Bored, depressed, or on edge at home during lockdown? Don’t forget your furry family members and how you both can make the best of your time at home. Four things to do with your pet while on lockdown.

Why pets love lockdown?  And how you can make the best of it with your pet!

Home is something that means a lot to every person, and there is something nostalgic about the place we call home. A home is a place full of memories; it’s the place where we live with our friends, family, and pets.

How does the saying go again?  “There is no place like home”, well, in the current situation, this quote seems rather appropriate.

Everyone is in a state of emergency after the Coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak. Government officials are raising awareness and encouraging if not demanding for people to stay home and stay safe, in order to save lives.

While people may get bored during this lockdown period, it is also the perfect time to  reconnect with your loved ones; to spend some quality time with your kids and of course to play with your adorable pets!  It is truly heartwarming to see families together riding their bikes around neighborhoods and taking their dogs on walks as a family.

Your pets are especially enjoying this time as they get to spend the whole day with you and receive so much more attention that would otherwise be impossible to give.

So now is the perfect time to cherish our loved ones and maybe teach your pet some new tricks!  Here are some ideas that you could do with your dog while being in quarantine

Four things to keep your pet occupied during the lockdown:

1. Teach Your Pet New Tricks

Pets can learn all kinds of tricks at any age. Now that you’re spending so much time with your pets, always keep your pet on his paws and continually teach him new skills.  It’s great mental stimulation for him and provides you some needed sense of accomplishment too.

Positively reinforce your pet to learn new tricks and reward them with little treats, it will have a good impact, and they will be eager to learn more.

2. Play Games with Your Pet

A good activity like playing games is suitable for both of you. Playing hide and seek with your pet will most likely be one of their favorite games.  And who doesn’t like to play hide and seek!

You can also play interactive games like a tug of war, puzzle games, find the treat and fetch the ball. These games not only give your pet a lot of mental stimulation and exercise, but can help reduce behavior problems like chewing or excessive barking.

3. Regular Grooming Sessions

A grooming session may not be as exciting as a game of tug of war or hide and seek, but it could be the perfect time to get it done during this crisis.

Whether you give them the basic wash, rinse & dry or go the extra step and trim their nails and clean their ears and teeth.  You will be happy with the results, especially when they cuddle up next to you on the sofa.

Some Pets can tolerate grooming better than others, but frequent grooming and starting early in their life will make it more comfortable for them and enjoyable for you both.

4. Master the Obedience Training

Did you fully teach your pet all the basic obedience commands? If not, then during quarantine is the best time for you to brush up on all the training commands to keep them sharp.

Give your Pet quick training sessions of 5-10 minutes each day and recall the commands like sit, stay, drop it, down, and come here.  Treats work well, but minimize the quantity to ensure they are not being overfed.

Conclusion

We will survive these difficult times and will come out stronger than ever, so spend as much quality time as you can with your 2-legged and your 4-legged loved ones.  Rover will be infinitely grateful and reward you with unconditional love.

Exercise, fresh air and scenery will help reduce anxiety during this crisis, so go for walks as much as possible.  However, remember when your outdoors always follow the guidelines set forth by your local authorities regarding social distancing.

Stay Safe