{"id":446,"date":"2024-09-18T13:16:13","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T20:16:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/?p=446"},"modified":"2024-09-11T13:18:42","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T20:18:42","slug":"how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Keep Your Pet Entertained While You\u2019re Away"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1061\" height=\"707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dog on couch with Toy.\" class=\"wp-image-447\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg 1061w, https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/iStock-1324463355-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1061px) 100vw, 1061px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In a perfect world, we would be able to take our pets with us everywhere we go. What are pet owners supposed to do when they have to leave their pet at home? Sometimes, pets are tolerant of an hour or two alone. Other times, the mere sight of an owner&#8217;s car keys can send a pet into a spiral. Providing entertainment options can certainly get a pet through daily bouts of solitude-inducing anxiety and boredom, but it may not always be clear how a pet wants to pass their time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Variety Is the Spice of Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you have to leave the house for school, work, social gatherings or errands, all your pet knows is that you\u2019re going somewhere without them. This can trigger feelings of fear, stress, and anxiety, but associated symptoms can be totally avoided with a little strategizing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Luckily, you know your pet better than anyone, and you can use this knowledge to find creative solutions to necessary alone time. Knowing their interests, skills, and personality can help you decide what options to try. Once you know what kinds of toys your pet enjoys, rotate them out on a weekly basis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Before You Go<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Anytime you have to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/the-benefits-of-regular-exercise-and-how-to-keep-your-pet-active\/\">leave the house<\/a>, you can try to spend quality time with them before heading out.&nbsp; Your pet may appreciate a bit of a walk, run, game of fetch, tug, or laser tag. Giving them a chance to blow off steam will help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/whats-the-cause-of-anxiety-in-pets\/\">reduce agitation<\/a> when it\u2019s time to leave the house. Be sure they also go to the bathroom before you leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/caring-for-your-pet-when-you-work-9-to-5\/\">Crate training<\/a> is an exceptional option for many pets, because their crate inspires feelings of safety and security for them. While you\u2019re gone, you can have peace of mind that they aren\u2019t chewing electric cords or eating the couch, and they feel comfortable in their safe space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keeping Pets Busy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Fill a size-appropriate Kong with your pet\u2019s favorite food and freeze it. You could try non-fat yogurt, Xylitol-free peanut butter, low-sodium broth, mashed sweet potato, banana, or cheese. This will get them to lick and chew to their heart\u2019s content, while the melting treat delivers a safe food reward over time. Some pets can take up to an hour to get all the treats out, and afterwards they have used enough energy to need a well-earned nap.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mental Stimulation for Pets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot of pets also enjoy different types of food puzzles. If they are on a weight loss plan, you can even save some of their meal portions for these puzzle toys, so they get the chance to earn their calories. Snuffle mats simulate a pet\u2019s natural instinct to sniff and seek out tasty morsels. This can be deeply satisfying to their mental stimulation, while also giving them a tasty treat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pet Enrichment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If your pet displays ongoing resistance to your departures, consider hiring a pet sitter or dog walker to come by in the middle of the day. Doggie daycare options help to satisfy the canine need to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/exploring-the-impact-of-socialization-on-pet-happiness\/\">socialize<\/a>. These options break up the boredom, give you an extra set of eyes on your pet\u2019s safety and well-being, and provide much needed entertainment during an otherwise humdrum day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stay In Touch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Alleviating pet boredom and separation anxiety is a priority at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\">MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital<\/a> all year long. If you have questions about your pet\u2019s behavior, safety, or health please call <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/staff\/veterinarians.html\">our veterinarians<\/a> at (916) 939\u20111705.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a perfect world, we would be able to take our pets with us everywhere we go. What are pet owners supposed to do when they have to leave their pet at home? Sometimes, pets are tolerant of an hour or two alone. Other times, the mere sight of an owner&#8217;s car keys can send [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,13,25],"tags":[403,400,404,405,399,401,402],"class_list":["post-446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pet-health-wellness","category-pet-safety","category-you-your-pet","tag-interactive-toys-for-pets","tag-keeping-pets-busy","tag-mental-stimulation-for-pets","tag-pet-boredom","tag-pet-enrichment","tag-pet-entertainment","tag-pet-puzzles"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>&quot;Keep Your Pet Entertained While You\u2019re Away| MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital&quot;<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Keep your pet entertained and stress-free with interactive toys, mental stimulation, and enrichment ideas for when you&#039;re away.