At times when it is more difficult to maintain the daily routine with your dog, it is true that not being able to take them to the park for a run can be detrimental to their physical and mental state. Therefore, it does not hurt to organize some fun activities like Seattle dog outings for pets that have to be at home longer than normal.
Whether we like it or not, for our dogs we are the center of their universe. They depend on us, for actions as essential as feeding themselves, to relieve themselves and, of course, exercising. On those days when the latter is complicated, it doesn’t hurt to organize a series of activities where you both enjoy each other’s company and exercise.
The best way to combat boredom is with lots and lots of exercise. Dogs that get enough exercise every day don’t usually get bored. Most of them have a strong work mentality, but in today’s world, we don’t give them fun and engaging jobs to do. If you don’t want it to end up destroying your furniture or your favorite shoes (an unequivocal sign of suffering from anxiety), here are some proposals.
1. Train like the champions
If you haven’t been able to go to the park, let’s bring the park home. Mobility games are usually perfect for letting off steam. If you have stairs you can take advantage of them by also throwing a ball. But also, you can organize a homemade agility course by making him enter (as if it were a tunnel) through a cardboard box, put stacked plastic cups in a line in a row and spaced between them so that he can dodge them and for jumps, you can use boxes stacked at different heights.
Of course, some good prizes to reward him and, if after the quarantine you have gotten the bug to train more and even compete, there is more information in the Spanish federation.
2. Develops sense of smell
If all this situation has caught you at home with a puppy, you can enhance one of its most developed senses: smell. Tracking games are perfect for them. You can hide delicious and fragrant snacks or your favorite toy in the different rooms of the house, which you must find after giving a search order. At first you will have to guide him and reinforce him with words of encouragement and prizes, but the important thing is that he knows the mechanics of the game well.
3. Boost your intelligence
The Dog Tornado puzzles by Nina Ottosson are an example of toys whose purpose is to test the mental dexterity, concentration and cunning of our dog (there are also for cats) through the action of hiding food in the compartments of the toy and through smell , snout and paws our pets are able to find it. If it is difficult for you to get one of them, it is possible to create a homemade one using plastic caps from water bottles where you put some feed balls and hide them so that you have to find them with more or less effort.
4. Strengthening ties
To improve the bond between human and dog there is nothing better than a massage. It is also very effective in hyperactive dogs and in those that suffer from a muscle or blood circulation problem. And they are perfect for older dogs. On the Internet you can find tutorials where they teach how to do them.
5. Canine snack
Eating games are the best when it comes to keeping our dog entertained. The famous Kong is perfect for it. He can be stuffed with trinkets so he can spend his time taking them out. But Kong also serves to improve behavior problems, as some experts attest.
6. Music tames the beasts
Normally, dogs get very nervous at certain loud noises such as fireworks or storms. Basically, very loud and shrill sounds, such as heavy metal or electronic music, will have negative consequences on the dog. Contrary to what happens, for example, with classical or instrumental music. Veterinarians say that slow tunes (the kind they play in spas) and classical music (there’s a wide selection of tunes on the Internet) are perfect for calming their nerves. Of course, paying attention that it does not have too many changes in tones and volumes, and for nothing in the world put it too high.
7. Sanitized pads
Dogs have become one of the few and responsible excuses to go outside, but it is necessary to maximize the hygiene of pets’ paws at this time. In addition to the wet towels that we have always used, it is good to prepare a cleaner that is much more effective. Yoga expert Camilla Arker prepares an ayurveda based on hydrogen peroxide, lemon, tea tree and mugwort for her dogs. It is important to know that you should not use alcohol as it would burn the skin of the animals.
8. The toilet at home
Dogs love grass to relieve them. A product that can be very useful if we have a puppy or an older dog that suffers from incontinence is PetGround, a natural grass box like the one you enjoy in the park, which makes it easier for them to pee or poop in a controlled space and without having to go down to the street many times. PetGround grass is natural, matured for more than a year, organically filters and eliminates odours, with an average duration of two weeks.
You just have to open the box, and place it in the place where you want. In addition, it absorbs urine naturally and controls odour, while feces must be collected, as is usually done on the street. If the grass dries out, simply spray it with water to keep it refreshingly green.
9. Homemade treats
A good idea is to cook cookies at home. They are very easy to make and, with just 20 minutes of baking, we can cook healthy snacks. On the Internet there are multiple easy-to-make recipes and raw materials for best puppy treats. There are wheat flour, apple and honey; wheat flour and cooked carrot; pumpkin, egg, honey and wholemeal flour. Many possibilities, ignoring, of course, ingredients that are harmful to dogs such as sugar or chocolate.
