the power of play

Did you know that age old wisdom of keeping active after sitting for too long applies to our four-legged friends as well? Playtime has all kinds of benefits, including (yay) getting that larger-than-a-lap-dog Rottie off of your chest for a few minutes. You’re home (all day), you’re together, so now’s the time to play.

Remember a time when your pet dropped their favorite toy on your lap or wouldn’t stop pawing at you as you scrolled down your newsfeed on Twitter? Even though these actions are super cute, they are also their way of begging you to get active with them. They want some quality time with their best friend, and the best way to create a bond with your pet is spending intentional one on one time together.

play to move

In addition to being a whole lot of fun, a huge benefit of playtime is simply the movement involved with it. Staying active can provide your furry friend with a simple way to maintain a healthy weight. With obesity in pets on the rise, playtime is more important now than ever. An easy way to keep their joints flexible can be just tossing a ball or using the classic laser pointer.

play to stay sharp

Try bringing stimulating treat puzzles into the mix to tease your pet’s brain with the promise of a delicious surprise. Level-up the classic game of fetch with a scented ball or toy that you hide, training them to use their nose to find it. Or get your MacGyver on as you invent the perfect hide-and-find toy for your pup.

And don’t forget that playtime with your pet keeps you both active. And entertained, too. And we could all use some of that right now, right?