We all know just how much our pets, especially dogs, love to chew things. But, it can be every pet owner’s nightmare to discover teeth marks on the new iPad, or wonder why your headphones don’t work, only to realize that the wire has been chewed through!
It is estimated that pets damage around $3 billion worth of gadgets a year! This ranges from causing owners to drop expensive items to chewing on them. Of course, what is more concerning is the health of our pets.
If a remote control is swallowed or if electrical cables are chewed through, then that can cause life-threatening injuries to a pet. In fact, chewing on gadgets is a common reason that pet owners have to bring their pets to a veterinary clinic for an ultrasound scan or an X-ray.
So, what can you do to keep your electronics safe from being chewed by pets? Here are some top tips to protect your pets:
Protect cables
It is important to do all you can so that cables aren’t a tempting chew for your pet. If possible, secure cables to walls or have them hidden. If that isn’t possible, then you could use tough plastic cable covers. Even grouping and securing wires together can be a deterrent against chewing.
When charging electronic gadgets, make sure that wires aren’t hanging and that the gadget is out of reach.
Go Wireless
You can remove as many cables as possible by installing wireless devices.
Make gadgets inaccessible
Always keep phones, tablets, and other electronic devices out of reach from pets. This can be easier for dogs because they tend not to walk on surfaces, but train cats not to walk on tables, ledges or other high surfaces. If that isn’t possible, then keep gadgets in a drawer.
Also, never keep cups of coffee, tea, and other drinks near gadgets. This protects your gadgets from having liquids spilled on them. This is also good advice to stop humans from inadvertently damaging gadgets!
Invest time in pet training
If your pets chew on everything and you have difficulty in controlling them, then it may be time to try some more training. With dogs, this can be as simple as training him/her to know what can be chewed and what can’t. So encourage positive chewing.
Cats tend to chew less on wires than dogs, but if cats are chewing on wires and gadgets, make sure that it isn’t a sign or boredom. So, some toys can help keep your cat occupied and away from gadgets.
If your cat has a fetish for chewing wires, then it’s best not to have toys that resemble wires, like items dangling on string or yarn.
If there is excessive chewing, it is always good to rule out any underlying health issues. Your local pet clinic can give advice on that.
Of course, there will always be some accidents with pets in the home. However, you can do much to reduce the risk to your pet’s health if you follow these tips to keep your electronic gadgets safe from pets.