Hello to everyone out there. It’s me, Maggie Mae. I know there has been a lot of cat talk on Kittystead recently. I understand I have 9 feline siblings and I was ok with that till I read last week’s blog about Cat Boredom. Like what the frick? I get bored. Plus I read it more like a Christmas wish list for my feline family members and was like I want lots of items too. Where is MY LIST?

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So first off I will say us puppers and doggos can experience boredom, just like cats and just like you humans. Except we are not such drama queens about it. So how do we show our signs of boredom? A bored doggo will make their own fun. Most likely in ways that don’t work for you humans. When left to our own devices, bored doggos and puppers will chew furniture and shoes, shred pillows, or even unroll your toilet paper. Whatever we can find to play with just to pass the time. And because you’re not there to stop us, it’s all the more exciting. Bonus, sometimes we get to blame those cats which is even better entertainment for us.

What should you look for? Big messes when you get home are a clear sign of a doggo with nothing to do. You might also see us digging in the backyard or tipping over trashcans. Now granted this is not always boredom, as some of us just like to dig. Or you forgot to share your food and accidentally threw it in that trashcan, forcing us to serve ourselves. Shame on you! Personally, I do not get into the trash because as a Pembroke Welsh Corgi that is beneath me. I’m very proud of my heritage of royalty and would never stoop as low as to dig in a trash can….. right? No one has EVER SEEN ME do that.

It is not just signs of boredom when you are away from home, our boredom can be noticed even when you are at home. If your doggo is always nudging you for attention and acting restless, chances are he/she is bored and wants something to do. He/she might also jump on you and your guests or bark excessively.

This discussion also warrants you to be aware and to rule out separation anxiety as our cause of mischief. Sadly we can experience different levels of anxiety the same as humans. If you’re seeing destructive behavior and a clingy attitude, most of the time, this is simply your doggo relieving his boredom and enjoying a lack of supervision. But occasionally it indicates intense distress about being left alone. If you have any concerns, consult a dog trainer, your veterinarian, or an animal behaviorist.

So what are some of the things you humans can do to help this unwanted behavior? Well, please do not yell at us. Being honest I have to say it’s technically your fault for letting us get bored, but hey, we are not here to point fingers or our paws at you. You love us and we love you and we can get through this together. Please do not get rid of us. There is no such thing as a bad doggo but just poor training. Instead, try to entertain us with toys, exercise, or even find us a job to do. I am very good at protecting my Mom walking to the mailbox each day. Also, I am the proud referee of the cats. I am the one that keeps them in line with my parents. I have a lot of responsibilities.

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Now I know what you are thinking ~~I gave my puppers a squeaky toy or rope so that should suffice. That is a great start for our entertainment but we require a bit more than that. We need exercise. We need mental stimulation. We need training. We love to learn and you humans look so happy when we learn something. Well duh! We are not cats – of course, we can learn. Socialization is additionally extremely important. I have 9 cats around me all the time but I do like people and other doggos to be around. I also love car rides. Locally, we don’t have a dog park but I hear those are amazing for stimulation. I have this one friend and his Mom takes him out in the country every few weeks for a few days. He says they have horses and cows and chickens. He loves going there.

Another idea I have heard about is mealtime games. Me, personally, I do not know if I would like this, but have heard good things about it, and might try it soon. What are mealtime games? Something as simple as making your doggo work for their food. This can not only provide stimulation and exercise but can be incredibly fun for the humans to watch.

Here are the instructions. Rather than simply putting a dish of kibble on the ground, consider putting that food in a slow feeder bowl. Meant for doggos who eat too fast, any doggo can benefit from the challenge. Or put the kibble in a food-releasing puzzle toy.
Mealtime will go from a two-minute gobble-fest to a half-hour game. Kibble hide-and-seek is another easy way to turn mealtime into entertainment. Simply sprinkle your doggo’s meal around the house or backyard and let them sniff out each morsel. Personally, I would look at my parents like they lost their dang mind if they tried the last one on me -just saying!

Ok, let us address the elephant in the room. Earlier I said put your doggo to work… Many doggo breeds have a working heritage, from herding to guarding to pulling carts. I, myself have a strong family heritage of herding. To be completely honest, I am not good at this. Even those breeds developed to be companions enjoy keeping active and having a purpose. One of the best ways to prevent boredom is to fulfill your doggos primal need to have a job. Earlier I mentioned being a referee to my siblings. This helps me to herd a little and be in charge. Also, I keep the cats from sneaking outside when the front door opens. You don’t have to literally put us to work as a therapy doggo, search and rescue doggo or service animal as examples, but if you give us a hobby or a way to earn our rewards, you will meet our psychological needs. Choose a hobby for your doggo that suits their interests and heritage.

A great example, Terriers were bred to go to the ground after vermin. A digging box in the backyard would be a perfect gift for these guys. Use a kiddie pool or build a sandbox and fill it with dirt. Then bury special toys for your doggo to find. If you continue to replenish the box, your dog will spend hours digging around for goodies.

Dog sports are another great way to give your doggo a job. There are many options, so look for something you think your doggo will enjoy. For example, AKC Scent Work is fun for all breeds but particularly exciting for scent hounds like Beagles.

Or try treibball for herding breeds. In this sport, a doggo must target and push fitness balls to you. And of course, agility is a great sport for any breed because it provides physical and mental exercise and builds the doggo to human bond. Of course, we are already fond of you. This will help to strengthen our bond.

You can also create DIY (Do It Yourself) versions of different doggo sports at home. For example, drafting and carting are great for breeds like the Bernese Mountain Dog. These gigantic doggos were once used to pull carts, transporting items from farm to town. Pulling a home-made cart around the backyard or neighborhood gives these doggos a fun way to celebrate their heritage. Another option is a mini agility course in the living room or backyard made from things you already have around the house.

Now we get to my favorite part…Toys I mean who does not like toys, a stick in the mud that is who, although mud and stick sound fun too.

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• Kong Classic. This thing is amazing and it gives food when playing with it. A doggos best toy indeed. Although I lost mine I am sure it will come back to me, I mean what we had was special.

• Now personally I love stuffed animals. They are one of my favorites. Odd Ollie The Octopus is double stuffed and has stronger stitching. It’s rare to get stuffed animals that can keep up with me. My parents say not all stuffed animals are safe because of their insides. The stuffed item could have like beads or something. I really was not listing -all I heard was no. I do feel I had to mention their warning though.

• Consuela is another stuffed animal but when you tear this one up there is another stuffed animal inside of it. Inception anyone? Ok, how cool is that? I really hope I get more stuffed animals for Christmas. There is another one that is like this except it’s a pineapple. I know that is what is in style right now and its name is Penny the Pineapple. I have to have it!

• The next one (and I express this loosely) is a cat toy. It’s a mouse in a ball that squeaks when it’s rolled or shook. None of these squared cats liked the toy. I took to it faster than white on rice. The toy is called Our Pets Ball Of Furry Fury Cat Toy. I have to say it has been my favorite toy for a while now.

• Lastly, the classic rope or tennis ball. Because this is just simple fun and I love to play tug of war with rope, and I love to fetch tennis balls. What a perfect combination. You can’t go wrong with this.

Also, I forgot to tell everyone treats are a huge part of happiness. I like the dental sticks and those chew bones. Be sure to hound (lol a puppers joke) the humans of Kittystead for lots of Christmas gifts for yours truly.

Thank you everyone for joining me with today’s blog. I had a lot of fun talking with you today and sharing a sense of a doggo’s mind. Be sure to subscribe to Kittystead for tips, tricks, and more to come.