Play is important in the development and training of pets, and finding what is a motivator is the key to using it optimally

Play is something that we often forget about participating in as we age. We usually are reminded of how good it feels to partake in it when we have children, or for a lot of us, when we have pets.

With that in mind, it's helpful to turn the tables and be mindful of how beneficial it is for our pets.

As ethologists have learned from discoveries in their research, play isn't just a fun thing to do — it's vital.

You see, as humans, during the process of play we learn, grow, think, reason, step outside of our comfort zone and acquire new skills in the process. We know from research that's been done that this is the case with animals, too.

Learn more about how play is integral in brain development and enhancement by clicking here.

And, as Jaak Panksepp, Ph.D. — an author and researcher — indicates, depriving young animals of play puts them at a disadvantage: it affects the maturation of the brain. His research showed evidence that the simple act of play increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, a protein linked to brain maturation.

It's easy to engage in play with puppies and kittens because they so willingly initiate it. But it's equally important to keep the ball rolling as a pet ages.

There are all sorts of games for dogs that are easy, inexpensive, fun and beneficial to play, and options are limitless, just as they are when thinking of the needs of cats.

Identifying your pet's play preferences can be helpful, as they can vary from not only species, but from pet to pet. Breed, age and physical capability can also influence the way a pet plays.

Some dogs are chewers, others love to hunt for things and still some others love to problem solve or even play with puzzle toys. You might even consider activities like nose work or agility for your pooch to give them a healthy outlet.

Cats have play preferences like birding, stalking or hide-and-seek.

Even birds like to — need to — play.

Human-pet play is an invaluable source of enrichment for a pet, and as I always remind when thinking about enrichment for your pet, "Spend half as much money, and twice as much time."

This type of play is different than self-directed play or interaction between other animals. One difference is that we use language to communicate during a fun activity, using repetitive phrases and gestures. Think about how this correlates with training.

Play has been an integral part of unfolding my now 14 year-old dog, Gretchen, and is one of the most important forms of interaction between myself and the animals in my care. By paying attention to and honoring how they play and engaging in a fun activity with them, I can quickly ascertain what motivates them, what they find off-putting and developing a bond with them.

What are your pets favorite games?

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

A dog's mounting behavior when directed toward humans can be a complex issue

It used to happen without fail: whenever I arrived to see one rather large Labrador retriever at his home for a pet sitting visit, within the first few minutes he'd run, leap up, grab ahold of me and well, for lack of a better word, hump me.

Typically this sort of thing doesn't faze me too much, as I encounter all sorts of things on a given day. In this case, it's been a problem because it happens with regularity but more importantly he's a big dog -- weighing in at around 90 pounds -- and it's not fun to be pummeled by that much force. In fact, the first time that it happened, I wasn't expecting it and I face-planted into the snow. That's not something that anyone wants or needs to happen!

For this particular dog, (I'll call him Sam) it's not only the notion of my being injured upon the initial contact that's a possibility, but once when he's engaged in this behavior, it can be a challenge to get him to stop (especially if I'm not expecting it).

That said, although Sam's a sweet boy otherwise, that behavior is something that I need to be vigilant of at all times.

I have yet to meet another canine that engages in mounting a human with that level of enthusiasm, so this is a unique situation to say the least. Typically, mounting is simply a bit of an embarrassment say, if you have guests (or if you are the guest!)

Interestingly enough, this behavior might appear in different contexts and for various reasons, so understanding that is helpful.

It seems important to note that mounting has nothing to do with "dominance" toward a human. Mounting a human is a dog's displaced way of communicating how they are feeling, nothing more.

There are a handful of things that a canine may be feeling when this behavior emerges, and in paying attention, you'll notice that an environmental or social stimulus is behind it.

Anxiety or stress about the presence of another person or a situation that has presented itself can be a stimulus, as can too much excitement (the latter seems to be Sam's trigger). Some dogs just want to play or are indicating the need for attention when they mount a person.

Of course, if there is a female in heat, that can be a trigger, as well.

In any case, some dogs in an attempt to convey how they are feeling, may "shift" -- or displace -- what is really going on (anxiety, excitement, stress, an unsure feeling) and start humping.

Hindering the behavior largely depends on the context and who the recipient is.

