What does your daily routine look like now we are in lockdown 3? Are you a key worker? Furloughed? Self employed?
How does your dog fit into this routine? Now before I go on, I am pretty sure our dogs have LOVED the extra company this last year BUT have you ever wondered what we are like to hang out with? We don’t sniff butts, we don’t dig, we don’t chase rabbits or squirrels in fact sometimes we don’t even pay attention on walks to the really exciting smells. When we break it down we are actually really REALLY boring and we have much more say over how our dogs behave and what they do then we actually think. Walking is a great way to physicaly tire out your dog but its not the only way.
Enrichment comes in many forms. One of our personal family favourites is amazon delivery day ( of which there have been many over the last year) we have a HUGE stash of boxes in our garage and they get filled with all sorts of left over cardboard, toilet roll holders, newspaper and treats. Over in our free lockdown group I am often intrigued to see what our community comes up with. One of my most favourites is Millie and her pizza box. So simple but a huge amount of imagination and something that Milie loves! So it’s a win win for me.
Millies Mum said it was super easy and was just Ikea packing cardboard which they put holes in, the treats went in the holes then the coardboard into the box and VOILA.
5 Ideas for keeping your dog busy during lockdown
In keeping with government guidelines I have listed five ideas that you might want to try at home with your dogs;
1. Teach your dog a new trick;
Teaching them to give a paw or roll over are just a couple of suggestions. Teaching a rick is a great way to build focus and have fun at the same time. There are loads of YouTube videos that can guide you through the process step by step-I once taught Stanley to take put in and take out clothes from the washing machine.
2. Do a scavenger hunt.
Put your dog in a separate room or inside if you want to use your garden. Hide lots of yummy treats. Once hidden let your dog explore. This encourages them to use their nose. Scentwork is a really calming activity for you dog and helps with the production and release of endorphins-those all important calming chemicals
3. Rucksack walk
Developed by Steve Mann of the IMDT this is a fabulous exercise that can be done in the home, garden or out on a walk. You can find out more by clicking the link below
4. Build a mini agility course
So many household items that can be used to create a mini agility course for your dog to go round, under, through and over. It’s a really great activity to do if you have children at home and are struggling to keep everyone occupied.
5. Groom your dog
I am not suggesting you get the clippers out ( leave that to your groomer). But brushing your dog can be really enjoyable for them and also removes a lot of loose dead hair that might be making them feel uncomfortable. If they are happy you could even try giving them a bath.
I would LOVE to hear what your dogs favourite form of enrichment is. We love getting emails and messages
Its not to late to join our pandemic puppy lockdown challenge we have had a variety of ages and breed join us (not just puppies) we are super excited to get going and help as many people as possible or Why not join our FREE community and see what inspiration you can find.