How To Get Your Pet To Scratch His Own Furniture, Not Yours

Every pet owner's nightmare is a house turned upside down by their beloved furry friends. As much as we love our animals, we also love our expensive furniture and would rather not see it ripped to shreds. How many times do we have to scold Princess for clawing at the arm rest of our favourite La-Z Boy recliner before she gets the picture? Is it time to put Cesar Milan on speed dial? Not yet. There are solutions for these pesky pet peeves, so before you try anything else try a couple of these ideas first!

Dogs
Cats are usually the ones with the sofa scratching tendencies due to their natural inclination towards flexing those long paws. But dogs are certainly not exempt. Pups can often be found "making their bed" as animal behaviourists like to call it, and this comes from the instinct of marking their territory, ensuring a place of comfort before they sleep. This is all well and good until he starts to make markings on the wood floor or ripping up your couch. Luckily, a dog's attention can be easily diverted and a few quick tips can help train your pooch to keep his paws to himself. First and foremost, make sure that he has plenty of toys to keep him occupied. Sometimes a lack of stimulation is what perpetuates the scratching behaviour. When you see your dog scratching where he's not welcome, substitute the object he's pawing with a chew toy. If he's typically responsive to stern discipline, try that too but always make sure to reward him for good behaviour. Pet stores sell dog beds that are specifically designed for scratching and they come in all shapes and sizes. Spend time picking out a good one that you know will attract your pup and place it in the location where he likes to scratch the most. Filling it up with a few treats doesn't hurt either!

Cats
Cats are trickier to train all around, but trying to keep them from doing what they do best can prove to be daunting at first. Fear not! With a little extra time and effort, an obedient kitty can be the reality in your home. Scratching posts are always an option but for some reason not all cats will take to them. Is it because they secretly know that your attempts at thwarting their plans? Maybe! But before you give up on the idea of a scratching post, first consider the idea of experimenting with them. Many cat owners are unaware that posts need to be a certain size in order to be used effectively. Remember, cats love heights. If kitty can stretch its paws to their full length standing upright and still be shorter than the post, you've found yourself a winner. Place a treat at the top to lure them in.

If the scratching post still doesn't work, buy a cat scratch bed. These are like mini lounge chairs for our feline friends and they work wonders. Materials can range from cardboard with divots to rough carpet patches, choose whatever your cat tends to be attracted to most often. Spritz it with Cat Nip and you just might find her lying on top of it in a puddle of drool.

At first kitty will need some time to adjust to this new invasion of her privacy, so keep a close eye on her daily routine. When you see her head towards the leather sofa, tempt her towards the cat bed with some treats. Keep in mind that scolding and discipline does NOT work on cats! No amount of barking at them to stop will deter their habits, and if you think you can convince her to scratch where you want her to by picking her up and placing her paws on the new territory, think again. You know how cats are, pretentious little snobs. If you try to mimic the scratching motion in a new place with her own claws, she will only be insulted at your audacity and even less likely to cooperate. Filter out the bad by rewarding the good!

For a cost effective method, try finding anything around the house made of the type of material your pet loves to get its claws on - spare sections of carpet, cardboard, old blankets - be creative!

Soft Claws nail caps are available on the market as an alternative to declawing; they are plastic nail adhesives placed on a dog or cat's claws like their very own manicure and are 100% safe. They last up to six weeks and keep pets from doing damage around the house. Otherwise, regular nail trimming is strongly recommended to prevent over growth and drastically lessen the amount of scratching. Whatever method you decide to use on your pet, practice patience and remember that each animal responds differently - give it time!

Courtney Gilmour
		About the author:
		Courtney is a published writer, stand-up comic, and shameless Internet enthusiast. She holds a double bachelors degree in English Literature and Communication Media Studies, specializing in semiotic theory, however she doesn't get Shakespeare and has never won a game of Scrabble. Currently she lives in Toronto and works as a writer for WOMAN.CA.
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