Staying Indoors with Your Dog Because of Covid-19? Here’s How to Make the Most of Your Time

Social distancing and longer hours spent indoors due to Coronavirus concerns means more time with your dog. Sure, it’s a dream come true to have your best friend with you all day long, but after awhile you may be asking yourself...what can we do?!

It’s important to keep your pup happy and stimulated- and that goes for you as well! During high stress times like this, it’s already nice to have a cuddle buddy nearby. In fact, studies have shown that pets help quell anxiety.

Here are some fun ways to beat indoor boredom and get some quality bonding time in while staying safe.

Work on behavior training

You might be working from home for now. If so, it’s crucial to take breaks throughout the day. This is the perfect time to reinforce behavior training with your dog! Go over commands they already know or try new ones, rewarding your pup with a treat after they follow through successfully.

Interactive energy burners

Dogs need to burn energy every day, especially if you’ve got a rough n’ tumble puppy on your hands. If you can’t get outside, try some active indoor games that are fun and can even involve the whole family.

• Hide and seek: Have one family member hold the dog while the other person hides. Then, doggo gets to see how quickly she can “seek” them out.
• Puppy in the middle: If you have friends over or family members, stand in a circle and keep your dog in the center. Take turns calling the dog’s name, so he has to move to whoever calls. This not only burns energy but works on voice recognition and following commands.
• Obstacle course: Make a homemade indoor obstacle course! Use household items like pillows, chairs,boxes or whatever your creative mind can think of. 

Toys

Having a stash of dog toys for rainy days is always a good idea, but how about tossing in a few new surprises since you’ll be home more often (for now)? Tug toys are great, especially to burn off energy and let the two of you play together. Puzzle challenges with a hidden treat inside help your dog stay focused and mentally stimulated as they work to reach the treat.

Outdoors

If you can, take your dog for a walk in your neighborhood or on nearby walking trails to get sunshine and fresh air. Remember to distance yourself from groups of people. Social distancing means standing at least 3 feet apart. Always wash your hands when you come home!