Best Ways to Keep Your Dog Entertained During Lockdown

July 20, 2020

Best Ways to Keep Your Dog Entertained

With nearly the entire globe on lockdown during these unprecedented times, it's not only impacted ourselves, but our beloved pets. The people with kids who complain about being unable to keep them entertained must not have puppy pals. With kids, you have numerous indoor activities that you can use to keep them entertained. It's not in a dog's nature to spend so much time indoors. Luckily, there are ways you can keep your dog busy. Some will involve participation on your part and some you can allow your dog to have fun on their own. Therefore, if you find yourself working from home, you can use these tips and tricks to keep your dog from distracting you during conference calls or at various times throughout the day. In this article, you will be learning about some of the top ways you can go about keeping your dog entertained during the lockdown.

Top Ways To Keep Your Dog Entertained:

1. Toys, toys, toys

First and foremost, your number one tool to cure indoor boredom should be dog toys. Luckily, dogs get entertained with even some of the most basic toys. While you may come across some toys that your dog isn't interested in, you should be able to find some that he or she absolutely loves. Try to find the type of toy your dog appreciates the most. Some dogs enjoy toys with squeakers and can't get enough of them. Some dogs would rather prefer toys that require mental stimulation. Get an entire box full of toys that you can continue to introduce to your dog as he or she is forced to spend more time indoors and you will be able to continue to peak his or her curiosity and keep them well entertained.

2. Train Your Dog

There is the saying that, "a tired dog is a good dog." While you may be limited to the amount of physical activity you can participate in with your dog, you aren't limited to the mental aspect. Keeping your dog entertained involves mental stimulation, as well. Because of this, you should be incorporating a good 20 to 30 minutes of dog training into your dog's daily routine. There are plenty of ways you can do this. Find new tricks that you want to teach your dog and practice every day. Not only will you be able to wear your dog out mentally, but you can have a good bonding experience that brings you two closer together.

3. Have Your Dog Work for His/Her Food

If you have to hop on a conference call or get some work done with no distractions because of the lockdown, don't fret. There are plenty of ways to ensure that you can safely keep your dog busy while you get to work. Using food dispensing toys and other toys that make them mentally and physically work for their food can be a great way to keep them busy, active, and entertained for a good amount of time. Leverage these items as they can prove to be very useful when you are looking to keep your dog busy to avoid distractions.

4. Play Fetch

If you can spare the slight distraction, one of the best ways to physically wear your dog out to cure their boredom and lack of exercise would be a game of fetch. Fetch is a very easy game to play with your dog and he or she will do all of the work. If possible, you can play a game of fetch in a larger room where your dog has more freedom to move around. If not, you can use a stairwell and toss the item down the stairs while waiting for your dog to retrieve it. This can wear your dog out very fast.

5. Tug Of War

Get yourself a rope toy and play a couple of games of 'tug-of-war' with them. While there is a common misconception that this game leads to aggression in dogs, it doesn't. Not only is does it not lead to aggression when done properly, but it can prove to provide both mental and physical stimulation that your dog needs especially during the lockdown. It is one of the best ways to help your dog release excess energy that they may have built-up in their system which can cause them to act out [1].

Finding things to help keep your dog busy and entertained during the lockdown is very important. After all, your dog may not be used to you being home at certain points during the day. Therefore, you may find your dog constantly wanting to be around you and seeking attention. That, combined with the decrease in exercise your dog is likely getting can be a recipe for disaster. Use the tips above and you should be able to take on the lockdown with your dog with relative ease.

References

[1] https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/dog-tug-of-war-dog-myths-debunked