 at all times. Show your dog that you’re the pack leader, not just another member of the pack. Retrieval games are good at teaching control.
• Avoid games like keep away and wrestling. Those games can encourage inappropriate mouthing or aggressive behavior.
• Games like tug-of-war can provide much-needed exercise, but should be carefully monitored. Teach your dog to “drop” or “release” when you decide playtime is over.
• Don’t include your body or clothing as part of any game.
• Incorporate the SIT or DOWN and STAY commands in every game.
• You decide when it’s time to end the game, not your dog. The best time to stop the game is when your dog is still eager to play.
• If, for some reason, your dog doesn’t seem to understand the game at some point, go back to the beginning, or simply leave it and try again a few days later. Don’t get angry if your dog isn’t “getting it” right away. Remember, it’s supposed to be a fun experience for both of you. A little patience will go a long way in building trust and confidence in your dog.
Importance of play time for your cat
• Exercise. Exercise is vital for keeping your cat physically and mentally healthy. Playing with your cat and having your cat romp around with others is a perfect way for him to get exercise, both physically and mentally.
• Release of Anxiety. Anxiety and stress are as harmful to cats as they are to the rest of us. Cats under stress are more apt to develop behavioral problems such as aggression, urine marking, or obsessive-compulsive disorders.
• Relief from Boredom. Cats especially, being naturally curious, can get depressed and lethargic. Cats need some sort of challenge every day. Watch a cat try to grab at a ball that is spinning around randomly in a circle. He is concentrating so hard that a simple movement of your foot can send him skyrocketing into the air. Whether he is looking out the window at chattering birds, or chasing a feather stick, he loves and needs to play.
• Feel Good. Play, by definition, is something to make whoever is playing feel good. And your cat deserves to feel good, doesn’t he?
• Bonding with other cats or animals in the house. Cats chase other cats; cats entice dogs to chase after them; and cats even chase dogs in some households! This type of behavior provides much-needed bonding. Playing with your cat can even bond him to you — and who couldn’t use more bonds in their life?
How to provide play for your felines
Usually, cats enjoy playing both inside the house and outdoors. There are a variety of ways that you can make playtime, inside or out, more fun for your cat.
There are a variety of toys you can purchase to play with your cat. From the balls with the little jingle bells in them, to the feather toys that the cats can chase. Check your local pet store for some fun and exciting cat toys.
A cat tree is a perfect place for your cat to perch to lie in wait for another cat — or even the dog. Anything that towers over the rest of the home’s inhabitants will do. Window perches are especially popular since they allow kitty to see all that nature affords.
Catnip is in a category by itself. It can entertain the cat and the rest of the household! Who knows what’s going through your cat’s mind once he smells that potent odor and wants to bathe his entire body in it!
Use an enclosure such as the Kitty Condo or the Happy Habitat to keep your cat safe from wildlife and wildlife safe from your cat. He can sniff all there is to sniff, chase insects, and watch feathered friends, and you’ll always know exactly where he is.
Every cat is different, of course, and what works for one may not work for another — sometimes even in a multiple cat household. But, by careful observation, any cat owner — or rather anyone who is owned by a cat — can provide bliss to his favorite feline friend!
The following are just a few of the wonderful pets currently available for adoption at the HSCAZ shelter, located at 605 W. Wilson Court (just south of Main Street). Adoptable pets are spayed or neutered and current on vaccinations. Hours are Monday through Saturday fro