Calmly walking away is a simple tactic to address it, as is having them sit. It's impossible for them so continue if their rump is on the floor!

In Sam's case, his excitement level goes to a fever pitch, so by my calmly entering the house -- a gentle scratch on the head, no words, no excitable behavior on my part, and immediately leading him outside to do his business and then starting a game of fetch with a prized toy in the backyard does the trick.

Redirecting any excess excitement into the game and letting him expend some energy certainly seems to help, though I still need to keep an eye on him.

That same strategy -- redirecting the dog's attention in some way -- can be used to avoid the behavior cropping up, especially if your pet is getting a little too friendly with guests.

A quick walk or a playing a game that they enjoy can certainly redirect them, as can a stuffed Kong or a puzzle toy.

As with any behavioral issue, in identifying the stimulus, you can help mitigate the behavior. By managing any anxiety or excitement that is at the root, you can set your dog up for success in having self-control in whatever environment or social situation they are in, and with more ease.

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer, a regular contributor for The Ann Arbor News and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Windows can offer dogs beneficial outlet, but for others they are a behavioral burden

There's a neighborhood I walk a client in on occasion that boasts many homes with canine family members, and by and large, it's pleasurable and safe to walk in for both me and my charge, a young dachshund.

There is one house that I avoid walking directly past without fail and for good reason: a potentially dangerous situation looms every time.

Upon passing the home, I witness a sight that I see often on my travels (just one reason that I don't walk distracted by my phone or otherwise), and it always gives me pause.

An adult German shepherd inside the home, gustily plants their body atop the back of the couch that is situated in front of a single-pane picture window, growling, vocalizing, clearly not able to control them self at the mere sight of my client and I making our way down the sidewalk. A less-out-of-control golden retriever always joins in within seconds and most definitely seems to follow the lead of their housemate.

Unfortunately the location of my client's home necessitates the need to go past this house, so I mindfully do so, but from a safer distance across the street.

Thankfully even now, that seemingly sturdy window keeps a dicey situation from escalating to one that would have an unfavorable outcome.

I often wonder how many times a day that the poor dog engages in that level of arousal at that window, and what other behaviors the dog might be exhibiting that could be easily addressed. Then, I think about all of the other times in a given month when I see this kind of thing happen in my travels.

Windows are a wonderful way to offer a view of what's happening outside for pets, but for some, they only show potential threats and are burdensome to them.

Thankfully, there are simple changes that can be implemented to help dogs like this avoid the stimuli that trigger these kinds of behaviors, so let's start with one obvious source — the visual type.

Usually a combination of things, like moving furniture away from windows, closing blinds or drapes or using rice paper film on the lower-half or the entire window to obscure the view (this still allows light to stream in). The latter comes in different finishes and may affix by clinging to the window or may use an adhesive.

If that all isn't enough, blocking access to rooms with large windows entirely may be necessary.

Audible triggers often accompany the behavior, so keeping a radio on or using a white noise machine to buffer any noises from outside is helpful.

Positive reinforcement training goes hand-in-hand with these efforts, and for more on that, click here.

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer -- most recently as a contributor on MLive -- and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

When it comes to litter boxes, size matters -- among other things

One thing that I've learned over the years with my cat Silver, is that the way to make a cat upset is to either move their litter box, or replace it with another that's unfamiliar to them. And, oh, will you pay if they've become unhappy with something you've done.

Litter boxes are touchy subjects to cats. Our feline friends have definite preferences with regard to taking care of business, from the type of litter box, the size, where it's placed and even the kind of litter that's used.

Inappropriate elimination is a common issue that I'm approached about often, and the root causes can be complex. Whittling down the list of what could be causing discontent can be troubling and painstaking on the part of the human -- especially if one has a multiple cat household -- but the findings of recent research supports what those in the know have been suggesting for years: pay attention to your cats preferences, but most of all, give them privacy and space.

43 households took part in the study, "Litterbox size preference in domestic cats", with some of those being multiple cat households – 74 cats in all. The purpose was to evaluate how cats would respond when given the choice of using one of two plastic litter boxes: a large one that exceeded the size of what is normally found in stores (86 cm in length), and a smaller but average-sized one. At the start, the 2 boxes were placed at opposite ends of the same room in the owner's home. After a 2-week period, the boxes were emptied completely, refilled with clean clumping litter (which the households were given an unlimited supply of), and replaced, this time in the opposite location.

