Playing with Your Pet

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Playing with Your Pet

By: Ed Kane

See Larger Image

A pet's imagination is boundless, and animal play is spontaneous and whimsical. Animal games are without many rules and mainly just for pleasure, although much of animal play is meaningful, teaching life's lessons, and enjoyment seems to be the only theme.

When playing with your pet, use your imagination as well. Make up a game, follow his natural antics and build on his "variations on a theme" concept.

Cats respond primarily to movement. Therefore, any lightweight, small object may be a toy to chase and pounce on.

Dogs also love to run and frolic, and some of their favorite games are tug, fetch, chase and Frisbee.

Birds enjoy climbing and manipulating small objects.

Small mammals are bundles of energy and like to run in small spaces, such as tunnels, and play with toys.

Safety First

Know what objects are safe as toys. Consult your veterinarian if you have any doubt.

Like toys for a human toddler, pet toys shouldn't be too heavy for your pet to handle but they should be large enough so they can't be swallowed. Also, make sure they're not made of a toxic substance.

Dogs like chew toys, so safety of teeth and tummy are important. Cats may consume small toy parts as well, so be cautious of very small attachments, strings, buttons and bells. Birds are sensitive to certain materials, which may be toxic, so again, consult your veterinarian if you have any doubt. Small mammals may be sensitive to certain materials as well.

Fun! Fun! Fun!

Though play and fun are synonymous, don't exercise your pet more than he can easily endure. Monitor young children with pets; they're a great play combination but they'll probably tire each other out. Teach young children to be careful and gentle, especially when playing with small or exotic pets.

Jogging, bicycling and other strenuous human activities may be too much for your pet. Be conscious of overheating; remember to take time for shade, rest and plenty of water. Smaller animals may tire or just get bored. A rest period, along with "recess," is a good idea. With all pets, make sure the activity fits the animal; games and recreation for people might not be appropriate for a pet. For adults and older pets, simpler and less strenuous games are better. Know your pet, his likes and his limits.
Playing with your pet isn't only fun for him; it'll also mean lots of love and laughter for you, too. No matter what the game, play is fun for both pet and owner and helps strengthen the human-animal bond.

Whether you have a dog, cat, bird or even a rabbit, you'll find that play is a pet's second nature. Kittens, puppies and young animals love to play with their littermates. Wrestling, scrapping, mock fighting - it's always playtime for pet "toddlers." Puppies love to wrestle, chase and fetch balls and play tug-o-war; they never seem to run out of energy! Kittens love to chase butterflies, leaves, and anything that moves. Adult pets enjoy play, too. It's stimulating and provides needed exercise, keeping them healthy, fit and trim. For you, playing with your pet helps develop a bond with your beloved companion.

Printable Version

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Share this Article with a Friend Email To:

Have a Pet Question?

Review the Most Frequent Questions
Answered by Dr. Jon and His Staff of Veterinarians

Dr. Jon's Newsletter

Yes! Send Me the Latest Health Information, Pet Tips, Pet Stories and more...

Search Over 15,000 articles

1 Fun at the Park for You and Your Dog
Sun, fresh air, mild temperatures and your dog. This combo makes for a good day at the doggie park. Here are a few activities that will benefit the body and spirit (yours and his) and some links to stories...
Read More
2 Five Games That Will Delight Your Dog
You can make your dog’s heart leap even higher by taking along a ball, a Frisbee, or even a hula hoop. Here are a few activities you can play that will benefit the body and spirit (yours and his).
Read More
3 Teaching Your Dog to Love Frisbee
Bob Evans, Paul West and Ping Latvong are three of the world's top dog Frisbee trainers, and they competed in this year's Alpo Canine Frisbee World Championship with their dogs. Here's how they say you...
Read More
4 Safe Fetch Toys for Your Dog
An easy and amusing game to play with your dog is fetch. Not only does playing fetch strengthen the bond between you and your dog, it gives you both healthy exercise. All you need is a little time and...
Read More
5 Exercising Your Dog
Exercise is as important for your dog as it is for you. Young dogs need a regular daily workout to maintain their physical and emotional health. Learn about basic recommendations.
Read More

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles

Dogs & Puppies

Dog Breeds

labrador retriever, golden retriever, yorkshire terriers, german shepherds, beagle, boxers

Dog Medication

dog allergy medication, dog pain medication, dog anxiety medication, dog flea medication

Dog Products

dog bowls, dog crates, dog toys, dog beds, dog ramps, dog food storage, dog tags

Dog Symptoms

dog vomiting, dog limping, dog diarrhea, dog bad breath, dog coughing, dog seizures

Dog Health

dog cancer, dog diabetes, dog epilepsy, dog hip dysplasia, dog health, sick dog

Dog Care

dog vaccination, dog microchipping, dog grooming, dog neutering, dog spaying, dogs mating

Dog Training

dog aggression, dog barking, dog chewing, dog behavior, dog jumping, dog whisperer

Dog Pictures

puppy pictures, funny dogs, cute dogs, dog breeds, sleeping dogs, silly dogs, small dogs

Cats

Cat Breeds

persian, siamese cats, devon rex, ragdoll cats, sphynx, maine coon cat

Cat Medication

cat flea medication, cat heartworm control, cat tick medications

Cat Products

cat litter box, cat food, cat bed, cat flea collar, cat carrier, cat urine odor

Cat Symptoms

cat vomiting, cat limping, cat diarrhea, cat bad breath, cat coughing

Cat Health

cat health, cat liver cancer, cat diabetes, cat scratch fever, cat aids, sick cat

Cat Care

cat vaccination, cat grooming, cat microchipping, cat neutering, cat spaying

Cat Behavior

cat urine marking, cat furniture scratching, cat litterbox training, cat toilet training, cat fears

Cat Pictures

cute cats, funny cats, playful cats, fat cats, jumping cats, lazy cats, sleeping cats, cute kittens

1Exercising Your Dog
Exercise is as important for your dog as it is for you. Young dogs need a regular daily workout to maintain their physical and emotional health. Learn about basic recommendations.
Read More
2Five Games That Will Delight Your Dog
You can make your dog’s heart leap even higher by taking along a ball, a Frisbee, or even a hula hoop. Here are a few activities you can play that will benefit the body and spirit (yours and his).
Read More
3Fun at the Park for You and Your Dog
Sun, fresh air, mild temperatures and your dog. This combo makes for a good day at the doggie park. Here are a few activities that will benefit the body and spirit (yours and his) and some links to stories...
Read More
4Safe Fetch Toys for Your Dog
An easy and amusing game to play with your dog is fetch. Not only does playing fetch strengthen the bond between you and your dog, it gives you both healthy exercise. All you need is a little time and...
Read More
5Teaching Your Dog to Love Frisbee
Bob Evans, Paul West and Ping Latvong are three of the world's top dog Frisbee trainers, and they competed in this year's Alpo Canine Frisbee World Championship with their dogs. Here's how they say you...
Read More

Playing with Your Pet

Playing with Your Pet

Related Articles

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles

"Playing with Your Pet"

To view the requested article, please register below.

Success! - You Are Now Part of the Petplace Family!