Best Pet Parent Hacks

We pet parents are busy folk—work, family time, and other obligations fill up our days. But we don’t want our pets’ quality of life to get moved to the back burner. Fortunately, there are some pet hacks that are real time-savers and will creatively give you new ways to cleverly do pet-related chores and enrich your loved ones’ lives.

Crates

Savvy pet parents are probably already familiar with this one, but if you’re looking for a way to keep your pup out of trouble and give her a secure space she can come to love, this hack is for you.

Dogs biologically love small, den-like environments. Crate train your dog when she’s young, and you’ll give her a cozy home base for life.

When you’re not home, rather than either leave your pup outside or roaming freely in the house, having her be comfortable with staying in a crate, can save you and her from both messes and damage done out in the house, and too much separation anxiety if they’re in their safe space.

Feed her in it to get her used to it and keep it in a quiet part of your house.

A crate is no small thing in the life of a dog. It can be their home-within-the-home, and their home away from home! When home, being crated can keep your dog from getting into mischief when you’re not watching them, and it can be her safe place to go to escape from too much activity. Just establish with all members of your family that your dog gets to have her “me time” when she’s in the crate—leave her alone when she’s there.

And if you travel with your pup, take her crate and watch it serve as her point of reference. In a car, plane, hotel room, or someone else’s house, it can curb misbehavior as a result of feeling disoriented.

Cleaning Hacks

Looking for a hack to clean up carpet stains pets leave behind? Try vinegar and baking soda to get rid of colors and odors. Some say even just baking soda will do the trick, at least for urine stains. Sprinkle some on your carpet, wait 20 minutes, and vacuum it up.

And for a pet-hair-cleaning hack, put on a rubber glove, like what you use for household cleaning. Moisten it with water, and rub it along couches, car seats, and other upholstery. And use a squeegee (like what you clean your windshield with at a gas station) to get pet hair out of your carpet. A vacuum can’t always reach edges or corners of the carpet, or extra plush or deep ones. Squeegees can! Dryer sheets are also great for picking up pet hair.

Have small scratch marks on your wooden furniture? Use a walnut! Yes, really. Rub it along the scratch and watch what happens. The oils from the walnut will seep in and cover the scratches.

And speaking of scratches, a quick hack that will protect your furniture from cat claws is to invest in some high quality scratchers. Have some but your cat isn't interested? Try sprinkling catnip on them. And the key is to place them in multiple areas around your house, like where your cat spends most of her time and next to the furniture she's most tempted to scratch.

Tired of constantly repositioning your rug after your pet has the zoomies and sends it shooting in the opposite direction when they run across it? Velcro it down to the floor! This hack keeps your stuff in place and is a safety precaution for your fur baby—it’ll keep your floor from becoming an ice rink and your pet from having nasty wipeouts.

DIY Pill Pockets

Does your dog need daily meds? Save some money by making your own pill pockets. You can use black or blueberries, or combine a tablespoon of milk, a tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter, two tablespoons of flour, and form 12 pockets. Store them in the fridge or freezer. Make these in bulk and keep them on hand!

Smart Doggy Doors

If a lot of your day is eaten up by letting your dog in and out, and trying to discern if they really need to go out and when they’re ready to come in, try a smart doggy door. These amazing gadgets can be a time-saver for you, plus can be programmed to only let in your pet and keep other critters out.

Another fun outdoor related pet hack? If you leave food outside for your dog or cat, and have an ant problem, grab a piece of chalk and literally draw a circle around the bowl. Any little invaders will become confused when they encounter the circle, and it will act as a barrier, and your pet's food will be protected.

Slow Down a Speed-Eater

Dog eating too fast? Slow him down by putting a tennis ball in his bowl. He’ll have to eat around it, which will slow him down, and he’ll have to move the ball around too, which makes for mental enrichment.

Keep Cool on a Hot Day

Make a DIY ice lick by freezing some of your dog’s toys in chicken broth in an ice tray or silicone mold. It’ll keep them cool, occupied, and hydrated in the dog days of summer!

Doggy Distractions

Looking for hacks that will make bathing your dog or trimming his nails easier? Two words—peanut butter! If he won’t hold still for a nail trim, have someone else put some peanut butter in their hands in front of the dog’s face, and see if the snack won’t keep him so preoccupied that he doesn’t even notice or mind that he’s getting a manicure.

And if your dog doesn’t enjoy bath time, the peanut butter jar comes in handy here too! Slather some of it on the shower wall. Ideally, he’ll lick away and be at least a bit more amicable, calm, and distracted about being bathed.

Grooming: The Ultimate Pet Hack

The one pet hack that solves the problem of excessive hair around the house, hairballs, and mats in your pet's hair? Grooming them regularly. Invest 5 to 10 minutes every day or two into brushing your dog or cat's hair. If you need a little extra help, explore taking them to a professional groomer regularly.

And one final underrated pet hack? Dog insurance! If you're looking for the best pet insurance for your family pet, check out Bivvy. It's simpler and comes with a lower price tag that isn’t raised based on your pet’s age, breed or size.

You've got the best pet in town! We hope these hacks and Bivvy pet insurance boost your quality of life together.