Like humans, animals have also suffered during this pandemic. In some countries, zoos and animal shelters have closed down due to insufficient funding, mainly caused by the lack of visitors. Sadly, the animals requiring human help to survive cannot get the aid they need at the most crucial times. You can’t help all animals in every zoo or shelter. But you can still provide your furry friend with the best life by being attentive to their needs and giving them the best care.
With you and your pet stuck most of the time indoors, here are some activities you can do to keep them happy and entertained.
Get Them a Friend
As stressed earlier, some animals are in dire straits since shelters and zoos have been closing down. No matter how much you want to save them all and give them a comfortable home, it’s a somewhat impossible task for a person. However, there are still some ways you can help.
For instance, you can adopt from an animal shelter and give your furry companion a friend. This way, they can keep playing during times when they can’t go out on strolls due to lockdown restrictions. You can also make a monetary donation or provide essentials to help shelters stay afloat during the pandemic.
Teach Them Skills
Dogs have a lot of pent-up energy, especially during their puppy years. With not being able to go out on strolls religiously, they can feel bored within the confines of your home. The key to restructuring their home life is by creating routines to fill their day.
You can start with giving them breakfast at a specific time. You can then walk them around your block (with social distancing) and give them baths on some days. For added activities, it’s also a great idea to enroll them in dog obedience training classes to help them pick up new skills while breaking bad habits they might have learned growing up.
Spoil Them with Treats
With the proper guidance, every dog can be a good boy or girl. Being good in stressful times is a formidable feat that warrants rewards. While being strict is necessary when raising a pet, showing love and being gentle are also vital.
Belly rubs and cuddles are welcome love languages. But you can also spoil them by giving them delicious treats and letting them gobble up their favorite food once in a while. Buying a new toy can also make their day by giving them something to pay attention to at idle times.
Explore the Outdoors
It’s a given that you and your pet need to minimize contact with the outside world, considering how there have been cases of animals contracting COVID-19. Still, breathing in the fresh air, basking in the sun, and walking in an open area can do good for you and your pet’s well-being. Exploring outdoors with your pet is extremely risky these days. However, you and your furry pal can safely go on exciting adventures by observing proper health protocols and choosing places with fewer visitors.
Have Them Groomed
Like you, pets also need days when they can relax and take a much-needed relief from stress. Scheduling a day at the groomers is also a way for your pet to relax.
So aside from playing and exploring, you can treat your furry companion to a spa day. Have their fur cleaned and cut to make them feel lighter and refreshed. Setting up a small pool in your backyard with some toys where they can paddle is can give them a good time within your premises.
Provide Them with the Essentials
With limited chances to take outdoor strolls, you probably also have fewer options to go to the vet or groceries. It can be a challenge to acquire essentials during this time. This makes it imperative that you stock up on what your pet needs. Having access to enough vitamins, medicines, and food is crucial because your pet’s health can take an adverse turn anytime. You must also keep in contact with your vet to ensure that you’re providing your pet with the best care at home.
Spend Time with Them
There’s nothing your pet yearns to do more than spend time with you. If you belong to the remote workforce, that wish is now granted. But accomplishing tasks from home can also take most of your time, leaving you with fewer moments to bond with your dog.
If that’s the case, you should make time to spend quality moments with your pet. You can incorporate bonding activities, like having a picnic in your garden, playing fetch, putting the skills they learned to the test, scheduling movie nights, or staying in bed and sleeping in during the weekends.
Enjoy the time with your pet. This can make them understand how important they are to you.
