When you brought a dog into your life, that requires exercise in the form of daily walks, you probably didn’t anticipate a global pandemic that would mean staying indoors is advised and becoming a home body is encouraged. So many aspects of daily life are being affected and how your dog is exercised is one of those. So what are the best steps to take to care for your dog during these very uncertain times? Advice from the federal government, state officials, medical experts and science is being updated daily. For now we give some tips as the advice currently stands and for how to keep your dog active in a lockdown situation.
Walk your dog
At the time of writing this post, the advice is that you can still walk your dog. Don’t walk your dog as part of a bigger group and keep your distance (at least 7 feet) from others.
Play in the back yard
If you have a back yard, allow your dog plenty of time to play outside. For dogs that like to engage in ball play, that is a great way to give him some exercise. If you do not easily have access to an outside space, try to give your dog as much mental stimulation as possible.
Take the stairs
If you have stairs in your home, getting your dog to run up and down them is one way to get those wiggles out. Stand at the top and throw a toy for your dog to chase. Doing that multiple times is a great way to expend energy.
Set up an agility course
Set up an indoor agility course using some household items. This article from The Bark gives suggestions on how to achieve that. https://thebark.com/content/agility-training-exercises-your-dog-can-do-indoors
Teach a trick or two
Teaching a new trick gets your dog moving around and provides mental stimulation too.
Give your dog a puzzle toy
Using puzzle toys can help enhance mental stimulation. These can also help your dog be more physically active.
Play hide and go seek
Play hide and go seek with dog treats. Hide small treats in different areas around your home so that your dog has to move around the house to get to them.
