How to Stop your Pet from Destroying your Home

Owning a pet is very fashionable nowadays, whether a dog, cat, rabbit or any other type of animal. However, people often forget that animals need plenty of exercise and attention to keep them occupied, and to stop them from getting into mischief. In this article, we’ll show you how to stop your pet from destroying your home.

It’s all too easy for furniture to get damaged by scratches, chew marks, or dirt brought in by our pets. Anyone who has ever owned a pet will know this all too well.

There a number of different ways you can improve the situation so that your pet won’t start destroying your home every time you leave it alone in the house. With our top tips, you’ll soon be able to get your pet house-trained.

Training is vital

Just like children, pets need to be taught how they should and shouldn’t behave. Good training is vital for teaching your pet everything it needs to know about navigating day-to-day life as a house pet.

It’s up to us to take on the role of both parent and teacher to our pets, especially while they’re young. Starting training from an early age is the best way to guarantee your pet will be well-behaved, as it gives you time to discipline them and correct any unwanted behavior.

It’s important to teach your pet basic things such as: staying off the couch, not scratching the carpet, and using a litter box. Most importantly, you need to establish a routine for things such as meal times and walks (in the case of dogs).

– Give to your pet, and it will give to you in return.

Top tips for cat owners

Cats are very independent animals and don’t usually need constant attention from their owners. However, they can still cause a number of issues in and around the home: they are known to throw things on the floor, use the furniture as a scratching post, mark their territory… So, what can you do to prevent all this?

• You need to teach your cat to use a litter tray from the very beginning, rather than simply allowing it to go where it feels like it. Once it’s got the hang of it, it’ll use its litter tray automatically.
• Don’t place fragile objects such as vases, mirrors, and porcelain too high off the ground… A cat’s natural instincts mean it will to try to get up onto any high shelf it can reach.
• Teach it not to scratch the couch or carpet. When you first bring your cat home, you’ll need to keep a close eye on it, but over time it will learn what it should and shouldn’t do. If you have a scratching post, you can teach your pet to use it to sharpen its claws instead.
• Give your cat a comfortable bed, and teach it that this is where it has to sleep. If you want to keep your furniture clean and fur-free, avoid letting it sleep on the couch or bed.
• Cats often make a mess when they eat, so it’s best to give them food somewhere that’s easy to clean. Avoid feeding them in rooms such as the living room, and use rooms like the kitchen, patio or terrace instead.

Top tips for dog owners

Dogs are more dependent on us humans than their feline counterparts. If you live in a city apartment, having a dog might not be the best idea. Country houses, on the other hand, are ideal for raising a happy, healthy dog.

• Train your dog not to jump on the couch. They need to learn to sleep in their own beds.
• Food should only be given in the kitchen, or out on the patio or terrace. Never feed your dog in the living room or bedroom, where there’s more chance of them getting stains on the floor.
• Don’t let them enter parts of the house you want to keep clean. For example, the kitchen might be a good place to designate as the main room for your dog.
• Teach them not to chew decorations or furniture.
• Have a set routine for things such as walks, and taking them out to relieve themselves. Try to stick to a schedule, and don’t deviate from it too much where possible.
• Make sure to give them regular baths to prevent bad odors.

Advice for other pets

While cats and dogs might be the most popular pets, they’re not the only animals capable of destroying your home. For example, although a rabbit is less likely to make a mess or destroy the furniture than a cat or a dog, it’s best to keep them in a large hutch where they can eat, sleep and go to the toilet, and won’t be able to chew any cables.

More and more people are owning small animals such as hamsters. As long as they’re in their cage, they can’t really cause much trouble. However, letting them run loose around the house gives them ample opportunity to chew things and make a mess.

Finally, we should also mention ferrets. While these animals make popular pets, they are fast, agile and have a reputation for knocking things on the floor. It’s best not to keep fragile or valuable items anywhere they can easily get broken.