Expert advice on helping your pet thrive during quarantine
Tips for keeping dogs happy indoors
1. Stick to their routine
Your routine has likely been disrupted in some pretty significant ways. In times like these, it can be tempting to let your pet’s routines fall to the wayside, too.
It’s important to try to keep your pet’s routine as intact as possible. Feeding, potty, and walks should all happen when they normally do, and if your dog is used to going in the car, it’s not a bad idea to continue to take them for short drives.”2. Be intentional about rest time
Your pet may be used to having time to himself while the family is away, so try to give him plenty of rest time throughout the day.
It is not a good idea to change your pet’s routine with a lot of socialization. Pets are not kids. Owners don’t have to keep them busy with things to do all day.”
3. Let them chew it out
For those conference calls, homeschooling sessions, or just moments when you need some rest, it can be helpful to give your pet a long-chew treat to help keep him entertained.
If your pet has a tendency to scarf down his treats, Kongs and other sturdy toys can be filled with peanut butter and then frozen for a longer-lasting distraction.
4. Play some mind games
Another great way to tire your pet out is with mental stimulation, like teaching them a new trick or two! Have you always wanted your dog to be able to roll over or for your cat to dance? Now is the perfect time for those lessons.
You can also use feeding time as a way to mentally enrich your pet’s day. Scatter their food around the house and let them use their sense of smell to find it, or incorporate a puzzle toy into feeding to give them a little mental challenge.5. Get creative!
To keep pets occupied and happy during a time when venturing out for new toys isn’t feasible, Dr. McGowan recommends thinking outside the box with DIY toys and enrichment.
“Provide fun toys that your dog has permission to destroy,” she suggests. “This can be something like a cardboard tube with kibble hidden inside, or a plastic bottle they can chew through to get treats from within.”Having a productive way to get any destructive energy out can be beneficial—both for your pet and your leather shoes.