Many pet owners are struggling with hyper and anxious dogs due to the social distancing measures put in place to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This article explores some of the solutions to help your dog get through this crisis without leaving the house.
#1: Physical Exercise for Your Dog While Quarantined
The first thing to address if your dog is bouncing off the walls is physical exercise. Getting the body moving, for both humans and dogs, plays a critical role in reducing stress all the way down to the cellular level.
According to researchers at Harvard, “Exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators.”
However, dog owners are facing unique challenges during COVID social distancing. Many of our “go to” places to get our dogs a great work out are closed. Dog parks, national and state parks, and public spaces such as your regular dog walking grounds may be closed.
Here are some tips to get your pooch moving without leaving the house:
Recall Game
Have everyone in your household take turns calling your dog and then reward her for coming with treats and praise. Start in the same room, but then increase the difficulty by going into different rooms or even different floors of the house to increase the aerobic benefits of this fun game.
Indoor Obstacle Course
Use everyday items in your house to build a fun obstacle course for your dog. Examples include jumps, weave poles, tunnels, down mats, and crawl under obstacles. Train each obstacle on its own, then put them together for a fun workout that will get your dog’s blood pumping.
Fetch
If your dog already knows how to play fetch, then this game offers a great way to get your pooch active indoors. Consider lining a hallway with some jumps and tossing the ball to the end, giving your dog some added exercise during a fun indoor game of fetch.
Treadmill
If you happen to have one of the more athletic breeds from the herding or working groups who is used to getting a ton of outdoor exercise, you may want to consider training your dog to use the treadmill. For a solid workout with particularly hyper breeds, this is an excellent option.