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"&quot;Keep Your Pet Entertained While You\u2019re Away| MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital&quot;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Keep your pet entertained and stress-free with interactive toys, mental stimulation, and enrichment ideas for when you&#039;re away.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-18T20:16:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c44dada103d1e27e954d260e9ec731fe\"},\"headline\":\"How to Keep Your Pet Entertained While You\u2019re Away\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-18T20:16:13+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":594,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"interactive toys for pets\",\"keeping pets busy\",\"mental stimulation for pets\",\"pet boredom\",\"pet enrichment\",\"pet entertainment\",\"pet puzzles\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Pet Health &amp; Wellness\",\"Pet Safety\",\"You &amp; Your Pet\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\\\/\",\"name\":\"\\\"Keep Your Pet Entertained While You\u2019re Away| MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital\\\"\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-18T20:16:13+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c44dada103d1e27e954d260e9ec731fe\"},\"description\":\"Keep your pet entertained and stress-free with interactive toys, mental stimulation, and enrichment ideas for when you're away.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg\",\"width\":1061,\"height\":707},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital\",\"description\":\"Our Blog\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c44dada103d1e27e954d260e9ec731fe\",\"name\":\"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/499d1e8b14a7de6bac4e3b17dedd8fd319df69ba3b365c22bf4502a847aff6bb?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/499d1e8b14a7de6bac4e3b17dedd8fd319df69ba3b365c22bf4502a847aff6bb?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/499d1e8b14a7de6bac4e3b17dedd8fd319df69ba3b365c22bf4502a847aff6bb?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/beyond\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\"Keep Your Pet Entertained While You\u2019re Away| MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital\"","description":"Keep your pet entertained and stress-free with interactive toys, mental stimulation, and enrichment ideas for when you're away.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\"Keep Your Pet Entertained While You\u2019re Away| MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital\"","og_description":"Keep your pet entertained and stress-free with interactive toys, mental stimulation, and enrichment ideas for when you're away.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/","og_site_name":"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital","article_published_time":"2024-09-18T20:16:13+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/"},"author":{"name":"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital","@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c44dada103d1e27e954d260e9ec731fe"},"headline":"How to Keep Your Pet Entertained While You\u2019re Away","datePublished":"2024-09-18T20:16:13+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/"},"wordCount":594,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg","keywords":["interactive toys for pets","keeping pets busy","mental stimulation for pets","pet boredom","pet enrichment","pet entertainment","pet puzzles"],"articleSection":["Pet Health &amp; Wellness","Pet Safety","You &amp; Your Pet"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/","url":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/","name":"\"Keep Your Pet Entertained While You\u2019re Away| MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital\"","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg","datePublished":"2024-09-18T20:16:13+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c44dada103d1e27e954d260e9ec731fe"},"description":"Keep your pet entertained and stress-free with interactive toys, mental stimulation, and enrichment ideas for when you're away.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-pet-entertained-while-youre-away\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/iStock-1324463355-1.jpg","width":1061,"height":707},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/","name":"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital","description":"Our Blog","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c44dada103d1e27e954d260e9ec731fe","name":"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/499d1e8b14a7de6bac4e3b17dedd8fd319df69ba3b365c22bf4502a847aff6bb?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/499d1e8b14a7de6bac4e3b17dedd8fd319df69ba3b365c22bf4502a847aff6bb?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/499d1e8b14a7de6bac4e3b17dedd8fd319df69ba3b365c22bf4502a847aff6bb?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital"},"url":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/author\/beyond\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=446"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":448,"href":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446\/revisions\/448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marketplaceveterinary.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}