By Marlena Ewing, Pet Care Specialist, Wisconsin Pet Care LLC
A week or so ago as I was driving through a local subdivision to a client’s house, with the windows down I could hear the sounds of summer play everywhere; children’s excited screams, splashing water, skateboards, etc.. Then I saw two little girls playing in a huge appliance box they had dressed and duct taped up as a cute little cottage with cut out windows, a door, flower boxes, the works. It totally reminded me of the fun my siblings and I had playing with similar objects as we took turns playing teachers, bank tellers, homemakers and horses, yes champion jumpers. Then of course there was all the water play with Slip and Slide, Mr. Wiggle, with whom we had a love hate relationship, and the sprinkler.
It got me thinking once again about how the simplest, homemade toys were usually the most fun. I had been trying to think of some fun, challenging inexpensive toys for a few of my pet clients. So my reminiscing helped me realize to keep it simple for my pets. Since then my dogs have chewed through empty paper towel rolls and cereal boxes to get to their kibble treats, played in sprinklers and gone hunting in their backyards for their mealtime food. It has been great fun watching them “work” for their food as it has challenged them to be who they are best at being, canines with primal needs. Just like when we were children, we used our imaginations to create wonderful, happy places and pretended to be our role models, all without the aid of modern society’s electronic entertainment.
The moral of the story: Keep it simple and go back to basics often. Life can be easy if we let it.
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