Life has a funny way of mixing things up every once in a while and we find ourselves at home more than usual. As dedicated pet parents, it’s our job to make sure we provide our pets with the tools they need to stay safe and engaged when life looks different for them, too. Here are some basics to keep in mind:

Your pet’s body language speaks volumes While Wags and Mouser can’t talk to us, they definitely know how to walk the walk. Dogs and cats have spent centuries learning how to best communicate with their owners using their ears, eyes, tail, facial expressions, and body position. Look out for these easy to spot body language cues to know how your pet feels:

Spotting the signs of a nervous or anxious dog is one of the best steps to preventing your dog from fleeing. If your pup begins to exhibit destructive behaviour, whine or whimper, pace, avoid eye contact, tremble, hide, excessively lick, or other displacement behaviors it’s time to take steps to ensure your pet has what he needs to feel safe. 

Keep your pet feeling safe and engaged with an enriched environment 

A dog who is happy at home usually feels less of a need to dash when she sees an open door or gate. Here are some steps to enhancing your pet’s environment:

• Plenty of exercise… a tired dog is a happy dog.
• Lots of love including belly rubs, scratches and kisses.
• Offer a variety of toys, like chew toys, squeaky toys, food puzzles and more. 

Give them their own space 

One great way to help relieve your pet’s stress is to provide them with their own accessible space. If your dog loves his crate, make sure he can get to it when he wants some time alone. When you see your pup getting overwhelmed, it’s a good idea to put him in another room - whether in a crate or not.

Teach your pup valuable commands and tricks

Engage your pup’s brain by teaching him new commands and tricks. Having an obedient dog isn’t just about showing them off to your friends. It’s about knowing that they will listen to you in dangerous and emergency situations. There are some great online training PetHub Perks available for pack members.

         

Always remember the basics 

Remembering and implementing some basics will always be great tools to keep your pets safe. Make sure they have their collars on at all times with an external ID tag, like PetHub tags, and keep them away from open doors and gates. Also, be sure to make time for quality, quiet time with your pets. One of the best ways to ensure your pets happiness and keeping them safe is to love them!

 

This article references PetHub Perks which are available to PetHub Premium members. Keep all your pet’s information on their free PetHub.com profile and link PetHub tags, WalletCards, and other tools to help get your pet home faster when lost. Premium services are available starting at a handful of dollars each month.