Dogs love to chew and cats love to scratch - it's a natural behabior - but there are ways to discourage them from being destructive in the home.

Pets are part of the family, and part of the household. The dynamic relationship between people and pets can add a great deal to life, as extensive research on the human-animal bond will attest.

It's one reason a growing number of people are bringing pets into their homes and into their hearts.

But boredeom or lack of stimulation can sometimes lead to problem behavior, with furniture or a pair of shoes becoming a target for unwanted paws, jaws or claws.

Dogs love to chew and cats love to scratch - it's a natural behabior - but there are ways to discourage them from being destructive in the home.

That's where pet toys come into play.

Professional dog trainer Kenneth Morgan says the right toys can help alleviate boredom or anxiety in dogs by stimulating their mind, and keeping them busy.

"When you leave them alone, dogs get bored - and when dogs get bored, they chew," says Kenneth, who teaches obedience classes at Pet Paradise, a dog-training and boarding facility in Savannah, and who also offers private sessions through a mobile venture called Cayman Canine Training Services.

Toys provide an alternative to the furniture or your best pair of shoes, he says. They can also prevent destructive actions from developing. Puppies, for example, need toys to chew on to relieve the discomfort of teething.