After analyzing data that consisted of entries in a log book kept by the pet owners with how many fecal and urine deposits their respective cats made on a daily basis, the researchers found that urine deposits were more more frequent, and that the larger-than-average litter boxes were preferred. Authors of the study, Norma C. Guy, Marti Hopson and Raphael Vanderstichel noted that another preference, location, seemed to have weight as well.

For years, I've recommended the following formula in keeping felines happy: have at least one litter box per cat in the household (and two for one pet), know where they prefer to have their litter boxes placed — and yes, ensure that they are the right size and type. In the latter case not all litter boxes are created equal.

There are many litter pans on the market, but some are not appropriate depending on the sex or age of the animal.

For senior cats, consider a box with a lower entry point so that they can get in and out with more ease since arthritis can make mobility challenging.

As for the sex of the cat, I find that females do just fine with most types, but male cats for obvious reasons need boxes that are higher in the back so that urine doesn't get deposited outside of the box, even if it has a lid.

My top pick across the board is the Whisker City High Back litter pan — and one version comes with a hood to minimize litter scatter. The large size of this box (according PetSmart, where it's exclusively sold, it measures 18.7"L x 15.5"W x 15"H) can accommodate even the largest cats comfortably and with it's high back, your days of cleaning up urine from behind the box are over. The lid can be a bit unwieldily, but it lifts easily on a hinge for ease of daily cleaning, which I might add is an important detail that all cats appreciate and will help them maintain good litter box habits.

Click here to read the study, which was published in January.

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Ditching the slow feed bowl and incorporating more fun and healthy options can keep your dog from eating too fast

Let's face it: some dogs are more "enthusiastic" than others when it comes to mealtime.

Seldom do I ever hear that people have a difficult time getting their dogs to eat. In my line of work, I see that is a very good thing because it helps me gauge how a pet is doing in the absence of their humans. A good appetite means that they're feeling comfortable with what's happening.

For some dogs, nothing slows them down when it comes to eating their meals. Surely many of you can relate — you know, the dog that gobbles up their food like they've not eaten in days.

For this reason, mealtime can pose a real problem for some families, especially if it involves having multiple dogs in the house.

This was the case in my own household for years, and having tried different approaches to help mitigate the issues associated with my dog's habit of inhaling their food – with the risk of a life-threatening condition called bloat being one – I realized some things.

Not all approaches and products are created equal when it comes to addressing this vexing problem, and understanding why each dog engages in gulping down their meals is key.

The natural inclination for us humans is to seek a product to help when we (think) that we see an issue with behavior or health arise, and while there are some good ones out there, I feel that others simply complicate the problem. The latter is especially true if one isn't looking at the big picture.

Understanding the reasons why dogs eat too quickly can help mitigate the incidence of it happening, and avoiding what commonly results: gagging, choking and/or vomiting up everything they've eaten.

In looking at a pet's overall situation, it's helpful for pet owners to ask themselves:

• Does my dog feel like there's competition over food? Are there other pets in the home?
• How often does my pet get fed?
• Is the nutritional value of the food sufficient for the animal?

A trip to the vet is the first rule of order to pinpoint any health issues, like the possibility of your pet being infected by parasites (parasites can affect the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food, increasing a dog's appetite).

If your pooch has clean bill of health, consider feeding your dog more frequent, smaller meals. Twice per day is ideal, but some dogs fare even better with three or four. Feeding a diet that's nutritionally adequate for the pet's needs can help bridge the gap that they physically feel if their diet is lacking.

If there's competition amongst the animal members of the family, consider feeding your gang on opposite sides of the room — or even in separate rooms if possible.

It seems important to note that some breeds are predisposed to acting like a canine vacuum cleaner; Labradors, beagles, pugs, basset hounds, dachshunds, among others.

With so many products on the market to help address the issue of pets wolfing down their food, I find that the ones like slow feed bowls only compound the problem. These bowls can range from having a spoke-like design to a dome in the middle to slow down the amount of food that goes down the hatch at a given time. However, in an even greater effort to ingest the food, I find that most dogs end up get more worked up about their meal than usual, even swallowing a lot more air. These issues are not only leading causes of bloat (something these products were meant to help avoid!), but they typically result in gassiness, as well.

