Now that there is a global pandemic going about, many countries in are in lockdown mode. So if you are the outdoor type of person, being cooped up indoors can be pretty tough for you. This problem is further exacerbated if you have a dog as a pet.
What to do during lockdown with your dog
While there are some dogs that do not need much exercises, it is still recommended that you bring them out for their daily walk so that they can breathe in some fresh air. So if the lockdown is here, and you are stuck at home with your dog, what can you do at home so that your dog, as well as your sanity, is kept intact?
Let us find out some of the things that you can do with your dog
- Obstacle course
During the past few weeks, you will see the inexplicable action of humans sweeping toilet rolls off the shelves in the supermarkets. If you are one of them, you can make full use of the rolls and design an obstacle course for your dog. Use the toilet rolls to form a barrier for your dog to jump across. Start with a single level of toilet rolls before incrementally increasing it.
Of course, the rest of us non-hoarders can make use of everyday furniture in the house to design an obstacle course. Place the furniture randomly about the dog’s usual play area and watch the dog try its best to navigate its way around. It can be a pretty funny side, but nothing beats having more fun and laughter in the house during tough times1
- Training
Always wanted to spend some quality time with your dog and train them to do some nifty tricks that you have been thinking about for the longest of time? Well, now’s the best time! There are quite a lot of tutorials that you can find online. One of the best sites to learn the tricks will be on Dog Time. Try getting your dog to play dead!
- Hide & Seek
I love this one, and this is something that I do quite often. To play hide and seek with your dog, what you could do is to bring your dog to a room and close the door. You can then take some of the dog’s favorite treats and put it on places around a specific area, preferably their usual play area. You can place a single treat on the coffee table, on the sofa, or hidden amongst its toys. Once you are done, let the dog out and watch how it start to sniff around for their favorite treat. This helps to train the dog’s sense of smell as well as stimulating its brain. However, do remember to refrain from feeding too much of the treats to the dog.
Wrapping things up
Now, who says lockdowns are boring? It is the best time for humans and dogs to bond. Just remember to keep yourself, as well as the dog healthy by washing your hands often!