Can You Pets Tell You About Household Issues?

This post won’t be geared toward telling you that animals have some kind of sixth sense, perhaps they do, or perhaps they don’t. However, it’s true that sometimes they can pick up on issues and problems that we may not otherwise notice. This is especially true when it comes to their living environment. While our lovely little dog might seem hopeless when defending the household thanks to their little size and loud bark, they can still notice and contribute to the home in their own way.

You might notice, for instance, that they stand on your sofa and look out the window longingly when it’s about to rain. We humans have never quite been able to determine if they’re seeing something we can’t, or if they’re just more connected to their animal instincts.

Either way, can they tell you about household issues? We believe so:

Avoiding Certain Areas

If a pet starts refusing to enter a part of the home they’ve always been comfortable in, it’s worth paying attention to that and seeing if there’s a wider cause. Dogs and cats especially have sharp senses that can catch things we wouldn’t notice such as strange smells, sounds, or even slight drafts.

It might not always be something worrying, and don’t worry, it’s unlikely you’re newly haunted. That said, if a dog who normally trails behind you everywhere suddenly won’t go near the laundry room, that could be a quiet clue that something’s off. Maybe there’s just too much damp there and they can pick up on it, so it’s worth checking behind all your appliances.

Barking At Distinct Spots

Now, all dogs bark occasionally because it’s just their nature. But most pet owners can tell the difference between the sharp warning tone of a dog trying to sound fierce, and the more uncertain, repetitive noise they make when something has thrown them off. This is especially worth looking at if you’re not sure what the source is, for instance, if the postman is nowhere near.

If the barking seems to focus on one area like a corner, part of the wall, or perhaps an empty cupboard it’s worth checking for the obvious issues first. Mice or insects could be hiding out, especially in cooler months, or maybe it’s something that a local pest control service needs to look at. It might also be something like a shifting foundation causing odd sounds, or perhaps a pipe starting to creak as it expands and contracts, which could be common if you’ve just had new plumbing implemented It’s annoying that our lovely pets just can’t outright tell us, but if they do seem focused on a space, it’s good to inspect it.

Finding Holes & Garden Escapes

Is there any better garden inspector than a yappy dog? Digging is usually chalked up to boredom or instinct, and sometimes that’s exactly what it is of course, but now and then, they’re onto something interesting. A fencepost might be rotting at the base, or a gap may have formed along the edge of a wall and despite how loved and comforted they are at home, the first opportunity to escape will call to them like nothing else. At the very least, if a dog seems interested in an area they haven’t really cared about before, that might be a sign you need to fix that space up. Maybe they can point you to an issue like tree rot.

Cats can be just as telling, especially if they start slipping through gaps you didn’t think were wide enough for them to get through, or if you find new cats in your garden. Watching where they go, or where they try to get to, can give you some useful insights into the little vulnerabilities in a garden setup.

Being Unable To Sleep Or Relax

Most pets enjoy routine, as anyone knows when they sleep in to be greeted by a frustrated cat standing on our foreheads. They have their spots, their preferences and little habits throughout the day, so when those patterns change, it’s often for a reason. If your dog suddenly stops sleeping on their bed and starts pacing at night, or your cat moves from the usual sunny windowsill to a different part of the house, there might be more to it than you first considered, like new noise, an appliance that may be close to breaking and is humming, or bad smells liek the aforementioned damp.

With this advice, we hope you can more easily see if your pets know about household issues, and to feel like you have a path forward if that’s the case. Who knows, maybe your little furry friend can save you thousands in eventual property damage.