By Our world has come to a standstill since Coronavirus hit us and our lives have come to a halt. We were not prepared for this pandemic and the lockdown has been tough on a lot of families. But the beings who are truly making the most of this time are our adorable pets. They can’t get enough of their hoomans and this makes them ecstatic. But after a point of time, we need to figure out a way on how to keep them busy so that they don’t go on a destructive streak. I mean, who would want a pile of shredded papers and scratched furniture, right? So here are some quick tips on how to keep your pets busy in the time of Quarantine.
1. Play loads and loads of games:
When you are not at home with your pets, they miss playing with you and look forward to weekends for the same. So to make the most of this quality time, you should play all the games they love playing with you. You can play a game of tag, fetch, tug of war with their rope toy, hide and seek or invent new games that are fun and interactive. This way, they utilize their energy and get tired easily. This will also help you get close to them and form a warm bond.
2. Have interactive training sessions:
Due to our hectic schedules, a lot of us don’t spend enough time on training our pets and that leads to them cultivating a destructive streak. By utilizing this golden period in training your pets at home, you form a very positive relationship with them. This also establishes who rules in the relationship and will tire them out in a productive way.
You can start with some easy commands and motivate them with food to start with. You can use different techniques like clicker or sound-cue training. This helps them understand their commands with certain cues easily. Another good way to train them is by incorporating certain signs to understand commands.
3. Instagram challenges:
This recreational activity is so much fun and will help the world know how cool your pet is. There are so many challenges on the internet that garner hilarious reactions from your pet. This will also help you get to know your pet well. The ‘dog snoot’ challenge, the ‘dog & egg’ challenge, the ‘what the fluff’ challenge, the ‘toilet paper’ challenge, the ‘cross the hurdle’ challenge etc. are some of the most interesting and fun challenges out there. The ‘toilet paper’ and ‘cross the hurdle’ challenges are the latest entry to this list where your canine or feline companions have to cross a bridge of TP rolls or walk across a path with items lying around. In both the challenges, your pets have to avoid knocking off things.
4. Have a movie date with your pets:
For us animal lovers, the best date isn’t about a romantic dance, an exquisite meal at a fine-dine restaurant or a big bouquet of roses. It is about spending quality time with our pets while we watch a movie with them. Have you ever tried this? In our opinion, this is one of the calmest and most tranquil date settings you will ever come across. Try it to believe in it!
5. Hiding treats in chew toys:
This is one of the most basic but rewarding activity for your pets. All animals enjoy getting treats from their pawrents. But sometimes, your WFH schedules don’t match with theirs. This is when these toys come in handy. The most popular one is a Kong Dog Toy. It is a chew toy which fits in treats and your pets will spend hours trying to reach the treat. There are other such toys from different companies that are beneficial as well. This is especially a boon if your dog has a lot of nervous energy and tends to chew on things at such times.
6. Puzzles Toys:
We all love challenges and puzzles are the best way to keep our minds active. Our pets need it too just like we do. So challenging their intellect with fun puzzle toys is the way to go. There are so many puzzle toys with different levels of difficulty for your pets. A lot them have hidden compartments that reveal treats if your pets tactfully move some levers. Such toys are perfection for tackling the curiosity of your pets. This enables their mental stimulation and keeps them busy and sharp.
7. Organize a scavenger or treasure hunt:
This is the most fun activity ever. It involves utilizing their sensory and mental capabilities and keeps them up and about. You can hide their favorite toy or treats and have a mini scavenger hunt at your home. Involve all kinds of thing in this interactive activity. You can bury their treats at various places and involve some puzzle games as well. In fact, the whole family can be a part of this hunt and you can have teams. This will ensure that your pet uses all kinds of skills and his presence of mind to reach the end of the trail.
8. Foster or adopt another animal in need:
In these difficult times, when the whole world is under a lockdown, animal shelters are suffering a lot. There is no one to take care of these cute fur babies and they deserve some love as well. This is the best time to get a companion for your pet and adopt an animal. They blossom when they get the right kind of care and support and this is the ultimate way for your entire family to spend time with your new pet as well. If adopting is an issue then you can start out by fostering these animals.
9. Games in the yard or incorporating innovative exercises:
A lot of you pet pawrents have amazing yards where you can play or exercise with your pets. They also need some fresh air and having a green, fresh garden will help them vent their pent up energy as well. If you don’t have a yard or a lawn then you can make them climb the stairs as well. This will tire down both of you and keep you and your pet fit and healthy. You can also make them do simple stretching and yoga to makes things even more interesting.
10. Make a schedule for your pet and stick to it:
Be it their diet plan, their daily walks or their play and nap time, it is advisable that you chalk out a proper schedule for your pet and stick to it. Animals do well if they have a system in place and this will make them more disciplined. This is also beneficial to you too as you can set their schedule as per your WFH hours and that way, they won’t disturb you at the time of work.
We hope that our tips will help you have a good time with your pets and keep them busy and active.
If you’ve been struggling to make some home-made pet food for your pooch at the time of this lockdown then read this blog post to know more about some amazing recipes of home-cooked food for your fur baby.
