs love water and the running water of a fountain can create a diversion for your dog. Be sure to have the regular bowl of water out just in case your dog<\/strong> <\/em>does not take to the fountain while you\u2019re away.<\/p>\n

Use sound and video media.<\/strong> Pleasant sounds and video images in the home help your dog from feeling like he or she is alone when no one else is around. On some days, you can play a soothing classical CD. On other days, you can leave the TV on and put in a \u201cfor dogs only\u201d video that will let your dog<\/strong> <\/em>enjoy the sights and sounds of the great outdoors without having to leave the doggy bed.<\/p>\n

Create a comfortable napping place.<\/strong> It\u2019s inevitable that your dog will want to snooze part of the day away while you\u2019re gone, so set up a comfortable place for your dog to relax. A soft bed in a darkened room is always calming. If your dog<\/strong> <\/em>has been crate-trained, you can leave the crate door open and put a bed inside the crate, making it the perfect doggy den for napping.<\/p>\n

Use a dog pheromone.<\/strong> If you sense that being alone causes anxiety in your dog, try using a dog-appeasing pheromone diffuser, <\/a>spray, or collar. The pheromone released by these products is similar to one that a lactating mother would emit to calm her newborn puppies. This pheromone will be familiar to your dog<\/strong> <\/em>and create a sense of relaxation. You can place the diffuser in a room that is usually occupied by your dog, apply the spray to a dog bed, or have your dog wear the collar.<\/p>\n

Install a dog door.<\/strong> If you have an enclosed yard in which your dog is safe to roam around while you\u2019re gone, consider installing a dog<\/strong> <\/em>door. The door will allow your dog to leave and re-enter the house at will, and to enjoy the sensory delights that your neighborhood has to offer.<\/p>\n

Hire dog caretakers.<\/strong> This is a good option for dogs who are going through training or who suffer from separation anxiety. You can take your dog to a day care facility where your companion will be under constant supervision, or you can have a dog sitter or dog walker come to your home and make sure that your dog is getting the attention and exercise he or she needs while you\u2019re out. Your dog<\/strong> <\/em>may greatly appreciate the mid-day exercise and visit.<\/p>\n

Consider a second dog.<\/strong> Deciding whether to get another dog<\/strong><\/em>\u2014and integrating a new dog into the household\u2014are major undertakings that are beyond the scope of this article. But if Resident Dog and New Dog get along, each may benefit greatly from having company during parts of the day that would otherwise be spent alone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are several ways you can help to ensure that your dog is feeling happy and staying active while you and your family are away during the day. A good idea is to do some fun activities with your dog before you leave the house. Try making some time in your routine for a walk […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[56,18,157,265,277,122,123,33,204,24,25,38,270,20,71],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/789"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=789"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/789\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":791,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/789\/revisions\/791"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}