Benefits of Playing with Your Pet

Playing with our pets is not only a ton of fun, but it offers many other benefits as well. From staying active and mentally stimulated to strengthening your bond, daily play can help keep your four-legged family member happy and healthy.

Strengthen Your Bond 

Of course, one of the greatest benefits of playing with your pet is the strong bond it helps to create. From tug toys and ball launchers to cat teasers and more, there are a wide variety of toys available to keep your pet entertained while spending quality time together. 

Improve Behaviour 

If your furry friend is bored or has too much pent-up energy, you may find they exhibit undesirable behaviours such as scratching or chewing the furniture. Dedicating time to play with your pet each day can help keep them happy and hopefully prevent these unwanted behaviours. When you’re busy, make sure your pet has access to toys to keep them entertained. While getting a new toy is always exciting, you can help keep your pet interested in their older toys by rotating them. Rather than giving them access to all their toys at once, rotate them every so often so they’re excited each time you bring one back! As not all toys are suitable for unsupervised use, be sure to read and follow all instructions. 

Exercise 

Regardless of the size, breed or age of your furry friend, regular exercise is crucial to keeping them happy and healthy. If your dog enjoys playing fetch outside (or you’re willing to get the ball if they chase it but don’t bring it back), ball launchers can offer plenty of fun and exercise! 

With the right toy, your canine companion can still get plenty of exercise indoors as well. Toys that bounce can keep your dog focused and guessing where they’ll need to jump to next! Playing tug of war with tug toys, such as the Tonka Mega Tread Rope Tug, is a great way to keep your dog active indoors. Made with a heavy-duty thermoplastic rubber, this tug toy can provide your canine companion with endless fun. Suitable for both small and large dogs, the toy features a 100% cotton rope and a tire tread for easy grip, making it a great toy for games of tug of war. 

Cat trees and scratchers are not only great tools for keeping your feline friend active, but they also provide a great outlet to satisfy their natural instincts! Cat trees with multiple levels can provide your cat with plenty of fun and exercise as they play and climb their way to the top. Featuring moveable panels and cubes, the modular design of the modern Katt3 cat tree allows you to easily switch things up to maintain your cat’s interest! No tools required, the cubes can be configured in a variety of ways that provide more than one access point to the top of the tree and with endless customizations available, the Katt3 is suitable for kittens, adults and seniors and can be easily adapted to suit any cat’s needs.  

Mental Stimulation 

Not only is playtime with your pet beneficial for their physical health, but it’s a great way to keep them mentally stimulated as well. Luckily, there are many toys available that can help keep your pet challenged and engaged! 

• Nina Ottosson Challenge Slider: Puzzle toys are a great way to challenge your dog and exercise their mind! Helping to fight boredom, the Challenge Slider will keep your dog busy as they slide the tiles and seek out their tasty treats. Simply fill as many compartments as you’d like with your dog’s favourite treats or kibble and let the games begin! 

• Frolicat Cheese Automatic Cat Teaser: Designed to entice curious cats, this peek-a-boo style toy can keep your cat entertained with play sessions throughout the day! Appealing to the natural hunting instinct of your feline friend, this toy features two mice that dart from either side of the block of cheese for your cat to try and catch. You can even set the toy to automatically activate three 15-minute play sessions throughout the day to give your cat a fun surprise! 

• Tricky Treat Ball: This interactive ball can help keep your dog entertained, focused and nourished. The soft, pliable textured surface of the ball allows you to place your furry friend’s favourite food or treats inside the craters, keeping them mentally and physically stimulated for hours! 

• Catit Senses 2.0 Treat Spinner: Featuring dynamic treat spaces, this interactive toy can challenge your cat while encouraging physical activity and helping to prevent overeating. Insert your cat’s favourite treats or kibble into the opening at the top of the toy and watch as they enjoy hours of fun! The spinner also features a soft and flexible silicone cover, making it easy to refill and clean.