To slow down your dog's pace a few notches, consider adding some canned food to their dry diet, or do something as simple as scatter your dog's kibble in the grass or on the floor so that they can graze. For added enjoyment and to (hopefully) provide some distraction from competition, feed your pet from a foraging toy, like a Kong.


Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Laser toys are a fun way to interact with cats, as long as they are used correctly

Play is a vital part of a cat's life, as it provides an outlet for mental stimulation, to burn off energy and to satisfy their hunting instincts.

Cats are easily amused. Quite often, they can be found using the most simple of things to play with, whether it be an inkpen, a crumpled wad of paper, a wine cork or an empty cardboard box.

There are plenty of toys on the market that are geared toward felines that can keep them happy, whether it be a teaser wand, a catnip toy, tiny furry toy mice, crinkle balls, (the list never ends), it's easy to mix things up a bit to provide variety.

Interacting with our cats is important, and ditto for ensuring that they get enough exercise each day. Play is a great way to achieve both things, and depending on your cat's play preferences, you can hone in on how you can both get the most out of that time together.

One popular toy — the laser light  — is a go-to for plenty of reasons: Cats love to chase that famous red dot endlessly, they get the stimulation that they need and yes, it can make it easy on us humans.

By and large, I think that laser toys are fine to use, though I have seen some cats get a little too stimulated and redirect their enthusiasm in a way that is unwanted. (Ditto for dogs – in fact I see that canines get too worked up and for that reason, I find laser toys inappropriate for them.)

There is a right way to use a laser toy with your cat, however, and by following a couple of simple rules, you can keep things fun, productive and keep your cat interested in this mode of play.

Simply moving the light across the floor enthusiastically to have your feline friend chase it and abruptly turn it off is terribly unsatisfying to them, and really, only offers part of the allure of the game.

It's good to remember that the light on these toys mimics prey — which is why cats like to chase them. When a feline is after prey, they have a reasonable expectation that at some point of them stalking, chasing and pouncing on the light, that they'll actually "catch" what they're after.

In order to facilitate this, choose an end point (like a bit of dry food or treats, or a toy like a furry mouse) and as you begin winding down a play session, hover over the end point and there, your cat will get the 'prize' that they've worked for. By doing that, you'll ensure that they'll want to participate in future play sessions with the laser, and that they'll get the physical and mental exercise that they need to be happy.

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Flatulence in dogs is normal, usually harmless -- but sometimes needs a clinician's help

'Are there any specific issues that I need to be aware of with regard to your pet?', is a question that I ask with regard to any new-to-me animal that will be in my care.

One of the most common replies elicits a giggle or two on my part, and a word of reassurance which usually sets an embarrassed pet owner at ease.

'Well... they have really bad gas. I hope that's not a problem.'

I'm definitely no stranger to the effluvious side of caring for pets.

Flatulence in dogs is common. In some dogs, it seems to be more odorous than others. In any case, gas can occur for a lot of reasons which are mostly simple and harmless.

Gas occurs either when an excessive amount of air is swallowed due to being a brachycephalic dog (as in the case of bulldogs or pugs), having a respiratory condition or in those dogs that gulp down their food – but gas is most commonly produced in the intestine. In the latter case, stomach contents, which are acidic, meet the more alkaline small intestine, and then fluid and carbon dioxide result. Most of the carbon dioxide is distributed into the vascular system, but some is left in the intestines.

The unpleasant smell associated with gas is caused by bacteria in the intestine that reduce sulfur in amino acids, as well as nuts and other plant-based foods.

Diet can increase the incidence of gas. Commercial diets can contain some things that prove to be hard to digest, like some proteins and carbohydrates, and ingredients that are used to improve texture, like carrageenan. Of course, cruciferious vegetables like broccoli can contribute.

Lack of activity can exacerbate flatulence in dogs, and it's thought that consuming too much fat can be a contributing factor.

In working with your clinician, any food sensitivities can be identified to help mitigate the occurrence of troublesome gas. Aside from feeding the right food, smaller but more frequent meals may help, as well as exercise.

Should any dietary changes not yield any favorable results, your vet can rule out any underlying medical issues that could be at the root.

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.