There is an age-old mystery that pet owners have long pondered upon — do pets have a sixth sense when it comes to identifying the most inconvenient time to unleash their energetic curiosity? Yes, and yes again, especially if there is a board game set up neatly, ready for them to, as they possibly perceive it, ‘rearrange’ to their heart’s content.
This curious predicament is one that haunts board game enthusiasts around the world. Yet fear not, fellow game strategists, for we have gathered here today to outline the top five tried and tested strategies to safeguard your meticulously arranged board game setup from the ever-inquisitive paws of your feline and canine companions.
Decoy Gaming Board
“Hello, is it me you’re looking for?”
Step one involves a genius tactic — the art of deception. Create a decoy board game setup, with non-essential game pieces and elements that would not affect your actual gameplay. Allow your furry detectives to explore and, dare we say, get bored of the decoy. After all, how long can one possibly play with a pawn or chew on a fake card?
But beware — pets are smarter than we give them credit for. To ensure a realistic decoy, add a sprinkle of your scent to the bogus setup, tricking them into believing that it is indeed the target of their mission. A spritz of a used sock, perhaps? Perfect.
Fortress of Solitude
“Thou shall not pass!”
For step two, we resort to fortress-building. It’s time to build a barrier around the gaming area — one that can withstand the cunning strategies of a spy cat or a special agent dog. Be it a wall of cushions or a makeshift fence; the objective is to protect the sacred land of the board game setup.
Remember, it should be high enough to prevent the prying paws from reaching over and steady enough to not be easily knocked over. But most importantly, it should have the grandeur and gravitas to declare, “This is a no-pet zone!”
The Aerial Safehouse
“I believe I can fly!”
Sometimes, the best defense is elevation. For step three, we propose moving the board game setup to higher grounds — preferably a location unattainable by your pets. Think shelves, high tables, or atop cabinets. Essentially, a place where ground forces (read: pets) have no jurisdiction.
Moreover, ensuring that there are no ‘launch pads’ for the pets to leap from is crucial. We wouldn’t want to underestimate the jumping abilities of a determined cat or an agile dog.
Surveillance and Alarm System
“I always feel like somebody’s watching me!”
In the era of smart homes and intelligent devices, it’s only fitting that step four involves setting up a pet surveillance system around the gaming area. Equip the perimeter with motion sensors that alert you when the pet enters the forbidden zone.
You might also consider setting up a mild deterrent, such as a noise-maker that emits a sound unpleasant to your pets (but not harmful) to discourage them from approaching the game area. The objective here is not to scare them but to create an association of the area with an unpleasant sound, thus making it a less appealing target for their nocturnal adventures.
Training and Rewards System
“Good boy, now stay… stay… stay…”
Step five is perhaps the most important of all — training your pets to understand boundaries. While this method might take longer and require a lot of patience, teaching your pets commands such as “leave it” or “stay away” can be immensely beneficial.
Accompany the training with a reward system where they get treats for obeying the command. Eventually, they would associate obeying the command with receiving a reward, thus fostering a behavior where they avoid the board game setup, no commands needed!
Conclusion
So there we have it — five ingenious methods to protect your cherished board game setup from the well-meaning but often destructive affection of your pets. Now, you might wonder, “But what if they outsmart us?”
Oh well, if that happens, we must gracefully accept defeat and acknowledge the superior intellect of our furry companions. But not to worry, for every game lost is an opportunity to set up a new, even more, strategic game, right?
On a serious note, it is important to always prioritize the safety and well-being of our pets. While we love a good, undisturbed board game setup, it should never come at the cost of our pets’ health and happiness. Using safe, non-harmful deterrents, and ensuring that our pets have other forms of entertainment can go a long way in achieving a harmonious balance between gaming and pet parenting.
To all the pet-loving board game enthusiasts out there — may the odds be ever in your favor, and may your game setups remain untouched, pristine, and forever safe from the curious paws of your adorable pets.
Now go on, gear up and prepare your battlefield with the vigor of a general going to war. The night is long, the stakes are high, and in the great battle of “Pets vs. Board Games,” victory shall be ours!
Remember, it’s all fun and games until someone loses a game piece. Keep the play spirit alive, both for you and your adorable disruptors. It’s game time, pet lovers! Let the games, or rather, the guarding of the games, begin!
